on Thursday criticized the jury’s verdict in former President Trump’s case in New York, calling it “profoundly undemocratic” and warning that “it will backfire” against Democrats in November.
“America deserves a president who can win at the polls without compromising our government’s separation of powers or weaponizing the courts. You cannot save democracy by destroying it first,” wrote Kennedy on social platform. “Democrats are afraid of losing in the voting booth, so they go after President Trump in court instead.”
“I am also running against President Trump in this election. The difference is that I’m challenging him on his record. His lockdowns during Covid. Its atrocious environmental record. His cozy relationship with corporate America,” he added, also listing Trump’s “support for the war machine” and “service to the billionaire class” as aspects of his record that should be examined.
Kennedy stated that Democrats would not challenge Trump on his record,d because they pushed for the same policies he did.
Trump became the first former or current president to become a convicted felon on Thursday when a Manhattan jury found him guilty of falsifying business records. He was found guilty on all 34 counts, marking a defining moment in US history.
Trump criticized the verdict, calling it a “rigged trial by a conflicted judge.” His allies rushed to his defense, as did Republicans long considered at odds with the former president.
“These accusations should never have been made in the first place. I hope the conviction is overturned on appeal,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on X.
Kennedy is running an independent, far-reaching campaign to take on Trump and Biden.
The verdict injected uncertainty into the race, and its impact on voters preparing for the November elections is unclear, including third-party voters and those who voted for Trump rival Nikki Haley. Many Republicans, however, believe this will only strengthen the former president politically.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
