Following former President Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 felony charges in Manhattan Criminal Court, Howard County officials shared their thoughts on the trial, its outcome and what it could mean for the November presidential election.
Blake Dahl, a local attorney and republican nominee for Superior Court 2 Judge, said he kept a close eye on the trial. While he didn’t offer any personal thoughts on the outcome, he did share a prediction for further legal proceedings.
“We’ve just got to wait to see how it plays out,” Dahl said in a call to the Tribune. “If you look at it, most likely he’ll appeal. Most likely, it’ll go up to a higher court … in reality, we’ve just got to wait to see how it plays out.”
Jennifer Jack, chairwoman of the Howard County Republican Party, said in an email to the Tribune she was shocked by the trial’s outcome, but not surprised.
“This trial has been political weaponization from the beginning,” Jack wrote. “I have a background in the criminal justice system, and I feel this case will be ripe for appeal due to the many errors made on behalf of the judge. … Regardless of whether you are a Trump supporter or not, due process should apply to everyone and we should all be concerned”
She said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and New York Attorney General Leticia James both ran on campaign promises of going after Trump.
“That’s a political agenda being carried out by political actors if I’ve ever seen one,” Jack wrote.
She added she believes the convictions will have an impact on the election.
“I believe that now, more than ever, people are beginning to wake up and notice what is happening to our country,” the chairwoman wrote. “Our rights are being eroded, our economy is in this tank, inflation is out of control, our border is open with drugs rapidly flowing across along with human traffickers and potentially terrorists, amongst many other concerns.”
She added her belief that the Republican Party, as a whole, will continue to support Trump.
“I’m not sure I can honestly say that I know anyone personally who feels their finances and overall well-being are better now than 4 years ago,” Jack wrote. “Again, whether you like President Trump as a person or not, this country was better off with him in charge. And people will vote accordingly.”
City Councilman Bob Stephenson, D-District 2, also shared his thoughts.
“If you believe in the judicial system and juries, I think this came to a conclusion that we all need to accept,” Stephenson said in a call with the Tribune.
Stephenson did not think the convictions would have an impact on the presidential election, though.
“I think Trump support is pretty much baked in,” Stephenson said, adding Trump has already faced legal issues in the past and has been found guilty. “The part that resonates for voters and supporters of him, I don’t think this matters.”
Stephenson also referred to a 2016 quote from the former president, in which Trump said he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters.”
“He’s kind of proved that true,” the City Council member said.
Stephenson said the national Democrat and Republican parties shouldn’t try to politicize the convictions. He didn’t see the convictions as an advantage for Democrats, but did point out the convictions were used by Trump’s campaign team to raise money.
“I know that there’s a lot of local people here that are really strong Trump supporters. I hope they take this into account when they decide how to vote, but that vote’s up to them,” Stephenson said. “I’m sure they’ll do the right thing for them.”
Tom Miklik, R-at-large, said he followed the case, but not incredibly close. He was surprised by the outcome, but still planned to vote for Trump in November.
“I’m very saddened by the outcome, but I’m really saddened by the process,” Miklik said in a call with the Tribune. “I’m more sad about the process they went through and what they did to get a conviction from a man that didn’t even know during the trial what he did.”
He said Judge Juan M. Merchan led the jury to its conclusion.
“Considering the culture with which the trial took place and the people that were involved in the trial, I didn’t give it much credibility,” Miklik said. “It was contrived, in my opinion, it was contrived from the get go.”
Although Miklik said Trump is not the best candidate for the Republican Party, he did think Trump was a better option than current President Joe Biden.
“I don’t care about the party as much as I care about the integrity of the people that are running for the office. That’s what you have to focus on,” Miklik said. “And if you get into politics, the only thing that defines politics is your economic background in terms of the economy and how you run the financial markets, the Federal Reserve Bank.”
