ROCHESTER, N.Y. — News10NBC was preparing for the verdict in former President Donald Trump’s hush-money trial and started lining up people to talk to us as soon as it came down.

Chief Investigative Reporter Berkeley Brean took to the phone and Zoom immediately after the verdict was announced: guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records. He called the Democratic and Republican parties in Monroe County and asked them to find two Biden supporters and two Trump supporters who are engaged and could give us thoughtful reactions.

“This is one of the first times in my view that Donald Trump has truly been held accountable for his behavior, and the behavior of people who surround him,” says retired judge and Biden supporter, Joan Kohout. “So, I think that in that regard, it will be significant.”

“It might surprise you to know that, I actually think it’s a good day for Donald Trump and America,” says Harry Staub. “Because I pretty much feel that this seals the election for Donald Trump.”

“So I was prepared to tell you that ‘I’m happy with the verdict,’ which I am, or ‘I’m disappointed in the verdict,'” says Kevin Spencer Beckford. “But I also trust the process either way. And I think that’s one of the things that we don’t see happening today, is you know, that in the marketplace of ideas, we can disagree. But in the end, we should not have a disagreement on democracy.”

News10NBC’s Bret Vetter set out Thursday night to talk to other Rochesterians about their initial thoughts following the guilty verdict. Check out that story through this link.