Political experts in Pittsburgh area react to Donald Trump's guilty verdict in "hush money" case
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Political experts are weighing in on how former President Donald Trump's conviction of 34 felonies by a jury on Thursday in his "hush money" trial could shape the political landscape in Pennsylvania.
The jury found that Trump illegally falsified business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
In the law office of Washington County Republican Chairman Sean Logue, there is no shortage of love for Trump.
"Trump is our champion," he said.
It's what he said made it more difficult to hear Trump had been convicted on all counts in a Manhattan courtroom on Thursday.
"I have mixed emotions," he said. "I think it's a sad day for the Republic. A travesty of justice was done."
Logue said he and other Republicans believe it was a rigged trial. Eugene Mazo, a Duquesne University political science and law professor, disagreed.
"I think there was a very fair trial, and I think the judge tried as hard as he possibly could to make it fair," Mazo said.
Both Mazo and University of Pittsburgh professor Kristin Kanthak are looking at Thursday as historic.
"This is a huge day, and it's one of these moments where I'm wondering if finally, this will be the place where folks will stop thinking about these kinds of issues based on which team they're rooting for," Kanthak said.
When asked if this is going to make a difference in the election, Kanthak said, "I doubt it."
"This is one of the issues here, is that attitudes towards Donald Trump are pretty baked in," Kanthak said.
Mazo does wonder what impact the verdict will have on the 10 percent of voters who are undecided heading into the election.
"The other message is that the United States is so polarized, that it's not really clear that this message is going to move the needle for either candidate," Mazo said.
Logue is confident that the verdict has a clear winner politically, adding that Republican voters will rally around the former president.
"This will only help Trump," he said.
Kanthak said the real verdict will come down when the votes are counted after the Nov. 5 election.