NationalWatch

Former Maryland Governor and Republican candidate for senate Larry Hogan faced criticism from fellow Republicans for his comments about former President Donald Trump’s criminal conviction on Thursday. 

“The former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree on Thursday after two days of jury deliberations. 

“Regardless of the result, I urge all Americans to respect the verdict and the legal process. At this dangerously divided moment in our history, all leaders—regardless of party—must not pour fuel on the fire with more toxic partisanship,” Hogan posted on X. 

“We must reaffirm what has made this nation great: the rule of law,” he said. 

LEGAL EXPERTS SAY TRUMP CONVICTION IS A ‘TARGET RICH ENVIRONMENT’ FOR APPEAL

Then-Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan speaks at the Maryland statehouse, Jan. 10, 2023, in Annapolis, Md. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

Chris LaCivita, senior advisor to the former president and his campaign, responded to the post saying, ” You just ended your campaign.” 

Hogan, a moderate former two-term Republican governor, is vying to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin in blue-state Maryland.

JURY REACHES VERDICT IN NY V. TRUMP TRIAL

Donald Trump arrives to Trump Tower, Thursday, May 30, 2024 after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

Fox News’ reported Thursday that NRSC chairman Senator Steve Daines, R-Mont., will continue his support of Hogan despite his comments about Trump – the presumptive GOP nominee for president.

TRUMP SAYS GUILTY VERDICT IS A ‘SCAR’ ON NEW YORK JUSTICE SYSTEM, VOWS TO ‘KEEP FIGHTING’

Former President Donald Trump appears in Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York. Jury deliberations in Donald Trumps criminal hush money trial enter a second day as jurors navigate the weighty task of evaluating the former presidents guilt and innocence alongside the facts of the case.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)

“I still think Larry Hogan will flip Maryland. Larry Hogan is gonna run his campaign. Run his race. President Trump will run his race. I thought that the trial was a complete sham,” Daines told Fox News.

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The donation site for WinRed, the GOP donation platform, malfunctioned on Thursday apparently because of an overwhelming amount of visitors. LaCivita posted on X, “If you are one of the millions of American Patriots wanting to donate to Donald Trump’s campaign and you get an error message from [WinRed] don’t give up! Log back on and try again.” 

Fox News’ Aisha Hasnie contributed to this report.

NEW YORK CITY – Trump critics and supporters provided enthusiastic reactions outside the courtroom where former President Trump was convicted on all counts against him on Thursday, including some who shared their thoughts with Fox News Digital.

“I’m really f—— pleased, f— that guy,” one man told Fox News Digital outside the courtroom with a smile on his face.

One man who spoke to Fox News Digital expressed dismay that voters must choose between Trump and Biden.

“The sad thing is we’re just in this situation again where there’s just two candidates, one who is very old, and one who is now a convicted felon,” the man said. “That’s just not a state of political affairs that I never want to find a country that I believe in so much.”

‘FREE FATHER THERESA’: TRUMP SUPPORTERS AND CRITICS SOUND OFF ON TRUMP’S GUILTY VERDICT

Trump protesters and opponents react to verdict in historic trial. (Danielle Wallace/Fox News Digital)

One man standing in the crowd was displaying multiple signs. The first said, “the evidence to convict Trump is glaring.” The second sign said, “Let the reckoning begin.”

“I’m very pleased that there’s finally some accountability for Donald Trump,” a woman told Fox News Digital. 

TRUMP CAN RUN FOR PRESIDENT FROM JAIL, BUT HE’S NOT LIKELY TO GO THERE

Donald Trump arrives to Trump Tower, Thursday, May 30, 2024 after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

“It had to be an attempted coup for them to even consider going after him.”

Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree on Thursday. Each count carries a maximum prison sentence of four years. In total, Trump faces a maximum sentence of 136 years. 

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 30:  Former U.S. President Donald Trump returns to court for his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City. Judge Juan Merchan gave the jury instructions, and deliberations are entering their second day. The former president faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial. (Photo by Seth Wenig-Pool/Getty Images)

Moments after the verdict was delivered by the jury, the former president spoke to reporters in the hallway outside the courtroom. 

“This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt, as a rigged trial and disgrace. It wouldn’t give us a venue change,” Trump said. “We were at 5% or 6% in this district, in this area. This was a rigged, disgraceful trial.” 

Trump said “the real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people.” 

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report

A handful of winners and losers have emerged following the unprecedented trial of former President Trump that found him guilty on all counts. 

Trump was found guilty on all counts Thursday after the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office charged him with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. 

Trump pleaded not guilty and has maintained his innocence. 

Here are some of the winners and losers following the verdict who were involved in or surrounded the case after six weeks of court proceedings. 

TRUMP FOUND GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS IN NY TRIAL

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks after the guilty verdict in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, at a press conference in New York, U.S., May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (REUTERS)

BRAGG TOUTS DA OFFICE ‘DID OUR JOB’ AFTER TRUMP VERDICT: ‘THE JURY HAS SPOKEN’

WINNER: DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE 

Prosecutors in District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office finished the Trump trial victorious with the jury finding Trump guilty. 

“I did my job. Our job is to follow the facts and the law without fear or favor. And that’s exactly what we did here. And what I feel is gratitude to work alongside phenomenal public servants who do that each and every day in matters that you all write about. … I did my job. We did our job. Many voices out there. The only voice that matters is the voice of the jury. And the jury has spoken,” Bragg said Thursday evening. 

“The 12 everyday jurors vowed to make a decision based on the evidence and the law, and the evidence and the law alone. Their deliberations led them to a unanimous conclusion beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant, Donald J. Trump, is guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree to conceal a scheme to corrupt the 2016 election,” Bragg continued in the press conference, adding that such white collar crimes are at the “core to what we do at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.” 

The office, however, did face widespread condemnation from conservatives who argued the case should never have been brought in the first case, especially amid the 2024 presidential election when Trump is leading in many polls. 

Donald Trump arrives to Trump Tower, Thursday, May 30, 2024 after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

TRUMP VOWS TO ‘FIGHT TO THE END,’ PROMISING ‘THIS IS LONG FROM OVER’ AFTER GUILTY VERDICT

WINNER: DONALD TRUMP 

Though Trump was found guilty on all counts, his base has apparently not been swayed by the trial. Google searches for “Donald Trump donation site” spiked when the verdict was announced, while campaign donation site WinRed experienced an outage. The campaign is anticipated to receive a windfall following the verdict Trump slammed as “disgraceful.” 

“Very disappointed, I wanted him to be acquitted,” a male Trump supporter told Fox News Digital outside the courtroom.

“Just very sad. I wish this case had not been brought.”

Additionally, a recent New York Times poll, which was released amid the trial, found Trump is leading Biden in a majority of key battleground states, including, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Arizona.

President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

‘BOOM’: DEMOCRATS CELEBRATE TRUMP GUILTY VERDICT AS BIDEN WEIGHS REMAINING THREAT

WINNER: DEMOCRATS 

The Democratic Party and its lawmakers took a victory lap following Trump’s guilty verdict, including President Biden’s re-election campaign touting: “In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law.”

“Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain. 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,” Biden campaign spokesperson Michael Tyler said in a post-verdict statement.

Other Democrats who frequently tussle with Trump and Republicans, such as Democratic California Rep. Adam Schiff who said that “despite his efforts to distract, delay, and deny – justice arrived for Donald Trump all the same.”

“It matters that the Republican nominee for president is a convicted criminal,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. posted. 

“Boom,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said in a brief post to X.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump watches as New York prosecutor Christopher Conroy speaks before Justice Juan Merchan during a hearing to discuss a gag order that prevents Trump from publicly criticizing witnesses and others involved in the criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 23, 2024 in this courtroom sketch. (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg )

TRUMP SAYS GUILTY VERDICT IS A ‘SCAR’ ON NEW YORK JUSTICE SYSTEM, VOWS TO ‘KEEP FIGHTING’

LOSER: LEGAL SYSTEM

“Lawfare” became a top word punted around by legal experts amid the case, with Trump himself arguing that the Biden administration promoted the case in a bid to hurt his chances of reclaiming the White House come November. 

“Bragg’s scheme was to manipulate the legal system by bringing specious criminal charges to damage or delegitimize Trump’s candidacy for president.  It is classic ‘lawfare’ —weaponizing statutes not because the law has been broken but because the accused poses a political threat,” Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett wrote in an opinion piece published by Fox Digital this week. 

Jarrett’s comments echo what many other legal experts have said throughout the trial: lawfare is at play, and the case has thus damaged the legal system overall. 

“We see a legal system that is really disassembling, that is devolving,” Turley said on Fox News when addressing the “selective prosecution” of Trump. 

“One of the things that is also in jeopardy right now is our judicial branch, and it’s our system of government itself. And I don’t think we can say often enough here, how much that has been abused under this administration with local prosecutors, state prosecutors, and at the federal level, who are using lawfare,” Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said in a press conference outside of the Manhattan courtroom earlier this month. 

