Dems Rue 'Backfired' Trump Trial, Admitting It Failed as 'Salvation'

A prominent Democratic lawmaker has acknowledged that the New York criminal case against Donald Trump has "backfired" for those within the party who had hoped it would be their political redemption.

Democratic Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota has expressed that the New York legal proceedings against former President Donald Trump have not met the expectations of some within his party.

"I think the New York cases, if anything, may have backfired against those who thought that it would be the salvation," Phillips told CNN's Manu Raju. "But I don't think the New York cases are exactly what Democrats were hoping they would be."

Closing arguments in Trump's New York criminal case are scheduled for this week. He faces 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election.

Phillips, who unsuccessfully challenged President Biden in the Democratic primary last year, believes that Trump's character is already well-known to the public.

"I don't really think so," said Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland when asked if a Trump acquittal would provide him with a political advantage. "I think, you know, Donald Trump's character is clear to the world."

According to CNN legal commentators, a conviction is probable but not assured in the landmark case. Trump has also been found guilty of fraud in New York, having deceived banks, insurers, and others by overvaluing his assets and inflating his net worth to secure financing and strike agreements.

"The broad centrist middle of the American people, I think, understand what he did and why it is so abhorrent," said Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.

A conviction in New York would trigger an instant appeal, and the timeline for its resolution could be lengthy. However, in the interim, Biden and Trump's other political rivals could label him a convicted felon on the campaign trail.

CNN's Sara Murray stated that an acquittal would be the worst-case scenario for Democrats.

"Acquitted is the worst-case scenario for Democrats, because then, it's the only trial you have and Donald Trump gets to go out there and say Joe Biden's prosecutors, which again, not true, came after me," said Murray. "His Department of Justice came after me and they still didn't convict me. I'm still innocent."

Murray further suggested that a hung jury could result in Trump's fate being determined by voters.

The New York trial against Trump has been closely watched by both Democrats and Republicans, with many hoping it would provide a decisive outcome in the ongoing legal battles against the former president. However, Phillips' comments suggest that the case may not have lived up to the expectations of some Democrats who had hoped it would serve as a political turning point in their favor.