In an unprecedented verdict, Donald Trump has become the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime, after a New York jury found him guilty on all charges in his hush money case. This verdict comes just months before an election that could potentially see his return to the White House.
The jury convicted Donald Trump on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment aimed at silencing porn star Stormy Daniels. Each count theoretically carries a sentence of four years in prison, but Trump is more likely to receive probation.
The 77-year-old Republican, now a felon, was released without bail. This historic conviction marks a startling first in a country where presidents are often referred to as the most powerful individuals in the world.
Despite his conviction, Donald Trump remains undeterred in his bid to unseat President Joe Biden in the upcoming election, even in the unlikely scenario of imprisonment. Donald Trump proclaimed his innocence to reporters, asserting that the “real verdict” would come from the voters and labeling the trial a “rigged” and “disgraceful” proceeding.
In response, Biden’s campaign issued a statement emphasizing that the trial demonstrated that “no one is above the law,” and warning that “the threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater.”
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Judge Juan Merchan has scheduled sentencing for July 11, just four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump is expected to receive the party’s formal nomination.
The 12-member jury deliberated for over 11 hours across two days before delivering their unanimous verdict in a matter of minutes. Judge Merchan commended the jurors for fulfilling their “difficult and stressful task,” noting that their identities were kept secret throughout the proceedings, a rare measure usually reserved for cases involving mafia or other violent defendants.
In addition to this conviction, Donald Trump faces federal and state charges for allegedly conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results and for hoarding secret documents post-presidency. These trials, involving more serious allegations, are unlikely to commence before the presidential election.
The case revolved around falsified business records to reimburse Donald Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 payment to Daniels during the 2016 election campaign. Daniels’ claim of a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, who was married at the time, could have damaged his campaign against Hillary Clinton. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, provided graphic testimony about the encounter.
Prosecutors argued successfully that the hush money and its cover-up were part of a broader scheme to keep voters unaware of Trump’s behavior. Michael Cohen, the key witness and a former aide who turned against Trump, hailed the verdict as “an important day for accountability and the rule of law.”
Donald Trump, who denied any sexual encounter with Daniels and did not testify in his own defense, saw his lawyers argue that the payments were legal.
Despite the trial’s distraction from his campaign, Donald Trump leveraged the media attention to his advantage. Following the verdict, his campaign issued a fundraising appeal titled “I am a political prisoner!” and announced a public statement to be made on Friday.
Political analyst Keith Gaddie of Texas Christian University noted that the political impact of these events remains uncertain. “It probably doesn’t move a lot of votes, but in particular states with particular swing votes, it could matter around the margins. So in particularly tight races, it can tip things back from one direction to the other,” he said.
While Donald Trump, a first-time convict, likely faces probation, an appeal is expected, potentially prolonging the legal battle for months. Should he win the presidency, he would be unable to pardon himself, as the case was brought by the state of New York, where only the governor could grant a pardon.
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