Alaska Gov. Dunleavy, Sen. Sullivan say Trump conviction was politically motivated

From near to right: U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, Former President Donald Trump, Gov. Mike Dunleavy. (Alaska Public Media and Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP, Pool)

Some elder Alaska Republicans are crying foul aft erstwhile President Donald Trump was convicted connected 34 counts of falsifying business records linked to a hush money costs to an big movie star, a strategy that prosecutors said was an effort to power nan result of nan 2016 statesmanlike election.

A New York assemblage handed down nan historical verdict Thursday afternoon. It’s nan first time a sitting aliases erstwhile U.S. president has been convicted of a crime.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, said it was “a unspeakable time for nan United States of America.”

“The mostly of group pursuing these cases judge they are politically motivated to harm President Trump’s chances astatine winning successful November,” Dunleavy said. “We request to person religion successful nan higher courts that they will overturn this determination — allowing nan group of this awesome state to determine who nan adjacent president is successful November and not nan courts.”

Dunleavy has consistently backed Trump, even successful Trump’s situation of his 2020 predetermination loss.

Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan said nan condemnation months up of nan November predetermination “sets a vulnerable precedent and pushes our awesome federation moreover further into banana republic territory.”

“This case, brought by a far-left, partisan section charismatic who campaigned connected getting Trump, exemplifies nan aged Soviet adage: Show maine nan man, I’ll show you nan crime,” Sullivan said. “President Trump should beryllium exonerated connected appeal. The 2024 statesmanlike predetermination should beryllium decided astatine nan ballot box, not by this unprecedented governmental prosecution. I spot that nan American group will spot done this gross maltreatment of our justness system.”

A spokesperson for Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she was overseas and unavailable for comment.

Congresswoman Mary Peltola, a Democrat, declined to remark done a spokesperson.