New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik also filed an ethics complaint against presiding Judge Juan Merchan for an alleged conflict of interest related to his daughter’s role representing Democrat politicians and political action committees. And sent another letter to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct and the Office of the Inspector General of the New York State Unified Court System, warning of “potential misconduct” regarding Merchan’s repeated assignments to cases involving Trump or his allies. 

“One cannot help but suspect that the ‘random selection’ at work in the assignment of Acting Justice Merchan, a Democrat Party donor, to these cases involving prominent Republicans, is in fact not random at all,” Stefanik wrote in the letter.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 30:  Former U.S. President Donald Trump returns to court for his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City. Judge Juan Merchan gave the jury instructions, and deliberations are entering their second day. The former president faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial. (Photo by Seth Wenig-Pool/Getty Images)

LOSER: DONALD TRUMP

Trump’s guilty verdict could land the 45th president behind bars, or he could even be sentenced to home confinement. Trump could still run for the White House from behind bars, as the Constitution does not place restrictions on presidential candidates based on criminal record. It stipulates that those pursuing the White House be natural-born citizens who are at least 35 years old. 

The 45th president will be sentenced on July 11, which is just four days before the Republican National Convention kicks off in Milwaukee that month. Trump vowed Thursday to “fight till the end” after the “rigged, disgraceful trial.”

“This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people,” Trump said outside the court Thursday. 

“This was a rigged decision right from day one. With a conflicted judge who should have never been allowed to try this case. Never. And we will fight for our Constitution. This is long from over.” 

Actor Robert De Niro, center, points to a supporter of former US President Donald Trump, not pictured, as he departs following a news conference outside Manhattan criminal court in New York, US, on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Former US President Donald Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of an alleged scheme to silence claims of extramarital sexual encounters during his 2016 presidential campaign.  (Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

ROBERT DE NIRO’S ‘OVER-THE-TOP’ TIRADE WAS A ‘STUPID MISTAKE’ BY THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN: KARL ROVE

LOSER: ROBERT DE NIRO 

Actor Robert De Niro faced backlash at the tail end of the trial when he headlined a Biden-Harris campaign event in Manhattan, where he claimed in public remarks that Trump could “destroy the world.”

“Donald Trump wants to destroy not only the city, but the country. And eventually he could destroy the world,” De Niro said at the press conference this week. President Biden nor Vice President Kamala Harris were present during the campaign event. 

Following his remarks, De Niro was shouted down by supporters as a “washed-up actor,” “trash,” and accused of being a “paid actor for the DNC.” 

“You’re a f–king idiot,” De Niro shouted at one of the pro-Trump protesters. 

The event was subsequently slammed on social media by critics as a “terrible look for Democrats,” and compared to satirical political comedy show “Veep.” 

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“​​This was so over-the-top as to simply be useless. And what a stupid mistake on the part of the Biden campaign. More reason why Democratic leaders are probably going to be concerned that he’s the likely nominee of their party,” Fox News contributor Karl Rove previously said of De Niro’s comments. 

Former President Trump headlined a campaign fundraiser just a couple of hours after being found guilty of all 34 felony counts in his New York City criminal trial.

With the verdict in and the trial over, Trump on Thursday evening quickly got back to focusing on his 2024 election rematch with President Biden.

“We’ll be fighting hard,” Trump told Fox News’ Brooke Singman, adding he was excited to get back on the campaign trail. 

“We are already back to the mission,” the Trump campaign told Fox News Digital. “President Trump won’t let this sham stop the movement of this campaign to save the nation.”

TRUMP TRIAL VERDICT SENDS THE 2024 ELECTION REMATCH INTO UNCHARTED WATERS

Former President Trump arrives at Trump Tower May 30, 2024, in New York City after being found guilty on 34 counts at his criminal trial. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

Minutes after the verdict was read in the first trial of a former or current president in the nation’s history, Trump’s team put out a fundraising appeal to supporters.

“Friend: Is this the end of America?,” Trump argued in the email. “I was just convicted in a RIGGED political Witch Hunt trial.

“My end-of-month fundraising deadline is just DAYS AWAY!” Trump emphasized in the email, which included a photo of the former president labeling him a “political prisoner.”

WHAT TRUMP TOLD FOX NEWS DIGITAL FOLLOWING THE VERDICT

WinRed, the GOP online fundraising platform used by Trump’s campaign, among others, briefly shut down within an hour of the verdict.

Former President Trump appears in court for his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court May 30, 2024, in New York City. (Steven Hirsch-Pool/Getty Images)

Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita advised donors encountering a WinRed error message to sign up for Trump’s text messaging list or log back onto the site and try again. 

“If you are one of the millions of American Patriots wanting to donate to Donald Trump’s campaign and you get an error message from @WINRED …don’t give up! Log back on and try again ! or Text TRUMP to 88022,” LaCivita wrote in a tweet.

BIDEN CAMPAIGN QUICKLY POUNCES ON TRUMP TRIAL GUILTY VERDICTS

Trump’s campaign website also directed donors to Anedot, another fundraising platform used by various GOP campaigns.

Trump campaign spokesman Brian Hughes told Fox News “from just minutes after the verdict, the digital fundraising system has been hit with record numbers of supporters. The traffic is so large that it is causing intermittent delays. The campaign is grateful for this massive outpouring of support because it shows that Americans have seen this sham trial as the political election interference that Biden and Democrats have always intended.”

President Biden speaks at a campaign rally at Girard College May 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris used the rally to launch a nationwide campaign to court Black voters. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Biden’s re-election campaign also quickly sent out fundraising appeals following the verdict.

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“Despite a jury finding Donald Trump guilty today, there is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box,” the Biden campaign wrote in a fundraising text to supporters. 

And it urged that “if you have been waiting for the perfect time to make your first donation to Joe Biden’s reelection campaign, we’re here to tell you today is the day.”

Trump has been aiming to close his fundraising gap with Biden. In April, his campaign and the Republican National Committee for the first time outraised the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

While Trump has stepped up his fundraising, the Biden campaign still enjoyed an $84 million to $49 million cash-on-hand advantage at the end of April.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Even with his guilty verdict, former President Trump is now free from a “freezing” New York City courtroom after a six-week trial and is ready to hit the campaign trail once again. His campaign is warning President Biden’s team to “buckle up.” 

Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree in New York v. Trump. 

Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the case, said Trump was required to be in court every day for the trial, except Wednesdays when court was not in session. 

The former president railed against the judge and Democrats daily for confining him to the courtroom, repeatedly telling reporters and supporters it was “freezing” and like being stuck in a “freezing cold icebox.” 

TRUMP GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS IN NEW YORK CRIMINAL TRIAL

Former President Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, hosts a campaign stop at Sanaa convenience store in the Harlem section of New York City April 16, 2024. (Reuters/Adam Gray)

“Crooked Joe Biden and the Democrats confined President Trump to a courtroom for more than eight hours a day for more than six weeks, and he’s still winning,” Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital. “Now that he is fully back on the campaign trial, Biden and the Democrats better buckle up.” 

Leavitt told Fox News Digital Trump “generated billions of dollars in earned media coverage throughout the trial, hosted massive rallies and impromptu campaign stops in New York and beyond, increased his lead over crooked Joe Biden in the polls and raised more money than Biden and the Democrats in the month of April. Not even a witch hunt trial could slow him down. In fact, it only made him stronger.” 

TRUMP HOLDS MASSIVE BEACHFRONT CAMPAIGN RALLY FOR RAUCOUS NEW JERSEY CROWD: ‘WE’RE GOING TO WIN’

The 2024 presumptive Republican nominee took advantage of the location of the trial — New York City — and highlighted that it has been in decline since Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg took office.

First, Trump was greeted warmly by New Yorkers in upper Manhattan at a Harlem bodega and vowed to “straighten out New York.” 

Trump was met by a large crowd chanting “Trump, Trump, Trump,” “Four more years,” and “We love Trump.” The crowd was singing the national anthem. 

Trump delivered pizzas to the New York Fire Department after a day in court (Fox News)

Trump blasted the trial and charges against him, saying it is “rigged,” “all politics,” and “coming out of the [Biden] White House.” 

And that day was the day the former president decided the criminal trial could actually have a “reverse effect.” 

“It makes me campaign locally, and that’s OK,” Trump said. “We’re doing better now than we’ve ever done, so I think it’s having a reverse effect.

TRUMP DELIVERS PIZZA TO NEW YORK CITY FIREFIGHTERS IN CAMPAIGN STOP AFTER DAY IN COURT

“We’re going to come in. No. 1, you have to stop crime, and we’re going to let the police do their job. They have to be given back their authority. They have to be able to do their job,” Trump said. “And we’re going to come into New York. We’re making a big play for New York, other cities, too. But this city, I love this city.” 

Trump said New York has “gotten so bad in the last three years, four years.” 

“And we’re going to straighten New York out. So running for president, we’re putting a big hit in New York — we could win New York,” Trump said. 

