After former president Donald Trump’s historic conviction on 34 felony counts Thursday, Congressman Seth Moulton issued a statement, calling it “an extraordinarily serious moment for American politics.”
A New York City jury found Trump guilty of falsifying business records to influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to an adult film actress who claimed they had sex. The verdict, delivered after 9.5 hours of deliberation over two days, marks the first time a former U.S. president has been convicted of felony crimes.
The Salem Democrat, who grew up in Marblehead, noted that Trump had spent his entire career “walking right up to, and over, the line of legality.”
Moulton acknowledged that the country is now in places not explored before, with a convicted criminal a frontrunner for the presidency. He stressed the high stakes for Democrats, highlighting the need to build trust across all Americans.
Addressing his Republican colleagues, Moulton questioned when “enough will finally be enough.” He urged them to prioritize patriotism.
“Patriotism is not pandering to a man who would just as well blow up the foundations of our democracy for personal gain,” he said. “Americans deserve political parties that function for the people. Instead, today’s Republican Party serves at the pleasure of Donald Trump.”
Amy Carnevale, who lives in Marblehead and is chair of the MassGOP, released the following statement:
“I am disheartened by the outcome of this political prosecution. Today marks a profoundly troubling moment for the integrity of the American judicial system. The Federal Election Commission and the Department of Justice both investigated these allegations and chose not to bring charges against President Trump. It should have ended there. This case should have never been pursued by the Manhattan District Attorney driven by political ambition. We expect this verdict to be reversed on appeal and Joe Biden defeated in November.”
Leigh Blander contributed to this article.
