Joe Biden‘s campaign said, with no hint of irony, that Donald Trump’s conviction on Thursday is evidence that “no one is above the law.”
“In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law,” campaign communications director Michael Tyler said in a statement.
“Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain,” Tyler said.
“But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality.
“There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president.”
Following the verdict, Biden’s X account appealed for fundraising support for his campaign.
“There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box. Donate to our campaign today,” the message from Biden’s account said.
Biden, 81, spent Thursday at his Rehoboth Beach, Del. vacation home with his famiy.
“We respect the rule of law, and have no additional comment,” White House counsel’s office spokesman Ian Sams said in a separate statement.
The New York Post reported: Accompanying Biden to Rehoboth Thursday morning was first son Hunter Biden, 54, who faces a federal trial on gun charges beginning June 3 in Delaware and another federal trial beginning Sept. 5 in Los Angeles for allegedly failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019 on the proceeds of overseas business relationships in which he involved his father.
Hunter Biden walked away from a probation-only plea deal last July after making courtroom demands for broad immunity for past conduct, including alleged violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which could implicate dad Joe.
The former president also does not face any travel restrictions until the sentencing.
Trump’s attorneys said they plan to appeal the verdict “as soon as we can.”
If Trump loses an appeal with the mid-level appeals court, he’ll likely seek to have the state’s highest court hear his case, which could take another additional year.
The case against Trump, brought by elected Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg last April, was widely seen as the weakest of four indictments charging the former president with a total of 88 counts.
The 77-year-old also faces indictments in Florida for allegedly mishandling classified documents, a federal case in DC for attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election and a state election case in Georgia.
Despite widespread skepticism of Bragg’s case, jurors swiftly convicted Trump after deliberating for approximately 11 hours over two days.
Trump gave a brief but defiant speech outside of the courtroom, calling the proceedings a “rigged, disgraceful trial.
“The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people and they know what happened and everyone knows what happened here,” he added. “
This was done by the Biden administration in order to wound or hurt an opponent, a political opponent.”
READ: Alvin Bragg Claims He “Followed the Facts” in Case against Trump
