Volusia, Flagler Republicans decry Trump guilty verdict while Democrats largely stay quiet

Volusia County Republicans and area GOP officeholders reacted to news of Donald Trump's felony conviction in New York Thursday with social-media opinions stated as if they were facts.

"KANGAROO COURT VERDICT: GUILTY. #Trump will be cleared on appeal," the Volusia Republican Executive Committee posted on X, the social-media site formerly known as Twitter.

Congressman Michael Waltz, who has represented portions of Volusia and Flagler counties since 2019, sat in support of Trump during one day of the trial and said that the judge and jury had their minds made up before the case was heard.

Because Democrats tried and failed to remove Trump from the ballots in Maine and Colorado, citing a constitutional provision that people who "engaged in insurrection" shall not be allowed to hold public office, Waltz concluded in a tweet: "They unleashed a politicized justice system against him. This judge, jurisdiction, and jury instructions preordained President’s Trump’s legal fate."

Might Republicans expedite Trump's formal nomination?

U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, whose congressional district includes the southern half of Volusia County, went on Fox Business Friday morning to suggest Republicans move up the date of Trump's formal nomination to July 4, a week ahead of the former president's sentencing on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The Republican National Convention starts July 15 in Milwaukee.

"We know they're trying to prevent him from coming to the actual GOP gathering," Mills said.

He said Republicans need to stop saying theirs is the party of the rule of law.

"Look, we have more than enough to continue to move forward. We need to launch investigations, we need to follow the money, find the facts," he said, adding that the GOP has "to ensure that something like this never happens again."

Mills attended the New York trial on a day when Trump's attorney Todd Blanche cross-examined witness Michael Cohen. "He showed very clearly there was no credibility whatsoever, so these jurors, who went out and said that they unanimously found this, even though Judge (Juan) Merchan tried to eliminate unanimity was an absolute joke."

Fact-checkers from USA TODAY, NBC News, the Associated Press and elsewhere have determined the judge clearly stated the jury must be unanimous in its finding on each count.

Tom Leek, an attorney and a Republican state representative from Ormond Beach who's running for state Senate, vowed to support Trump as the nominee at the Republican National Convention.

"This case should never have been brought. It is a travesty of justice. Our judiciary system was weaponized against a political ideology," Leek tweeted.

A prayer for a former president

Meanwhile, before the verdict, Jeanne Laurene, president of the Republican Assembly of Southwest Volusia, posted a meme picturing presumably Jesus Christ next to an American flag with his hands on Trump's shoulders.

The meme reads: "Strengthen him, Lord. Send legions of angels to protect him, Father."

In a phone call, Laurene said she is concerned for her children and grandchilden if the United States continues to go in the current direction, with inflation outpacing wages and persecution of politicians for mistakes, noting that former President Bill Clinton wasn't prosecuted for any of his misdeeds.

Democrats let verdict speak for itself

Reaction from Volusia and Flagler Democrats was muted. None of the candidates opposing Mills and Waltz posted about the guilty verdict, while local Democratic parties' and clubs' social media sites offered very little.

Even outspoken party Chair Nikki Fried held her tongue.

It was purposeful.

"We were told not to comment on social media until the president has time to get out with his comments," said Jewel Dickson, chair of the Volusia Democrats. "My personal opinion is the system worked."

She said Democrats want the election to be about issues, such as abortion rights and the economy, not Trump's trials.

"I don t think you can take away from the fact that he's a convicted felon," she said, "so why beat it to death?"