Numerous rumored top Republican vice presidential candidates reacted strongly to the guilty verdict in the controversial criminal trial against former President Donald Trump on Thursday, warning that the case sets a dangerous precedent for the country.

The decision is the culmination of a weeks-long courtroom battle in which Trump said that he was the target of a “political persecution” — a point that was seemingly validated when President Joe Biden sent his campaign to hold a political event outside the courthouse this week as he runs another campaign for a second term in the White House. The former president was found guilty on all 34 charges brought in the hush-money trial.

“Absolute injustice. This erodes our justice system,” said Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) in a post on X that included a video of him slamming Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is backed by Democrat megadonor George Soros.

“Hear me clearly: You cannot silence the American people,” he added. “You cannot stop us from voting for change. Joe Biden — you’re fired. We the People stand with Donald J. Trump.”

Absolute injustice. This erodes our justice system.

Hear me clearly: You cannot silence the American people. You cannot stop us from voting for change.

Joe Biden — you’re fired. We the People stand with Donald J. Trump. pic.twitter.com/lqylAh1Bze

— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) May 30, 2024

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) said in a statement that the verdict “shows how corrupt, rigged, and unAmerican the weaponized justice system has become under Joe Biden and Democrats.”

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“I fully support President Trump appealing this decision and look forward to a higher New York Court to deliver justice and overturn this verdict,” she continued. “The facts are clear: this was a zombie case illegally brought forward by a corrupt prosecutor doing Joe Biden’s political bidding in a desperate attempt to save Joe Biden’s failing campaign. The case hinged on the testimony of a convicted felon who was disbarred for lying and perjured himself when he lied to Congress. This sham trial was overseen by a corrupt and highly unethical Judge who is a Biden donor and whose own family has directly profited from this case. This corrupt Democrat Judge imposed a clearly unconstitutional gag order on President Trump and his team. This corrupt Democrat Judge routinely sided with the prosecution and prevented President Trump’s defense from calling a critical witness to the stand.”

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum posted on X: “This verdict is a travesty of justice. The judge was a Biden donor. The prosecutors were Biden supporters. This Lawfare should scare every American. The American people will have their say in November.”

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said that the verdict was “a complete travesty that makes a mockery of our system of justice.”

“A political show trial conducted by an openly pro-Biden judge whose daughter makes money off the case, a jury from the most liberal county in America, absurd and ridiculous charges and outrageous jury instructions that guaranteed guilty verdicts,” he continued. “Biden and the Trump deranged left will stop at nothing to remain in power.”

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders posted: “This is a politically-motivated sham trial. The American people decide our elections. Donald Trump will be our next president.”

This is a politically-motivated sham trial.

The American people decide our elections.

Donald Trump will be our next president.

— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) May 30, 2024

A top Silicon Valley venture capitalist announced on Thursday that he was donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to former President Donald Trump following his conviction in the controversial hush-money case in Manhattan.

Shaun Maguire, a partner at Sequoia Capital, posted on X that he donated $300,000 to the political operation backing Trump and explained in a lengthy statement his political shift in recent years.

“I’m prepared to lose friends,” he wrote. “Back in 2016 I had drunk the media Kool-Aid and was scared out of my mind about Trump. As such I donated to Hilary Clinton’s campaign and voted for her. By 2020 I was disillusioned and didn’t vote – I didn’t like either option.”

“Now, in 2024, I believe this is one of the most important elections of my lifetime, and I’m supporting Trump,” he continued. “I know that I’ll lose friends for this. Some will refuse to do business with me. The media will probably demonize me, as they have so many others before me. But despite this, I still believe it’s the right thing to do.”

The physics PhD said that he refuses to live in a society where people are afraid to speak their minds.

He said that his background in national security initially made him fearful of Trump because of how Russia appeared to back in him 2016.

“I was wrong, and Russia miscalculated,” he said. “President Trump turned out to be a master of foreign policy and particularly strong towards Russia.”

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He explained that when Trump addressed NATO several years ago, Trump “told Germany that they’re a) owned by Russia via their energy dependence b) financing Russia’s war machine by buying their energy c) not investing enough in defense, investing only 1% of GDP, which was below the 2% NATO commitment, meanwhile the US was investing 4.2% of GDP. And yet the world said he’s owned by Russia?”

“For other Trump foreign policy wins, he: a) signed the Abraham Accords b) successfully put Iran in the penalty box, which the Biden administration immediately unwound and c) he helped India see the dangers of having their comms networks controlled by China resulting in Huawei and TikTok bans there,” he continued.

He said that Biden’s disastrous pullout from Afghanistan was part of a “radicalization” process that he went through that brought him to the center of American politics.

“We gave up one of the most strategic air bases in the world, and arguably stability in Kabul, for political gain – to be able to say that President Biden ended the War in Afghanistan,” he said. “And we did it in the most incompetent manner possible, literally with people falling from our airplanes. Everyone I have spoken with that served in Afghanistan knows this.”

“It wasn’t just Afghanistan, I believe that the Biden administration has had some of the worst foreign policy in decades,” he continued. “And this has manifested in two major Wars breaking out during their administration, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Iran’s proxy attack against Israel. Was the timing just bad luck? I don’t believe so. I believe that a weak America leads to a chaotic world.”

He continued:

The most damaging foreign policy has been the Biden administration’s approach to Iran. Biden resuscitated Obama’s braindead Iran doctrine. Somehow believing that the theocratic Islamic Regime could be turned towards the West.

But it’s much worse than this. After Hamas’ attack against Israel on October 7th, Iran took credit for planning the attack publicly. Moreover, Iran was so bold that their proxies carried out over 300 attacks against US bases and Naval ships. Many of the attacks haven’t been disclosed or publicized. At least 4 US soldiers have been killed in these attacks. And yet somehow despite this, the Biden administration has been rewarding Iran by unfreezing their funds, mourning the death of President Raisi and hamstringing Israel in its proxy battle.

This level of weakness is unprecedented in my opinion. The US has been kissing the ring of its attacker, literally while attacks against our Armed Forces are carried out. If you start looking, it’s hard to see anything other than Iranian foreign influence in the Biden administration, such as what Semafor reported on, and which was effectively buried by our mainstream media.

The Biden administration has been a dream come true for foreign adversaries, and a nightmare for US allies. Trusting of enemies, and fickle with friends.

He posted that as a “staunch Israel supporter and also Zionist,” he has been appalled by Biden’s policy toward the country, saying that it is an “unforgivably disastrous policy.”

He said that he is sick of the double standards that the political Left has and he views the weaponization of the justice system against Trump as dangerous.

He said that he agrees with Republicans on most domestic issues now, including immigration, because the quality of life in Republican strongholds is significantly better than it is in Democrat enclaves. However, he said he does not agree with Republicans on the issue of abortion.