JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 Missouri officials weighed in Thursday on the conviction of former President Donald Trump in New York of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal.
Trump, who won the state鈥檚 presidential election by double-digits in 2016 and 2020, is the first American president to be declared a felon at the same time he is seeking to regain the White House.
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, tweeted on social media site X that the verdict marked a 鈥渄ark day in America.鈥
鈥淛oe Biden has weaponized the justice system to go after one of the greatest presidents in our history. The Democrats are trying to steal another election. This lawfare must not stand,鈥 Ashcroft said.
Ashcroft鈥檚 predecessor in the secretary of state鈥檚 office, Democrat Jason Kander, posted that he was pleased with the outcome of the trial involving payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.
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鈥(B)ut while it鈥檚 enormous as a matter of history, it鈥檚 likely negligible in the campaign,鈥 Kander wrote.
Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, a former Missouri attorney general, said via X, 鈥淪oviet-style show trials have predictable results. What happened in New York today is no different. The American people will reject this unprecedented lawfare in November.鈥
Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, also a former Missouri attorney general, wrote 鈥淭his is America under Democrat rule: prosecuting political opponents whether it鈥檚 pro-life Americans or a former President.鈥
Republican Andrew Bailey, the current attorney general, who is running against Will Scharf for the GOP nomination, called the trial, 鈥淎n illicit, witch-hunt prosecution against President Trump has resulted in an illegal conviction.鈥
Scharf, one of Trump鈥檚 lawyers, said, 鈥淭his is a tragic day in the history of the American Republic. 鈥 We will speedily appeal, and we will win on appeal because this case is meritless, baseless, and should have never seen the inside of an American courtroom.鈥
U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Town and Country, said the 鈥渧erdict is shameful and will be overturned on appeal.... The American people will render their verdict on this sham trial in November.鈥
U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Battlefield, who was among several members of Congress who attended the trial to show support for Trump, said, 鈥淭his case has been a sham from the beginning. It is the very definition of judicial gymnastics. Bogus charges brought by a Democrat DA, whose star witness is a convicted liar and admitted thief, presided over by a conflicted Judge whose daughter made millions for her Democrat clients off this very case.鈥
U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, said in a social media post, 鈥淭he American people see this for what it is: an attempt to distract from Biden鈥檚 weak and failing leadership.鈥
Former state Sen. Bob Onder, a Lake Saint Louis Republican running for Congress, was also quick to criticize the verdict.
鈥淛ury reporting multiple 鈥榞uilty鈥 verdicts in Trump political show trial,鈥 he said on X. 鈥淎s we suspected, Trump was unable to get a fair trial in this deep blue jurisdiction with a biased judge.鈥
Onder is running to replace U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, in Congress. Six other Republicans are also running for the heavily GOP seat.
State Sen. Bill Eigel, a Weldon Spring Republican who is running for governor, said the verdict would not sway his support for Trump.
鈥淩igged. This is a disgraceful sham,鈥 Eigel tweeted.
Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, who is leading the fundraising race in the fight to become Missouri鈥檚 next governor, wrote, 鈥淭his entire trial was a political stunt and a complete weaponization of our judicial system. Americans will overwhelmingly reelect President Trump in November.鈥
State Sen. Holly Rehder, a Scott City Republican running for lieutenant governor, issued a statement questioning the verdict.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a desperate attempt to distract from the Biden administration鈥檚 failures 鈥 from skyrocketing inflation to unsecured borders and the erosion of our freedoms. They would rather persecute a patriot than confront their own incompetence,鈥 Rehder said.
Across the Mississippi River in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, said, 鈥淒onald Trump is a racist, a homophobe, a grifter, and a threat to this country. He can now add one more title to his list 鈥 a felon.鈥
Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, who represents much of southern Illinois and won Trump鈥檚 endorsement in his primary race, dismissed the verdict.
鈥淭he trial, along with all the character attacks, campaign interference and Hollywood cameos that surrounded it, had one purpose: to weaken President Trump before the 2024 election. It won鈥檛 work,鈥 Bost wrote.
Rod Blagojevich, a former Illinois governor and Democrat who spent eight years in prison on federal charges of public corruption, said, 鈥淚 love Trump more today than ever! When you鈥檝e lived through it yourself you recognize when they do it to someone else. The political fix was in from the beginning.鈥
Jack Suntrup of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this story.
