J’cans in US split on Trump conviction

While many Jamaicans in the United States have welcomed the guilty verdict handed down to Donald Trump in a Manhattan courtroom on Thursday, others echoed the former United States president’s reaction, declaring it “a disgrace”.

Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts in his hush-money trial, becoming the first former or current US president to be convicted on criminal charges.

Prosecutors accused the former president of falsifying internal business records to cover up hush-money payments tied to an alleged scheme to bury stories that might have put an end to his 2016 bid for the White House.

Dr Rupert Green, an educator and supporter of the Republican Party, welcomed the verdict, saying it was about time the former president was held accountable for his actions.

“The verdict shows that no one is above the law. The system works in holding him accountable,” the Jamaican said, adding that he felt the verdict was just and noted that the jury did its duty as he believed they would in the case of any other person.

Pointing out that the verdict does not stop Trump from running for president, Green questioned whether he should still be the Republican Party’s nominee to face the incumbent, Joe Biden, in the November polls.

“I want to see if he will still run,” said Green.

Dale Holness, another Jamaican and former Congressional candidate in Florida on the Democratic Party ticket, said he was not surprised by the verdict.

“The evidence was overwhelming, and the facts of the case support the verdict arrived at,” he told The Gleaner.

“I am concerned what some people’s reaction will be to the verdict,” said Holness, while noting that the justice system was holding Trump accountable for his actions and expressing the hope that people will finally see the former president for who he is.

Carla Spaulding, a former Republican Congressional candidate in Florida, called the verdict an absolute travesty.

EXPECTING RE-ELECTION

“They had to make up something, but come the presidential election later this year, he will be re-elected president. I will still be voting for him,” she said.

Expressing astonishment at the verdict, she said she “cannot believe it”.

She blamed Democrats for the trial and verdict, saying it was Biden who should be held accountable for what he has done and how he was governing the country.

Scherrie Murray, who supports Trump and the Republican Party, said it was “a dark day for America”.

“This is what happens when you manipulate the justice system against your political opponent,” she said.

Dr Ron Ingleton, a Jamaican businessman in New Jersey, welcomed the guilty verdict.

“The system works and shows that no one is above the law. Trump has used the court system in the past to suppress claims against him and his business, and it is now his turn to be held to account,” he said. “In America, everyone is equal before the law.”

Clement Murray, a Jamaican mechanic in New Jersey, also welcomed the guilty verdict against the presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee.

“The verdict is a good verdict,” Murray said as he and others played music and rejoiced.

At the heart of the charges were reimbursements paid to Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a US$130,000 hush-money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in exchange for not going public with her claim about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump.

Prosecutors said the reimbursements were falsely logged as “legal expenses” to hide the true nature of the transactions.

The charges are punishable by up to four years in prison.

Trump, who will be sentenced on July 11, maintained that he was innocent after the verdict was announced.

Part reporting by the Associated Press