Attendees cheer during a campaign event with former President Trump at Wildwood Beach in Wildwood, N.J. May 11, 2024.  (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A week or so later, Trump spent the day in court, but on his way home, he stopped to deliver pizzas to first responders at a midtown Manhattan fire department, the same New York City fire department he visited in 2021 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks of Sept. 11, 2021. 

Trump posed for a photo with each firefighter individually and in a group and left pizzas. He didn’t speak to the press. 

The former president crisscrossed the nation for rallies and campaign stops on Wednesdays and would return to New York City for court first thing Thursday morning. 

TRUMP VOWS TO ‘SAVE’ DEEP-BLUE NEW YORK CITY IN MASSIVE, HISTORIC BRONX RALLY

The only non-Wednesday Trump spent outside the courtroom was May 17, when he traveled home to Palm Beach, Fla., to attend and celebrate the high school graduation of his youngest son, Barron Trump. 

Former President Trump speaks during a campaign event at Wildwood Beach in Wildwood, N.J., May 11, 2024.  (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Trump also held rallies in and around New York, which drew historic crowds in traditionally blue districts. 

Trump held a rally in Wildwood, N.J., the largest political rally in the blue state of New Jersey, bringing between 80,000 and 100,000 people to support the presumptive Republican nominee. 

TRUMP SAYS CRIMINAL TRIAL IS HAVING A ‘REVERSE EFFECT,’ AS HE CAMPAIGNS AT NEW YORK BODEGA, VOWS TO SAVE CITY

“As you can see today, we’re expanding the electoral map because … we’re going to win the state of New Jersey,” Trump said during that rally. “I think we’re going to win them all. All across America, millions of people, so-called blue states, are joining our movement based on love, intelligence and a thing called common sense.”  

And just weeks later, ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, Trump held a massive and historic rally in the Bronx. 

Former President Trump during a campaign event at Crotona Park in the Bronx, N.Y., May 23, 2024.  (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Trump rallied a crowd of what his campaign estimated to be 25,000 at Crotona Park in The Bronx, far more than the 3,500 attendees they were initially expecting. 

“I’m here tonight to declare we are going to turn New York City around, and we are going to turn it around very, very quickly,” Trump said after taking the stage. “We are going to make New York bigger, better and greater than ever before.”

The presidential race against Biden won’t slow down in June, with Trump out of his trial and a debate between the two presumptive nominees set for an unprecedented early date of June 27. 

Trump’s sentencing hearing for the New York City criminal conviction is scheduled for July 11, just days before the start of the 2024 Republican National Convention.

The State Department’s practices of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring has led to potential inefficiencies in hiring and concerns about the quality of employees in the foreign service, according to a report from The Heritage Foundation. 

“Ideologically driven bureaucrats at the State Department are severely undermining U.S. diplomacy by artificially engineering equal outcomes in hiring and personnel decisions, through overriding objective criteria,” Simon Hankinson, senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center and author of the report, told Fox News Digital. 

“The world is on fire right now — as seen by the conflicts in Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Yet, the State Department is wasting limited resources on an agenda that does not advance American interests and is not supported by data,” Hankinson, who also served as a foreign service officer, said.

“My report lays out how the State Department can return to core American values and implement processes that prioritize merit-based principles. The American people deserve better.” 

OBAMA STATE DEPT BLOCKED FBI FROM ARRESTING SUPPORTERS OF IRAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM IN US: EMAILS

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discusses Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a news conference at the State Department in Washington March 2, 2022. (Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz/Pool/File Photo)

The report focuses on the hiring practices of the Foreign Service, which provides personnel to the U.S. diplomatic services and consists of over 13,000 professionals, insisting that the service must select its employees through “objective, meritocratic criteria and are accountable to the president.” 

“We haven’t seen the report, but we welcome a diversity of viewpoints,” a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel argued during a press conference Thursday that the department welcomes “diverse points of view and believes it makes us a stronger department, and it makes and leads to a stronger policymaking process.”

“The secretary and department leadership will continue to seek out a wide range of views because we think it improves our policymaking process,” he said in response to reports a career State Department official had quit over disagreements with a recently published report claiming Israel was not impeding humanitarian aid in Gaza. 

Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, speaks to the press during a press briefing in Washington April 23, 2024.  (Yasin Oztürk/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Hankinson lays out what he determines are a few myths about hiring and staffing in the State Department, namely that there’s a lack of racial and gender diversity, which the department resists; that “structural barriers” prevent minorities from entering the Foreign Service; that promotions are biased; that the department has a “hostile” work environment for minorities at State and they leave because of that hostile climate. 

HAMAS’ GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY UNDER MICROSCOPE AS QUESTIONS CONTINUE OVER NUMBER OF DEATHS

Another career official who quit over the Israel-Gaza internal disputes noted that while she found discussion on this topic unwelcome, it ran counter to the open discussion and welcome dissent on virtually every other topic over her 18 years with State, according to The Washington Post.

The report argues that “by separating the department’s 25,000 employees into their various “intersectional” components, the DEIA baseline seems intended to serve efforts by the department to achieve “equity” through race and sex-based preferences.” (The “A” stands for accessibility.)

A view of the United States Department of State logo in Washington D.C., Jan. 9, 2023.  (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency)

According to the report, 35% of the current 26,000 civil service and foreign service employees are identified as “minority,” citing the State Department’s permanent workforce diversity data as of Sept. 30, 2023. Additionally, the report claims racial percentages within the workforce are “within 10% of the national levels.” 

The report quotes former State Department Director of Recruitment Woody Staeben as arguing eight years ago that the number of White officers among new hires had dropped by 30%, but that “it will take much longer for the overall figure to change because the average Foreign Service career spans 27 years,” meaning that issues with the makeup of the workforce reflect a delayed reaction to the makeup from years prior. 

STATE DEPARTMENT OFFERS CONDOLENCES FOR DEATH OF IRAN’S PRESIDENT IN ‘BAFFLING’ MOVE, HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER SAYS

The report’s most striking point — that the department stresses employees are held accountable to the president — derives from perceived resistance within the State Department to former President Trump’s policies, such as efforts to control illegal immigration, leading the report to accuse the State Department of having an increasingly left-leaning bias and arguing the bias derives from universities. 

Demonstrators gather outside an entrance to Columbia University as students rally on the campus at a protest encampment in support of Palestinians in New York City April 29, 2024.  (REUTERS/David Dee Delgado)

“Although there are approximately 65 appointees at State, (not including ambassadors), they are often unable to change policy in line with the vision of the President, due to bureaucratic inertia, ignorance of how things are done, and resistance from entrenched career officials,” the report says. “This systemic paralysis is a fundamental challenge to the principle that elections should result in policy changes.” 

The most significant issue the report finds is the lack of emphasis on the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT), which former Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley dismissed as having “zero correlation to being a successful diplomat” while more subjective oral exams helped test for “racists, or sexists, or homophobes or ableists,” which she determined as “things that we need to be screening for.” 

Anti-Israel protesters rally outside New York University’s campus in New York May 3, 2024. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

“Those who have the vast majority of senior [foreign service] positions are primarily European American men. … You don’t get to 87% of one group that is not 87% of the population and feel confident that all of those selections were made on the basis of merit,” Abercrombie-Winstanley said during her 2023 testimony on diversity practices at the State Department. 

STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUES ‘WORLDWIDE CAUTION’ ALERT FOR AMERICANS OVERSEAS

The report stressed the value of standardized tests, such as the SAT for college, the MCAT for medical school and the LSAT for law school, as indicators for success throughout a career in the given field. 

“It stands to reason that accepting applicants with lower FSOT scores will lead to lower performance as those officers move through their careers, both to their own and to the service’s detriment,” according to the report. “The State Department’s Board of Examiners reportedly did not conduct any empirical research to determine whether higher FSOT scores correlated with career performance before deciding to de-emphasize the test.”

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Therefore, the report concluded that Congress should pass a new Foreign Service Act to restore the FSOT as a required entrance exam for the service, limit total annual recruitment into the service via fellowship and other channels that avoid the test, make promotion blind to race, sex and other “immutable and irrelevant characteristics” and require comprehensive annual reports from the State Department on the written and oral exams. 

The annual reports would include demographic breakdown, educational attainment, pass rates, language skills, state of origin and number of attempts of all test-takers. Additionally, the State Department should seek to eliminate “duplicative and unvaluable” positions and effectively dismantle the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. 

Those considered to be top names on former President Trump’s running mate shortlist didn’t hold back in torching his guilty verdict handed down earlier in the afternoon by the jury in his New York City trial.

The jury found Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records related to the hush money payment to adult fil actress Stormy Daniels in the lead up to the 2016 presidential election.

“This decision is a disgrace to the rule of law and our Constitution,” Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance wrote on X. “Dems invented a felony to ‘get Trump,’ with the help of a Soros-funded prosecutor and a Biden donor Judge, who rigged the entire case to get this outcome. This isn’t justice, it’s election interference.”

