Jun 1, 2024 3 min read

The leaders of the local Democratic and Republican parties largely reacted along party lines to the guilty verdict rendered against former president Donald Trump in the New York hush money trial.

In a Facebook post, Sean Logue, the chairman of the Washington County Republican Party, called the fact that Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records “a national tragedy.”

Logue called Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg “a (George) Soros prosecutor” and said Bragg brought “made up charges.” Logue also wrote that family members of Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the trial, “received millions from Trump’s enemies” and the judge’s “trial management was absolutely corrupt.”

Christina Proctor, who leads the Washington County Democratic Committee, said in an email message Friday, “Yesterday’s verdict made it clear that the former president broke the law.”

Proctor continued, “Regardless of political party, title or position, anyone who breaks the law should be held accountable. No one should be above the law. The Republican Party’s nominee for president is now a convicted felon and still facing numerous other charges. The voters must decide if someone who has consistently shown a disregard for the law should again hold the highest office in our country.”

A representative of the Greene County Republican Party could not be reached for comment. The Greene County Republican Party’s Facebook page had an image of Trump and a quote from the former president: “The real verdict will be Nov. 5th by the people.” The Facebook page also included a statement from Pennsylvania GOP Senate candidate Dave McCormick, who said “This is a terrible day for America and trust in our justice system.”

Bill Pulkownik, the chair of the Greene County Democratic Committee, said he agreed with a statement by the campaign of President Joe Biden that said, “In New York (Thursday), we saw that no one is above the law” and that “the threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater.”

George Rattay, the chairman of the Democratic Party in Fayette County and a candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 51st Legislative District, explained Trump was tried and the verdict reached through the justice system that we have and “people have to live with it.”

“He has the right to appeal like anyone in our system,” Rattay added.

Michelle Mowry, the chairwoman of the Fayette County Republican Committee, said via email, “The entire trial and verdict were completely unfair, biased, and corrupt. It showed our country and the world what we’ve known for a long time – we’re living in a third-world country where our Constitution is disregarded, our elections are rigged, and we have a two-tier justice system.”

Mowry also said she has received “numerous phone calls” from new voters looking to register as Republicans and Democrats wanting to switch parties.

“The MAGA movement is unstoppable,” she said.