By Morgan Sweeney

(The Center Square) — The jury announced its verdict in former President Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial Thursday evening, and social media was set ablaze.

Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records that could have been harmful to his 2016 presidential campaign.

Many of the commonwealth’s prominent government officials and elected representatives took to X, formerly Twitter, joining the chorus of voices weighing in on the verdict.

Most Republicans expressed distrust of the trial and its outcome, including Attorney General Jason Miyares.

Miyares blasted the trial as an illegitimate attempt at eliminating a powerful political opponent, reminding spectators of the case’s beginnings – when formidable American institutions declined to bring charges against Trump.

“In America, we don’t seek to jail political opponents – we seek to defeat them at the ballot box,” Miyares wrote. “To be clear, the FEC declined to prosecute this case. The US Attorneys Office declined to prosecute this case.”

He went on to take shots at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, lead attorney for the prosecution.

“This case was moved forward by a far-left prosecutor who regularly refuses to prosecute violent criminals but chose to move forward because the defendant was named Donald Trump.”

Despite his criticisms, Miyares still conveyed faith in the American justice system and the possibility of another outcome.

“America has the greatest justice system in the world – and that is partly because it has a robust appeals process. There is broad consensus that this case is riddled with potential reversible errors and should be appealed in an expedited manner and resolved as quickly as possible,” Miyares said.

Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears echoed Miyares’ sentiments while questioning why Hillary Clinton and President Joe Biden haven’t been subject to similar legal battles.

“We know that the case was brought by a man bent on destroying another. This was not about justice – this was a mockery of justice,” Sears wrote.

“Where was the case against Hilary for ‘wiping’ her server? Where is the case against Pres Biden to determine his involvement in Hunter Biden’s business dealing with China and Russia?”

But Sears ultimately took the same hopeful note that Miyares did, turning to the appeals process.

“So the president will appeal and we will pray that righteousness and justice will prevail,” Sears said.

Though Gov. Glenn Youngkin did not comment on X by the time of publication, the Democratic candidate for governor for 2025, Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7, did.

“We are a country of laws. Today, our justice system held someone accountable for his crimes,” Spanberger said, challenging her peers to trust the legal process and accept the verdict.

“In the wake of this verdict, responsible lawmakers must lead by example and not deny the truth or stoke anger. We must demonstrate principled leadership and uphold the rule of law,” she wrote.

Rep. Don Beyer, D-8, delivered a slightly more measured response.

“It is tragic that an American president has been convicted of crimes, but Donald Trump is responsible for his own actions. If a jury finds those actions were criminal after due process in a court of law, he must be held accountable. In the United States no one is above the law,” Beyer wrote.

By Bethany Blankley

(The Center Square) – Multiple members of Congress are demanding answers about the federal government’s ability to prevent a terrorist attack after two Jordanian nationals attempted to break into Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.

This is after concerns were raised about a Chinese national who recently breached a Marine Corps base in the El Centro CBP Sector after illegally entering the country, and after individuals identified as known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) are continuing to be apprehended at record numbers after illegally entering the country, The Center Square reported.

U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, led a group of 12 Republican members of Congress demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation about the Quantico breach, questioning if it constituted a terrorist attack. The letter was announced Tuesday and is dated May 23.

“A brazen attempt to infiltrate a military installation by foreign nationals from a terror-prone region rightly raises concerns as to whether this constituted a possible terrorist attack,” the House coalition said in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Yet, the federal government has not disclosed whether this breach was terror-related.”

On May 3, two Jordanian male nationals attempted to breach a Marine Corps base using a box truck. They were eventually detained and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was later revealed that one illegally crossed the border last month and was released into the interior by Border Patrol agents. The other overstayed his student visa and was in the country illegally. One was identified as a KST.

“The American people deserve to know the scope of the threat posed by potential terror suspects and the extent to which the open border policies of this administration are facilitating it,” the coalition said.

Joining Roy are Republican Reps. Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar of Arizona, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Bob Good of Virginia, Mary Miller of Illinois, Barry Moore of Alabama, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin, and Randy Weber of Texas.

Last week, a coalition of 12 U.S. senators demanded answers, led by U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., of Mayorkas and Wray.

“This deeply concerning incident occurred mere weeks after a Chinese national who was in the country illegally broke into Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms on March 27,” they said.

House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., and three other Republican committee chairmen also demanded answers from Mayorkas, Wray and Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The committee is investigating the incident, they said, and is concerned about previous requests that remain unanswered.