WATCH: PROTESTERS CLASH OUTSIDE TRUMP TRIAL COURT, POLICE FORCED TO INTERVENE

From left to right: Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. (Getty Images)

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio called the verdict a “complete travesty,” and argued it “makes a mockery of our system of justice.”

“A political show trial conducted by an openly pro-Biden judge whose daughter makes money off the case, a jury from the most liberal county in America, absurd and ridiculous charges and outrageous jury instructions that guaranteed guilty verdicts Biden and the Trump-deranged left will stop at nothing to remain in power,” Rubio wrote on X.

Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy predicted the trial’s outcome would ultimately backfire, referencing to District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s promise to “nail Trump,” and Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter being a “Democratic operative,” while Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders caked the trial “politically motivated,,” and a “sham.”

“The American people decide our elections. Donald Trump will be our next president,” she wrote on X.

TRUMP NY SENTENCING TO BE 4 DAYS BEFORE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote, “Today’s verdict represents the culmination of a legal process that has been bent to the political will of the actors involved: a leftist prosecutor, a partisan judge and a jury reflective of one of the most liberal enclaves in America — all in an effort to ‘get’ Donald Trump.” 

“That this case—involving alleged misdemeanor business records violations from nearly a decade ago—was even brought is a testament to the political debasement of the justice system in places like New York City,” he wrote. “This is especially true considering this same district attorney routinely excuses criminal conduct in a way that has endangered law-abiding citizens in his jurisdiction.” 

“If the defendant were not Donald Trump, this case would never have been brought, the judge would have never issued similar rulings, and the jury would have never returned a guilty verdict. In America, the rule of law should be applied in a dispassionate, even-handed manner, not become captive to the political agenda of some kangaroo court,” he added.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said the American people could see the outcome of the trial “for what it is: a politically motivated prosecution orchestrated by those who want to ‘get’ President Trump.”

“On November 5th, Americans will render their verdict on Joe Biden’s failed leadership based on the issues that affect them everyday,” he wrote on X.

TRUMP HAS NO VISIBLE REACTION AS JURY HANDS DOWN GUILTY VERDICT

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum wrote, “This verdict is a travesty of justice. The judge was a Biden donor. The prosecutors were Biden supporters. This Lawfare should scare every American. The American people will have their say in November.”

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott posted a video of himself on X blasting what he called a “hoax,” a “sham,” and evidence of an “obsolete injustice justice system.”

“DA Bragg and the judge should be ashamed of themselves. This isn’t just ridiculous, this actually erodes the confidence that Americans have in the justice system. Unbelievable,” he said.

“But good news is coming. DA Bragg, hear me clearly. You cannot silence the American people. You cannot stop us from voting for change. Joe Biden’s injustice, Joe Biden’s two-tier injustice system, weaponizing the justice system of the United States of America against a political opponent, un-American. Joe Biden, you’re fired. We the people stand with Donald Trump.”

2024 WILDCARD: TRUMP CRIMINAL TRIAL VERDICT THROWS 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION INTO UNCHARTED WATERS

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem blasted Merchan in her own post, calling him a “massively conflicted Biden donor and liberal judge.”

 She referred to the guilty verdict as a “wrongful conviction,” and wrote, “President Trump did nothing wrong, and even the liberal media knows it. The judge violated Trump’s constitutional rights and did everything in his power to get this outcome despite the clear evidence Trump was innocent. No doubt Trump will be easily vindicated soon as the case will obviously be overturned on appeal.”

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Bystanders outside the New York City courtroom where former President Trump was convicted on all counts Thursday evening reacted with a range of different emotions.

“Very disappointed, I wanted him to be acquitted,” a male Trump supporter told Fox News Digital outside the courtroom.

“Just very sad. I wish this case had not been brought.”

“It’s about time for justice,” another man said as he hugged a woman next to him who appeared to be celebrating the news that the former president is now a convicted felon. 

WHAT’S NEXT FOR TRUMP LEGALLY? WHICH CASE MIGHT UP BEFORE ELECTION DAY?

Trump protesters and opponents react to verdict in historic trial. (Danielle Wallace/Fox News Digital)

“I am so freaking happy I can go home now,” a woman wearing a shirt with Trump’s mugshot and holding a sign rooting on his conviction said. 

Another woman celebrating the verdict outside said the news of Trump’s conviction is “wonderful” while a woman next to her said, “Great, just great.”

FEDERAL JUDGE POSTPONES TRUMP’S CLASSIFIED RECORDS TRIAL INDEFINITELY

Former President Trump appears in Manhattan Criminal Court Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)

“Look at what they’ve done to your son God!” a man shouted toward the heavens as he held a sign that said, “Free Father Theresa.”

Trump had previously commented that he was facing charges that even Mother Theresa “could not beat.”

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In this courtroom sketch, Justice Juan Merchan looks on as Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump attends his criminal trial over charges he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016 at Manhattan state court in New York City May 30, 2024  (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg)

Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree on Thursday. Each count carries a maximum prison sentence of four years. In total, Trump faces a maximum sentence of 136 years. 

Moments after the verdict was delivered by the jury, the former president spoke to reporters in the hallway outside the courtroom. 

“This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt as a rigged trial and disgrace. It wouldn’t give us a venue change,” Trump said. “We were at 5% or 6% in this district, in this area. This was a rigged, disgraceful trial.” 

Trump said “the real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people.” 

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report

EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump told Fox News Digital his guilty verdict is a “scar” on the New York justice system, while vowing to “keep fighting” and maintaining that Election Day will be “the most important day in the history of our country.” 

The former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree on Thursday after two days of jury deliberations. 

TRUMP GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS IN NEW YORK CRIMINAL TRIAL

The charges stemmed from a years-long investigation out of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. The current DA, Alvin Bragg, took over the investigation in 2022. 

Former President Donald Trump appears in Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York. Jury deliberations in  Trump’s criminal hush money trial enter a second day as jurors navigate the weighty task of evaluating the former president’s guilt and innocence alongside the facts of the case.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital shortly after the verdict, Trump said it is “a sad day for New York and a sad day for the country.” 

“The whole thing was rigged from day one — from the venue to the judge,” he told Fox News Digital. “But I’ve never had support like this.” 

Trump said upon returning to Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan Thursday evening, he was greeted by thousands of supporters “going crazy.” 

Trump pointed to Judge Juan Merchan, saying he was “conflicted,” and said the venue for the trial — Lower Manhattan — was “about as bad as it could possibly be.” 

“We couldn’t get a fair trial,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “It’s a sad day for New York and a sad day for the country.” 

Republican presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for his campaign rally in Wildwood Beach on May 11, 2024 in Wildwood, New Jersey. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

The former president said “we have to think about how something like this could have happened to our country.”

“We have a corrupt, Soros-backed DA — just think about what has happened to our country,” he said. “It is hard to believe.” 

He added: “It’s a disgrace to the city, the state and the country.” 

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sat through nearly six weeks of trial (Charly Triballeau-Pool/Getty Images)

But the former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee stressed to Fox News Digital that he has “never had support like I have now.” 

Trump’s sentencing date is set for July 11 — just four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he is expected to be formally nominated as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. 

“We’ll go back and ask for a different day, but he’ll say no,” Trump said, referring to Merchan. “He just says no to everything. This guy never said yes to anything.”

WHAT’S NEXT FOR TRUMP LEGALLY? WHICH CASE MIGHT UP BEFORE ELECTION DAY?

Meanwhile, Trump said he will “keep fighting.” 

“Of course,” Trump said. “November 5th will be the most important day in the history of our country.

“We’ll be fighting hard,” Trump said, saying he is excited to get back on the campaign trail. 

Former US President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Wildwood Beach in Wildwood, New Jersey, US, on Saturday, May 11, 2024.  ( Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“It’s the first time in six weeks that I’ve been able to get out of that courthouse,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“This is a great scar on New York justice,” he said. 

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Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital that “crooked Joe Biden and the Democrats confined President Trump to a courtroom for more than eight hours a day for more than six weeks and he’s still winning.” 

“Now that he is fully back on the campaign trial, Biden and the Democrats better buckle up,” she said.  

Leavitt told Fox News Digital that Trump “generated billions of dollars in earned media coverage throughout the trial; hosted massive rallies and impromptu campaign stops in New York and beyond; increased his lead over crooked Joe Biden in the polls and raised more money than Biden and the Democrats in the month of April — not even a witch hunt trial could slow him down — in fact, it only made him stronger.” 

Following the guilty verdict on all counts against former President Trump on Thursday, legal experts say the case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will have “reversible problems” when appealed. 

The former president and presumptive 2024 GOP nominee was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump pleaded not guilty, but 12 jurors found him guilty on all counts.

Sentencing is slated for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention. Each count carries a maximum prison sentence of four years. In total, Trump faces a maximum sentence of 136 years behind bars. 

But some legal experts say the trial is “a target rich environment for appeal,” which Trump is expected to do.

TRUMP GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS IN NEW YORK CRIMINAL TRIAL

Former President Trump returns to the courtroom, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Pool Photo via AP)

“I believe that the case will be reversed eventually either in the state or federal systems,” Jonathan Turley, constitutional law attorney and Fox News contributor, said Thursday.

