Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: NY v. Trump Verdict Will 'Backfire,' Democrats Destroying Democracy

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has denounced the guilty verdict against former President Trump in a New York City criminal trial, accusing Democrats of attempting to destroy democracy.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has unleashed a blistering attack on President Biden and the Democratic Party following former President Trump's guilty verdict in a New York City criminal trial.

Kennedy, a persistent critic of the Democrats who harbors ambitions of derailing Biden's re-election bid, took to social media to declare that the verdict would ultimately "backfire" and accused his former party of undermining democracy.

"The Democratic Party's strategy is to beat President Trump in the courtroom rather than the ballot box. This will backfire in November. Even worse, it is profoundly undemocratic," Kennedy wrote.

He emphasized the importance of respecting the separation of powers and avoiding the weaponization of the courts, arguing that "America deserves a President who can win at the ballot box without compromising our government's separation of powers or weaponizing the courts."

Kennedy asserted that the Democrats' actions were driven by fear of losing at the polls. "You can't save democracy by destroying it first," he said. "The Democrats are afraid they will lose in the voting booth, so instead they go after President Trump in the courtroom."

He drew a distinction between his own campaign and the Democrats' efforts to take down Trump through the judicial system. While he acknowledged that Trump could theoretically run for office even while convicted of a crime, Kennedy emphasized that his challenge to Trump would be based on policy differences, not criminal charges.

"These are the issues that shape American lives. I'll challenge him on these things, but the Democrats won't. You know why? Because they pursue the very same policies," Kennedy wrote, referring to Trump's record on the coronavirus pandemic, the environment, and his support for military intervention.

In an interview shortly after Trump's conviction, Kennedy responded to a question about whether he supported a "convicted felon" running for office. He affirmed that the only constitutional requirements to be president were age, citizenship, and U.S. birth, suggesting that a person convicted of a crime could still hold the office.

Trump's guilty verdict on all counts in his historic criminal trial marked an unprecedented event in American history, making him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Kennedy's critique of the Democrats and his assertion that the guilty verdict will backfire add to the growing chorus of Republicans and Trump supporters who view the trial as politically motivated and a threat to American institutions.