In September 2023, Green and Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, sent a letter to Mayorkas, Wray, and Austin requesting information about how the agencies were responding to possible breaches of U.S. military installations and critical infrastructure from the Chinese Communist Party. According to Wall Street Journal report, Chinese nationals attempted to access U.S. military bases and other sensitive sites roughly 100 times in recent years.

DHS and the FBI “failed to provide any substantive response” to their request, they said.

In a November 2023 hearing, Mayorkas “repeatedly refused to answer when asked by Chairman Pfluger whether DHS continuously detains those found to be on the terrorist watchlist,” they said.

The greatest number of KSTs have been apprehended by CBP and Border Patrol agents under the Biden administration, The Center Square has reported. This fiscal year, they total 277, after the greatest number in U.S. history was apprehended in fiscal 2023 of 736, The Center Square reported.

“The alarming conclusion from these numbers is every day we have individuals that are on the FBI terrorist watch list that could have an intention to harm our country and are entering every single day,” former Border Patrol Chief Mark Morgan told The Center Square. “It’s not if or when the threat tries to come to our country. We already know that’s happening already. The threat is already here,” he said, referring to the at least two million foreign nationals who illegally entered the country and evaded capture, some of whom may be KSTs.

The attempted breach at MCB Quantico “reflects a possibly more dire reality for the state of U.S. national security,” Green’s coalition said.

DHS’s “relaxed vetting standards” have created “an environment ripe for exploitation by individuals aiming to undermine the United States at its most critical points. If individuals on the terrorist watchlist are so emboldened to attempt to breach a Marine Corps base, the Department of Homeland Security and the entire executive branch must act swiftly to identify, apprehend, and detain such hostile actors on American soil.”

(Fredericksburg Free Press) After touring the R-Board Regional Landfill for the first time two years ago, Monica Gary couldn’t shake the idea that the site held wasted potential.  

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(Prince William Times $) The controversial Prince William Digital Gateway, a rezoning allowing a massive data center development at the edge of the Manassas battlefield, is facing one fewer hurdle following the dismissal Thursday of the first of three lawsuits filed against it.
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(Fredericksburg Free Press) Two recent, alarming incidents in Spotsylvania County Public Schools prompted the school board to act during a Monday meeting that stretched into the early hours of Tuesday morning.

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(Fredericksburg Free Press) Darius Appiah, the 22-year-old Stafford resident who vanished mysteriously near Alum Spring Park in January, died of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the Virginia medical examiner’s Central District office confirmed Monday.

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(Washington Business Journal) Sonic, which, of course, sells burgers and hot dogs but is probably best known for its drinks (large variety of shakes, slushes) and sides (tots, onion rings, mozzarella sticks), only operates two franchised restaurants in Northern Virginia, one in Manassas and another in Leesburg [and in Stafford County].

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(Insidenova.com) The Prince William Board of County Supervisors in a partisan vote May 14 initiated a Comprehensive Plan amendment to redesignate a roughly 40-acre portion of a protected zone near the Occoquan Reservoir to allow for a residential development.

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Amtrak is launching a sale for travelers looking to avoid Interstate 95 and opt for a trip aboard Auto Train. Through July 31, 2024, customers can book Coach Class for as low as $75, plus the cost of a vehicle. Children ages two through 12 ride free in Coach Class or First Class private rooms.

The cost to transport a vehicle on the Amtrak Auto Train varies based on the type of vehicle. For standard cars, the cost starts at $208. Extended vehicles, such as trucks, vans, and larger SUVs, are priced at $239. Motorcycles can be transported for $146. Additionally, there is a $60 charge for priority offloading, which ensures your vehicle is among the first 30 to be unloaded upon arrival.

Guests traveling in Coach Class have wide, reclining seats with legroom, no middle seat, and a large window. A complimentary continental breakfast is served before arrival.

Travelers can upgrade to a First Class room for extra comfort and privacy. Accommodation options include a Roomette with two seats that convert into beds, or a Bedroom with twice the space of a Roomette, an in-room sink, restroom, and shower. First Class customers receive priority boarding, a dedicated attendant, and complimentary meals onboard.

This offer is valid for sale from May 21, 2024, through July 31, 2024, and for travel from May 24 to September 2, 2024. The discount is available for travel between Lorton, Va., and Sanford, Fla. A three-day advance purchase is required.

The Amtrak Auto Train offers daily, non-stop service between Lorton and Sanford, Fla. (near Orlando). Customers can travel with various types of vehicles, including cars, vans, SUVs, and motorcycles. This train eliminates nearly 900 miles of driving between the Northeast and Florida.