“However, this was the worst expectation for a trial in Manhattan,” he said. “I had hoped that the jurors might redeem the integrity of a system that has been used for political purposes.” 

“The trial is a target rich environment for appeal. However, that appeal will stretch beyond the election. In the meantime, Democrats and President Biden can add ‘convicted felon’ to the political mantra,” he said. 

John Malcolm, a former federal prosecutor, told Fox News Digital that he believes the jury’s verdict indicates they were convinced by the testimony of Trump ex-lawyer Michael Cohen – whom Trump’s defense labeled a “GLOAT” or “greatest liar of all time.” 

“The jury obviously ended up believing Michael Cohen, which is something I have a hard time conceiving since Michael Cohen has lied every time he has been under oath in the past and admitted that he hates Donald Trump, blaming him for all his problems, stole from him, and will profit from this conviction,” Malcolm said.

TRUMP PREVIEWS CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN ‘SHAM TRIAL’: ‘VERY DANGEROUS DAY FOR AMERICA’

Former President Trump sits in the courtroom during his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, on May 21, 2024. (Michael M. Santiago/PoolAFP via Getty Images)

Prosecutors needed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, a former porn star, in the lead-up to the 2016 election – in an effort to silence her about an alleged affair with Trump in 2006. They were ultimately successful. Trump has denied the affair throughout the trial. 

Gregory Germain, a law professor at Syracuse University College of Law, observed that it was “a terribly risky strategy for Trump to focus on Michael Cohen’s credibility rather than focusing on the convoluted legal basis for the claims.”

“It’s not clear to me what they expected the jury to believe – that Michael Cohen paid $125,000 of his own money to Stormy Daniels without Trump’s knowledge and promise of reimbursement? They did not present an alternative theory that makes any sense, so of course they believed Cohen,” Germain said.

He claims that “a much better argument” would have been “that the records could not have been falsified to defraud the voters in the 2016 election because the records were falsified in 2017 after the election was over, and the records were not public or known by the public.”

“I don’t know how well the legal issues were preserved for appeal or why they didn’t focus on the legal issues. It may be that the judge wouldn’t let the defense make those points. But there are many issues for appeal,” he said. 

NY V TRUMP: PROSECUTION SAYS THEY HAVE PRESENTED ‘POWERFUL EVIDENCE’ AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENT

Former President Trump attends his criminal trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 29, 2024, in New York City. (Charly Triballeau-Pool/Getty Images)

Malcolm observed that the jury instructions given by Judge Juan Merchan “dramatically favored the prosecution, telling them that while they had to unanimously conclude that Trump caused a false business entry to be made for the purpose of concealing ‘another crime.'”

“They did not have to be unanimous as to what that other crime was. This will be one of the many issues that Trump’s legal team will raise on appeal,” Malcolm said, adding that he would “not be surprised if this conviction gets overturned, but that is unlikely to happen before the election.”

Turley added that the verdict – marking the first time in the U.S. a former president has been convicted of a crime – is a moment to have “a leap of faith in the rule of law.” 

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“[F]or those upset by this verdict, remember this remains a country committed to the rule of law and this is going to go up on appeal,” Turley said. “I think it’s going to be reversed in the state or federal systems. But it’s moments like this when you’re on the other side, when you disagree with a verdict, that you have to take a leap of faith in the rule of law. It’s what defines us,” Turley told Fox News’ Shannon Bream on Thursday.

“Many people feel that this case really embodies the antithesis of that. But as a country, as a whole, we have a system in place to review this. For Donald Trump, that’s not going to happen before the election, in all likelihood,” he said.

The Biden-Harris campaign immediately began fundraising off the guilty verdict former President Trump, telling supporters that the legal setback for the presumptive GOP nominee is not enough to keep him out of the White House. 

In a text message sent to supporters Thursday, “Biden HQ” said that “despite a jury finding Donald Trump guilty today, 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. But there is one other certainty — as you read this, Donald Trump’s supporters are fired up and likely setting fundraising records for his campaign,” the campaign said. 

“That’s money he will use to try to get back into the White House to carry out his threats of revenge and retribution against his political opponents. So while the MAGA Right comes to the aid of Trump, Joe Biden — and those who care about democracy — need you.” 

TRUMP GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS IN NEW YORK CRIMINAL TRIAL

President Joe Biden speaks at a rally in Virginia (Biden speaks at a rally in Virginia)

“If you have been waiting for the perfect time to make your first donation to Joe Biden’s reelection campaign, we’re here to tell you today is the day,” the campaign said, asking for donations of $20 or “whatever” supports can afford. 

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign website was updated Thursday after he was found guilty on all counts in his New York trial.

Shared on the updated website was a message from Trump, saying he is a “political prisoner.”

“I was just convicted in a RIGGED political Witch Hunt trial,” he continued. “I DID NOTHING WRONG! They’ve raided my home, arrested me, took my mugshot, AND NOW THEY’VE JUST CONVICTED ME!”

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TRUMP CRIMINAL TRAIL

Former President Donald Trump appears in Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)

“Crooked Joe Biden needs to get the message – right here, right now – that his chances of a 2nd term END TODAY,” the former president added.

Trump called on his supporters through the updated website to donate to his campaign with “massive” and “immediate” pushback.

TRUMP FOUND GUILTY OF ALL 34 COUNTS IN HIS CRIMINAL CASE

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris re-election campaign was among the Democratic reactions that quickly followed the Trump guilty verdict. (Getty Images)

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. A jury found him guilty on all counts.

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“This is a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt,” Trump said after the verdict.

Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

Trump found guilty on all counts

The jury in New York v. Trump found former President Trump guilty of charges brought against him by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged former President Donald Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Each count carries a maximum prison sentence of 4 years. 

Check the Fox News trial blog here for the latest updates

Former President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media at Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York. Jury deliberations in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial enter a second day as jurors navigate the weighty task of evaluating the former president’s guilt and innocence alongside the facts of the case.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)

Biden campaign immediately begins fundraising push…

Trump to be sentenced days before GOP convention…

Will Trump trial verdict make a difference to voters in his election rematch with Biden?

Manhattan DA, who brought Trump case, takes victory lap after verdict: ‘I did my job’

What happens after former president’s NY conviction? Experts break it down

White House

‘PLAYING POLITICS?’: Buttigieg’s latest climate change comments cause outcry …Read more

SETTING THE BAR: Biden makes Supreme Court pledge to Black voters …Read more

‘DOESN’T WORK THIS TIME’: Biden’s past comes back to haunt him after FLOTUS praises his ‘calm’ demeanor …Read more

STRZOK A DEAL: Former ‘FBI lovebirds’ reach settlement over disparaging anti-Trump texts …Read more

Capitol Hill

SUPREME COURT SHAKEDOWN: Dem representative details ways to force SCOTUS recusal …Read more

ISRAEL AT WAR: Israeli PM Netanyahu to address U.S. Congress in a matter of weeks …Read more

‘BEYOND ALARMING’: Jewish leaders demand House Dem fire top aide for praising ‘most vile’ antisemite …Read more

‘NOT AMBIGUITY’: Lawmaker shreds Biden’s lack of ‘moral clarity’ on Taiwan …Read more

President Biden said he expects Iran to attack Israel and tensions continue to flare between to the two nations.  (Photographer: Jacquelyn Martin/AP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Tales from the Campaign Trail

STAR POWER: Wary celebrities wonder if endorsing Biden ‘worth it’ in polarized climate …Read more

NOT HAPPY: Biden aide scolds MSNBC, CNN for covering Trump trial over campaign rally …Read more

‘DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT’: ‘The View’ host dismisses possibility of Black men voting for Trump …Read more

SUPPORTERS RALLY: Supporters rally around Trump outside NYC courthouse: Biden ‘ain’t for’ Black America …Read more

BIDEN’S POLLING PROBLEMS: Biden’s support is faltering among this key voting bloc in the Democrat’s base …Read more

Across America

‘OUT OF CONTROL’: State punishes Christian foster parents over transgender issue …Read more

HOT WAR: This is how a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could lead to US-Beijing war …Read more

NRA AT COURT: Supreme Court rules in favor of NRA in key First Amendment case …Read more

‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’: Texas Republican takes aim at Biden’s ‘attack’ on Americans’ gun rights …Read more

NEW RULES: New Louisiana law criminalizes approaching police after being ordered to stay back …Read more

14 MONTHS: Imprisoned reporter Evan Gershkovich hits another grim milestone in Russia …Read more

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Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

Chief Justice John Roberts on Thursday declined an invitation to meet with Democratic senators to discuss the controversy surrounding the flags that flew outside homes owned by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

In a letter on Thursday, Roberts penned his response to Democratic senators, writing that he “respectfully declines” their invitation to meet to discuss ethics concerns surrounding Alito flying of an upside-down American flag outside his Virginia home, and an “Appeal to Heaven” flag at his New Jersey vacation home.

