Sen. Jonathan Martin condemns Trump’s conviction, supports special session to combat ‘weaponized justice system’

by | May 31, 2024



Sen. Jonathan Martin granted support on Friday for a special Legislative Session to address what he calls the “perverted, abused, and weaponized” justice system following former President Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records.


Florida Senator Jonathan Martin pledged his support on Friday for a special Legislative Session following the conviction of former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts, referring to the trial as “perverted, abused, and weaponized to attack a political opponent.”

Trump was found guilty on Thursday by a New York jury of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election. The historic conviction marks the first time a former U.S. president has been convicted of a crime and presents potential challenges for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.

In a series of tweets, Martin, an attorney and former prosecutor, expressed his outrage at what he perceives as the misuse of the justice system and offered his support to any legislative measures aimed at holding New York accountable for actions he believes disenfranchise Florida voters.

“As an attorney and former prosecutor who has taken the oath multiple times to uphold the U.S. Constitution, I am beyond angry that our system of justice has been perverted, abused, and weaponized to attack a political opponent,” he tweeted. “As a State Senator, I will support any legislation that holds the state of New York accountable for their attempts to eliminate the vote of millions of Floridians for the Presidential candidate of their choice,” Martin continued. “I will support a special session to do so.”

An inquiry solicited to the Executive Office of the Governor regarding any potential special sessions was not immediately responded to.

Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized the verdict on Thursday, claiming the legal process was politically motivated.

“Today’s verdict represents the culmination of a legal process that has been bent to the political will of the actors involved: a leftist prosecutor, a partisan judge, and a jury reflective of one of the most liberal enclaves in America—all in an effort to ‘get’ Donald Trump,” DeSantis said. He argued that the case, involving alleged misdemeanor business records violations from nearly a decade ago, exemplifies the political debasement of the justice system.

Other Florida officials echoed similar sentiments. Representative and Speaker-Designate of the House of Representatives Daniel Perez condemned what he described as the weaponization of the justice system, while Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson labeled the conviction as election interference. State Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis likened the situation to political corruption in less stable nations, suggesting that Trump should be granted clemency.

“Banana republic. To orchestrate charges in an election year for something years earlier just to try and take out a political opponent—this is what people have been fleeing in 3rd World countries for decades,” Patronis said.

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