One of former President Donald Trump’s biggest boosters in the Inland Empire Thursday dismissed the notion that the guilty verdicts in the ex-commander-in-chief’s felony trial will keep him from winning the November election.
“I’ve got news for you, a guilty verdict isn’t going to keep Donald Trump from being the 47th president,” former state Sen. Melissa Melendez said via Twitter. “You may want to get used to that idea now. MAGA.”
Melendez, who was termed out of office in 2022 and a vocal backer of Trump throughout his presidency, reacted within minutes of Thursday’s verdicts coming out of New York City in Trump’s so-called “hush money case” related to ex-porn star Stormy Daniels.
The Manhattan jury of five women and seven men on Thursday found the former president guilty of all 34 charges tied to falsification of business records. Prosecutors alleged Trump provided $130,000 to attorney Michael Cohen for his payments to Daniels to keep her quiet about relations with the defendant prior to the 2016 election.
Trump’s supporters have argued the allegations and trial were politically motivated and undertaken for the sole purpose of derailing his chances of having another shot at the White House. Trump’s critics have pointed to the trial’s revelations as further proof of his shady dealings and misconduct.
Sentencing is set for July 11.
The Republican National Convention is set for mid-July in Milwaukee.
“This was a rigged, disgraceful trial, and the real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people,” Trump said in a statement. “They know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here. I’m a very innocent man.”
Reactions from other Riverside County politicians were expected Thursday afternoon.