“I must respectfully decline your request for a meeting,” Robert wrote in his response to Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and the Judiciary Committee.

“As noted in my letter to Chairman Durbin last April, apart from ceremonial events, only on rare occasions in our Nation’s history has a sitting Chief Justice met with legislators, even in a public setting (such as a Committee hearing) with members of both major political parties present,” he said.

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ALITO ADDRESSES FLAG INCIDENTS, SAY HE WON’T RECUSE HIMSELF IN TRUMP, JAN. 6 CASES

Chief Justice John Roberts “respectfully declined” to meet with senate Democrats in a letter on Thursday.  (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Roberts said his attendance at a meeting with Senate Democrats was “inadvisable” and underscores the importance of separation of power between the Supreme Court and the legislative branch. 

“Separation of powers concerns and the importance of preserving judicial independence counsel against such appearances,” he wrote. “Moreover, the format proposed — a meeting with leaders of only one party who have expressed an interest in matters currently pending before the Court — simply underscores that participating in such a meeting would be inadvisable.”

READ ROBERTS’ LETTER:  APP USERS, CLICK HERE:

Robert’s response came a day after Alito said he won’t recuse himself from former President Trump’s immunity case or other cases relating to the 2020 presidential election or the Jan. 6 Capitol protests because of the flags, which are like those carried by rioters.

“Flying an upside-down American flag — a symbol of the so-called ‘Stop the Steal’ movement — clearly creates the appearance of bias,” said Durbin in a statement. 

“Justice Alito should recuse himself immediately from cases related to the 2020 election and the January 6th insurrection, including the question of the former President’s immunity in U.S. v. Donald Trump, which the Supreme Court is currently considering,” he argued.

Dick Durbin requested a meeting with Chief Justice John Roberts to ensure that Justice Samuel Alito recuses himself from election related cases.  (Getty Images)

In Alito’s response, he wrote that the two incidents “do not meet the conditions for recusal.” 

He said of the Virginia incident, “I had nothing whatsoever to do with the flying of that flag.”

“I was not even aware of the upside-down flag until it was called to my attention,” Alito continued. “As soon as I saw it, I asked my wife to take it down, but for several days, she refused.” 

CONSERVATIVES SCOFF AT ATTEMPT TO TAKE COLONIAL-ERA FLAG AND CONNECT JUSTICE ALITO TO ‘MAGA BATTLE FLAG’

Alito said, “My wife and I own our Virginia home jointly” and she “therefore has the legal right to use the property as she sees fit, and there were no additional steps that I could have taken to have the flag taken down more promptly.”

READ ALITO’S LETTER – APP USERS, CLICK HERE:

Alito wrote in his letter that his wife was “greatly distressed at the time due, in large part, to a very nasty neighborhood dispute in which I had no involvement.”

He told the lawmakers, “I am confident that a reasonable person who is not motivated by political or ideological considerations or a desire to affect the outcome of Supreme Court cases would conclude that the events recounted above do not meet the applicable standard for recusal” and “I am therefore required to reject your request.” 

Liberal media and Democratic Party leaders have used the classic “Appeal to Heaven” colonial-era flag to link Supreme Court Justice Alito to Jan. 6 rioters. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Alito also said he had “no involvement in the decision” to fly a flag “bearing the legend ‘An Appeal to Heaven’ that flew in the backyard of our vacation home in the summer of 2023.” 

“My wife is fond of flying flags. I am not. My wife was solely responsible for having flagpoles put up at our residence and our vacation home and has flown a wide variety of flags over the years,” said the Supreme Court justice. 

Alito said he was not familiar with the “Appeal to Heaven” flag when his wife flew it and that “she may have mentioned that it dates back to the American Revolution, and I assumed she was flying it to express a religious and patriotic message.” 

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“She did not fly it to associate herself with that or any other group, and the use of an old historical flag by a new group does not necessarily drain that flag of all other meanings,” Alito concluded. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Sen. Durbin for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman and Shannon Bream contributed to this report.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg took a victory lap after former President Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 counts, saying his office “did our job.”

“I did my job. Our job is to follow the facts and the law without fear or favor. And that’s exactly what we did here. And what I feel is gratitude to work alongside phenomenal public servants who do that each and every day in matters that you all write about. … I did my job. We did our job. Many voices out there. The only voice that matters is the voice of the jury. And the jury has spoken,” Bragg said Thursday evening. 

Bragg charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The jury delivered their verdict late Thursday afternoon, finding Trump guilty on each count. 

Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts.

STEFANIK SLAMS ‘SHAM’ TRUMP TRIAL VERDICT AS ‘CORRUPT’ AND BASED ON ‘ZOMBIE’ CASE

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks after the guilty verdict in former U.S. President Donald Trumps criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, at a press conference in New York, U.S., May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (REUTERS)

“The 12 everyday jurors vowed to make a decision based on the evidence and the law, and the evidence and the law alone. Their deliberations led them to a unanimous conclusion beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant, Donald J. Trump, is guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree to conceal a scheme to corrupt the 2016 election,” Bragg continued in the press conference, adding that such white collar crimes are at the “core to what we do at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.” 

TRUMP VOWS TO ‘FIGHT TO THE END,’ PROMISING ‘THIS IS LONG FROM OVER’ AFTER GUILTY VERDICT

Former President Donald Trump returns to the courtroom during his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday, May 30, 2024 in New York.  (Michael M. Santiago/Pool Photo via AP)

“While this defendant may be unlike any other in American history, we arrived at this trial and ultimately today at this verdict, in the same manner as every other case that comes to the courtroom doors by following the facts and the law and doing so without fear or favor.” 

TRUMP FOUND GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS IN NY TRIAL

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks after the guilty verdict in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, at a press conference in New York, U.S., May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (REUTERS)

After the jury handed down the verdict, Trump also addressed the media, where he vowed to continue fighting for the Constitution and nation ahead of the 2024 election. 

“This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people,” Trump said outside the court Thursday. 

TRUMP SAYS COSTLY TRIAL IS ‘PROVING MY POINT’ THAT COURTS ARE WEAPONIZED AGAINST HIM: ‘DISGRACE’

Donald Trump arrives to Trump Tower, Thursday, May 30, 2024 after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

“This was a rigged decision right from day one. With a conflicted judge who should have never been allowed to try this case. Never. And we will fight for our Constitution. This is long from over.” 

The verdict comes after six weeks of trial in Manhattan court, which largely kept Trump off the campaign trial.

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Trump will face sentencing in the case on July 11, which is just a few days before the Republican National Convention begins in Milwaukee. 

Republican lawmakers slammed the New York v. Trump verdict Thursday afternoon as “corrupt and rigged” after the former president was found guilty on all 34 charges brought against him by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

“Today is a shameful day in American history,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement. “Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon. This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one. The weaponization of our justice system has been a hallmark of the Biden Administration, and the decision today is further evidence that Democrats will stop at nothing to silence dissent and crush their political opponents.   The American people see this as lawfare, and they know it is wrong—and dangerous. President Trump will rightfully appeal this absurd verdict—and he WILL WIN!”

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said the outcome of the verdict is “a complete travesty that makes a mockery of our system of justice.”

“A political show trial conducted by an openly pro-Biden judge whose daughter makes money off the case, a jury from the most liberal county in America, absurd and ridiculous charges and outrageous jury instructions that guaranteed guilty verdicts Biden and the Trump deranged left will stop at nothing to remain in power,” he said.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TRUMP CRIMINAL TRIAL

Former President Donald Trump arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)

House Judiciary Committee ChairmanJim Jordan, R-Ohio, also released the following statement on New York v. Trump verdict:

“The verdict is a travesty of justice. The Manhattan kangaroo court shows what happens when our justice system is weaponized by partisan prosecutors in front of a biased judge with an unfair process, designed to keep President Trump off the campaign trail and avoid bringing attention to President Biden’s failing radical policies. Americans see through Democrats’ lawfare tactics and know President Trump will be vindicated on appeal.”

Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and John Cornyn, R-Texas – who are both running to replace Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell as Senate GOP leader – also released statements shortly after the verdict. Scott called it a “sham trial” and the “clearest example we’ve ever seen of election interference.” 

Cornyn said the trial “is a disgrace” that should’ve never taken place.

“Now more than ever, we need to rally around @realdonaldtrump, take back the White House and Senate, and get this country back on track. The real verdict will be Election Day,” Cornyn said on X.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said the “verdict, like the case itself, is a travesty of justice.”

“The nakedly partisan judge biased the trial at every turn, from allowing an unconstitutional indictment in the first place to excluding key evidence to rigging the jury instructions. The American people will see right through Joe Biden and the Democrats’ weaponization of the legal system,” he wrote on X. 

GOP lawmakers in both chambers have rallied behind Trump and called for their colleagues to endorse the former president in the November election. Over 100 House Republicans and over two dozen Senate Republicans — including the Senate GOP Conference — endorsed Trump.

Staunch Trump-ally, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said in a statement that the American people “will see through” the “pure election interference.”

Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said that everything about the Trump trial “has been partisan.” 

“Today’s verdict is no different. In America, our elections are decided at the voting booth not in courtrooms. I stand with President Trump and he needs our help to send a loud message in November.”

BIDEN TELLS BLACK VOTERS HE WILL PUT PROGRESSIVES ON SUPREME COURT IN SECOND TERM

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, lamented on X that it is “a dark day for America” following the case’s verdict.

“This entire trial has been a sham, and it is nothing more than political persecution. The only reason they prosecuted Donald Trump is because Democrats are terrified that he will win reelection.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said the American justice system is “corrupt and rigged” under President Joe Biden in a statement Thursday. 

“I fully support President Trump appealing this decision and look forward to the New York Court of Appeals delivering justice and overturning this verdict. The facts are clear: this was a zombie case brought forward by Joe Biden’s allies in a desperate attempt to save Biden’s failing campaign and the verdict hinged on the testimony of a convicted felon who was disbarred for lying,” she said.

STEFANIK SLAMS ‘SHAM’ TRUMP TRIAL VERDICT AS ‘CORRUPT’ AND BASED ON ‘ZOMBIE’ CASE

Emil Bove and former U.S. President Donald Trump chat during Trump’s criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 26, 2024, in this courtroom sketch.  (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg)

“How long can our Republic survive once partisans have taken over the judicial process? This verdict will tragically undermine Americans’ confidence in impartial justice. A sad day for America…,” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., wrote on X. 

TRUMP SAYS COSTLY TRIAL IS ‘PROVING MY POINT’ THAT COURTS ARE WEAPONIZED AGAINST HIM: ‘DISGRACE’

Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges stem from a years-long investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

The charges are related to alleged payments made to silence Daniels about an alleged 2006 extramarital affair with Trump before the 2016 presidential election.

Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen paid Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, a $130,000 hush money payment ahead of the 2016 presidential election in an effort to keep her silent on allegations of an affair with Trump in 2006.

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The payments to Daniels were first revealed in January 2018 in a Wall Street Journal report that said Cohen and Daniels’ lawyer negotiated a nondisclosure agreement to prevent her from publicly discussing the supposed sexual encounter with Trump.

At the time, though, Cohen, Trump, and even Stormy Daniels denied the arrangement.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

Former President Donald Trump vowed to continue fighting for the Constitution after he was found guilty on all counts in the unprecedented NY v. Trump case, adding the “real verdict” will be read on Election Day. 

“This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be November 5th by the people,” Trump said outside the court Thursday. 

“This was a rigged decision right from day one. With a conflicted judge who should have never been allowed to try this case. Never. And we will fight for our Constitution. This is long from over.” 

TRUMP FOUND GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS IN NY TRIAL

Former President Donald Trump returns to the courtroom during his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday, May 30, 2024 in New York.  (Michael M. Santiago/Pool Photo via AP)

The Manhattan District Attorney’s office charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump pleaded not guilty in the case. 

TRUMP SAYS COSTLY TRIAL IS ‘PROVING MY POINT’ THAT COURTS ARE WEAPONIZED AGAINST HIM: ‘DISGRACE’

The jury found Trump guilty on all counts late Thursday afternoon. 

Former President Donald Trump returns to the courthouse moments before hearing that the jury had a verdict in his criminal trial at Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York.  (Justin Lane/Pool Photo via AP)

“You have a Soros-backed DA and the whole thing. We didn’t do anything wrong. I’m a very innocent man. And it’s okay. I’m fighting for our country. I’m fighting for our Constitution. Our whole country is being rigged right now,” Trump continued. 

NY V. TRUMP: JURY TO CONTINUE DELIBERATIONS FOR 2ND DAY IN UNPRECEDENTED CASE

The jury’s verdict comes after deliberations on both Wednesday and Thursday. 

“This was done by the Biden administration in order to wound or hurt an opponent, a political opponent. And I think it’s just a disgrace. And we’ll keep fighting. We’ll fight till the end and we’ll win because our country’s gone to hell. We don’t have the same country anymore. We have a divided mess. We’re a nation of decline, serious decline,” Trump added. 

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The verdict comes after six weeks of trial in Manhattan court, which largely kept Trump off of the campaign trial.

Former President Donald Trump is getting a major assist from a top Republican mega-donor as he works to close his fundraising deficit with President Biden in their 2024 election rematch.

Multi-billionaire Miriam Adelson, the controlling shareholder of the Las Vegas Sands gambling empire, plans to bankroll a pro-Trump super PAC called Preserve America, a source with knowledge of her plans confirmed to Fox News.

The super PAC was set up during Trump’s unsuccessful 2020 re-election bid and is being re-launched to help the former president try to win back the White House in 2024.

Adelson and her late husband, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, shelled out roughly $90 million to Preserve America four years ago. The source confirmed that the super PAC plans to increase its expenditures from what it spent in 2020 on behalf of Trump.

2024 SHOWDOWN: TRUMP TOPS BIDEN IN APRIL CAMPAIGN CASH DASH

Then-President Donald Trump bestows the presidential medal of freedom on Miriam Adelson, on November 16, 2018, at the White House in Washington D.C.  (Reuters)

Adelson, who is the largest single owner of Las Vegas Sands and a majority stakeholder in the Dallas Mavericks professional basketball team, is also a physician and philanthropist. She has a net worth of $33.3 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, or $29.5 billion, according to Forbes.

Trump has been working for months to win over Adelson, who remained neutral during the 2024 GOP presidential primaries. He met with her twice last year at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, and in Las Vegas, Nevada, as he attended the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership conference. Trump also dined with her in March at Mar-a-Lago and has spoken with her by phone a handful of times, sources confirm.

Adelson becomes the latest Republican mega-donor to financially support Trump. 

Last week, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman said he would back the former president after previously calling for a “new generation of leaders” for the GOP.

ONE OF TRUMP’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL CAMPAIGN MANAGERS IS BACK

Trump has been aiming to close his fundraising gap with Biden, and in April his campaign and the Republican National Committee for the first time outraised the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Former President Donald Trump, the presumptive 2024 GOP presidential nominee, arrives for his campaign rally in Wildwood Beach on May 11, 2024, in Wildwood, New Jersey. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

While Trump has stepped up his fundraising, the Biden campaign still enjoyed an $84 million-to-$49 million cash-on-hand advantage at the end of April.

Preserve America will be steered by longtime Republican consultant Dave Carney. The hard-charging New Hampshire-based strategist has worked on numerous GOP presidential campaigns over the past four decades and for years has served as a top adviser to three-term Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

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“Joe Biden is ruining our country with high prices, open borders and weakness abroad,” Carney argued in a statement. “We’re going to do everything we can to stop him and return President Trump to the White House to put America First once again.”

File photos of President Biden (left) and former President Donald Trump  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon / Curtis Means/DailyMail.com via AP, Pool)

During the 2020 cycle, the super PAC was run by Chris LaCivita, another veteran Republican strategist who currently serves as a top adviser on Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.

Preserve America will become one of a handful of pro-Trump super PACs. The main super PAC has been MAGA Inc., which is being overseen by Trump ally and former adviser Taylor Budowich.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

FIRST ON FOX: Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers is firing back at Democrats after they accused him and other Republicans of committing fraud to obtain ballot access. 

In a letter to the Michigan Board of State Canvassers, a lawyer for Rogers slammed the state Democratic Party and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) over what he said were “reckless and unsubstantiated claims.”

Earlier this month, the Democratic Party entities urged the board to investigate potential fraud in the nominating petitions of several Republican Senate primary candidates, including Rogers, who once represented Michigan in the U.S. House. The groups called for “an immediate investigation of the petition sheets submitted by candidates Rogers, [Justin] Amash, [Sandy] Pensler, and [Peter] Meijer, and to invalidate all petition signatures appearing on petition sheets signed by circulators who are found to have engaged in fraud.”

SPEAKER JOHNSON PLANS TO INVITE ISRAEL’S NETANYAHU TO MEET WITH CONGRESS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER

Republican Senate primary candidate Mike Rogers is accusing Democrats of “election interference.” (Getty Images)

In calling for the investigations, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes said in a statement at the time, “The new indications of apparent fraud are deeply concerning and demand immediate action.” 

“Given that Michigan voters have now submitted declarations stating they did not sign the petitions, the Bureau of Elections and Board of Canvassers must uphold their responsibility to protect the integrity of Michigan’s elections and conduct a full, thorough investigation. The Board of State Canvassers must conclusively determine that the Republican Senate candidates have each submitted 15,000 valid signatures before taking any vote to certify them to appear on the ballot,” she continued. 

ANTISEMITISM AT YALE, UNIV. OF MICHIGAN TO FACE CONGRESSIONAL SCRUTINY

Democratic groups requested investigations into the nominating petitions of Republican Senate candidates. (Leigh Vogel/WireImage)

A spokesperson for Rogers claimed in a statement to Fox News Digital that the party entities were engaging in “election interference.” 

