Rep. Cleaver’s Statement on the Felony Conviction of Former President Donald Trump

(Kansas City, MO) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement after former President Donald Trump was convicted by a jury of his peers of thirty-four separate felony counts in New York.

“Today is a victory for justice and the rule of law. Just as every American is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, we are equally guaranteed that no individual, including a former president, is above accountability. Today, a jury of American citizens and Donald Trump’s peers reaffirmed those foundational principles. I thank them for their impartiality and service to the nation, and I urge all Americans to respect the verdict.

“However, while equal justice under the law is essential to our republic and worthy of praise, there should be no celebration that a former president is now a convicted felon. Donald Trump represented the United States of America on the world stage, and his conviction on thirty-four separate felony counts, in addition to other indictments around the country, is an embarrassment to the nation and a black eye to our image around the world.

“I hope that my fellow Americans will take this moment to reflect deeply on the road we walked to reach this point and which direction we want to take moving forward.” 

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Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.