Trump says November election will produce ‘real verdict’ after conviction

Former President Trump on Thursday insisted he is a “very innocent man” after a jury found him guilty on all 34 felony counts in his New York hush money trial, vowing he will “keep fighting.”

“This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people, and they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here,” Trump said outside the courtroom shortly after the verdict was read.

Trump blasted District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Judge Juan Merchan, who oversaw the case, claiming, “We didn’t do a thing wrong.”

“I’m a very innocent man, and it’s OK,” he said. “I’m fighting for our country; I’m fighting for our Constitution.

“This was a rigged decision right from day one with a conflicted judge who should have never been allowed to try this case. Never,” Trump continued. “And we will fight for our Constitution. This is long from over. Thank you very much.”

Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records, making him the first former president to be convicted of a felony.

The 12-person jury in the hush money trial returned its verdict late Thursday afternoon after deliberations went for approximately 11 hours.

Trump was found guilty of counts that included general ledger entries in his business records that prosecutors said covered up repaying his then-attorney Michael Cohen who paid porn actor Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged affair.

Trump has denied the affair and had pleaded not guilty.

The judge has set a sentencing date of July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention in which Trump is expected to be officially named the 2024 GOP nominee for president.