Rogers’ lawyer, Eric E. Doster, urged the board not to accept the petition deniers’ invitation to “engage in voter disenfranchisement,” he wrote in the letter. 

GOP SEN CALLS FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO TRUMP TRIAL JUDGE OVER GAG ORDERS

Rogers is considered the frontrunner in a crowded Michigan Republican Senate primary. (Sam Wolfe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication. 

“This blatant attempt at election interference is just the latest example of the disdain Democrats hold for Michigan voters and democracy at large,” said Rogers spokesperson Chris Gustafson. 

The Republican candidate has been endorsed by former President Trump in his primary race, and the campaign has come to his defense in public settings. 

According to a statement from Trump campaign Michigan spokesperson Victoria LaCivita, “Michigan Democrats have a long track record of election interference and creating systems open to fraud.”

BIDEN ADMIN QUESTIONED OVER ABORTION PILL PUSH WITHOUT PROPER ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY

Mike Rogers was endorsed by former President Trump in his primary race. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

“This latest scheme is based on fear of losing to President Trump and his Michigan GOP ticket in November. Using radical liberal lawyer Marc Elias underscores the truth: this is just a sad PR stunt to distract Michigan voters from the real issues at stake this November. Michiganders care about being able to afford gas and groceries and feeling safe in their homes and will see through this smokescreen,” she added. 

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The legal ballot feud comes as Michigan is again poised to be a big battleground state in the upcoming November election. In an April Fox News poll, Trump was up by three points over President Biden in the state, or 49% to 46% among registered voters. 

Further, with the exit of top incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the race for the next Michigan senator is considered competitive, rated as “Lean Democratic” by nonpartisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report. The Republican and Democratic Senate primaries will be held on Aug. 6. 

Former President Trump is required to sit in the courthouse amid jury deliberations in the unprecedented NY v. Trump trial, where he has continued firing off Truth Social posts and holding press conferences.  

“Hey guys, I’m here with your favorite president. We’re cranking out a couple of mean tweets at the courthouse,” Donald Trump Jr., Trump’s eldest son, said in a TikTok video posted Wednesday. 

The video showed a glimpse behind the scenes of what Trump is up to during jury deliberations, with him seated at a table surrounded by a couple of stacks of papers and some snacks. 

The Trump campaign told Fox News Digital that Trump also has a TV in the room where he is awaiting a verdict in the trial. 

TRUMP SAYS COSTLY TRIAL IS ‘PROVING MY POINT’ THAT COURTS ARE WEAPONIZED AGAINST HIM: ‘DISGRACE’

Former President Trump speaks to members of the media before entering the courtroom with his attorney Todd Blanche at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 21, 2024, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Thursday marks day two of jury deliberations, with the 12-member body sitting in a closed-door room to discuss whether Trump is guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors worked to prove that Trump falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to quiet her claims of an alleged affair with Trump in 2006. 

Trump is required to be present in the courthouse, not the courtroom itself, in case the jury hands presiding Judge Juan Merchan a note. The jury handed Merchan two notes on Wednesday, including a request to hear his instructions again and another request to hear testimony again from former media publisher David Pecker and ex-Trump attorney and the prosecution team’s star witness, Michael Cohen. 

NY V. TRUMP: JURY TO CONTINUE DELIBERATIONS FOR 2ND DAY IN UNPRECEDENTED CASE

A court sketch depicts former President Trump’s appearance in Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on April 19, 2024. (Christine Cornell)

As the jury continues weighing the case, Trump has continued posting to Truth Social. 

“Can anybody believe that our Government would be spending Tens of Millions of Taxpayer Dollars on prosecuting this RIDICULOUS Case? I DID NOTHING WRONG! IN FACT, I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT. The testimony in Court was amazing for the Defense!” Trump said in one post from Thursday morning. 

“Testimony conclusively showed that I clearly stated, ‘I DON’T BUY STORIES!’ — Not that there would be anything wrong with doing that — NDA’s are PERFECTLY LEGAL AND COMMON!” Trump said in another post. 

NY V. TRUMP: DEFENSE SAYS PROSECUTORS ‘DID NOT MEET THE BURDEN OF PROOF,’ FORMER PRESIDENT IS ‘INNOCENT’

Throughout the trial, Trump has held brief addresses to the press, including after jury deliberations began this week. He has stressed his claim that the trial is “rigged” against him, and said Wednesday that he is facing charges that Mother Teresa could not beat. 

Judge Juan Merchan imposed over a courtroom. (AP)

“The judge, who, as you know, is very conflicted and corrupt. Because of the confliction, very, very corrupt. Mother Teresa could not beat these charges. These charges are rigged. The whole thing is rigged,” Trump said late Wednesday morning as jury deliberations kicked off. 

NY V. TRUMP: PROSECUTION SAYS THEY HAVE PRESENTED ‘POWERFUL EVIDENCE’ AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENT

“The whole country is a mess, between the borders and fake elections, and you have a trial like this where the judge is so conflicted, he can’t breathe. He’s got to do his job. … it’s a disgrace. And I mean that, Mother Teresa could not beat those charges. But we’ll see. We’ll see how we do.” 

Former President Trump arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. (Yuki Iwamura/Pool via Reuters)

On Thursday, Trump again argued in public comment that Merchan is “corrupt” and “conflicted,” while arguing that the prosecutors in the case are “proving” his point that the legal system is weaponized against him. 

“Mike Davis: ‘The U.S. would sanction a country for doing this.’ I think that’s good. I think that’s good. Steve Hilton: ‘It seems that every single day these proceedings go on, the judge or the prosecutor just go out of their way to prove Trump’s point,'” Trump said while reading excerpts of legal experts’ insight into the case.

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Trump added after reading the excerpt, “…They are proving my point when you think. That’s why I write some of these things that are very sad.”

A verdict could be reached as soon as Thursday.  

Fox News Digital’s Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report. 

A new national poll is the latest to indicate that regardless of whether former President Trump is found guilty or acquitted in his criminal trial, the verdict will not have a large impact on voters’ perceptions in his 2024 election rematch with President Biden.

Two-thirds of registered voters nationwide questioned in a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll released on Thursday said a guilty verdict in the trial would make no difference to their vote in the presidential election. Seventeen percent said a conviction of Trump would make them less likely to vote for him and 15% said they’d be more inclined to support the former president at the ballot box.

If Trump is acquitted, three-quarters of those surveyed said it wouldn’t impact their vote. Fourteen percent said a not guilty verdict would make them more likely to back Trump, and 9% said they’d be less likely to vote for the former president.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TRUMP CRIMINAL TRIAL

Former President Trump sits in the courtroom during his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Pool via Reuters)

Trump currently holds a slight edge over the president both in national polling and in public opinion surveys in most of the crucial battleground states that will likely decide their rematch.

But the pending verdict in the historic case – Trump is charged with 34 state felony charges in what is the first criminal trial in the nation’s history for a former or current president – could impact what’s shaping up to be a close contest with Biden.

Trump is charged with falsifying business records in relation to payments during the 2016 election that he made to Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about his alleged affair with the adult film actress. Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, paid Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, $130,000 in return for her silence about allegations of an affair with Trump in 2006. Prosecutors have argued that this amounted to illegally seeking to influence the 2016 election.

WARNING SIGNS FOR TRUMP AND BIDEN AS THEY CAREEN TOWARDS NEXT MONTH’S FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE 

Both Cohen and Daniels testified for the prosecution and were grilled by Trump’s attorneys during cross-examination in a case that has grabbed tons of attention on the cable news networks, online and on social media.

The former president has repeatedly denied falsifying business records as well as the alleged sexual encounter with Daniels, and he has repeatedly claimed, without providing evidence, that the case is a “SHAM TRIAL instigated and prosecuted directly from the inner halls of the White House and DOJ.”

Former President Trump, alongside his attorney Todd Blanche, speaks to the media as he arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Pool via Reuters)

Trump has also been fined a couple of times and threatened with jail by the judge in the case for violating a gag order aimed at protecting witnesses and jurors from the former president’s verbal attacks.

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Veteran pollster Chris Anderson, a member of the Fox News Election Decision Team and the Democratic partner on the Fox News Poll, said he did not think “a guilty verdict would fundamentally change the landscape of the race.”

President Biden and former President Trump (AP Photo/Alex Brandon | Curtis Means/DailyMail.com via AP, Pool)

Daron Shaw, a politics professor and chair at the University of Texas who also serves as a member of the Fox News Decision Team and the Republican partner on the Fox News Poll, noted that “prior to 2020, no one would have thought that a candidate could survive a criminal conviction.”

“But times and circumstances have evolved. And while the specific findings of the jury could matter, I think there is a sense that a conviction in this case would not appreciably change the dynamics of the race,” Shaw emphasized.

Both pointed to the fact that “attitudes are so set in concrete” regarding both the former Republican president and his Democratic successor in the White House.

The Marist Poll for NPR and PBS NewsHour was conducted May 21-23, with 1,122 registered voters nationwide. The survey’s overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.