Donald Trump became the first former U.S. president to be criminally convicted, although this doesn’t prevent him from continuing his path towards the November elections and potentially securing a new term.
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The jury appointed in the trial against former President Donald Trump found him guilty last Thursday, May 30 in the afternoon. The group unanimously determined that the businessman was behind the scheme to pay off adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election campaign, in an effort to cover up their encounters so they wouldn’t harm his political aspirations.
The sentence will be announced on July 11th, and thereafter, the defense will have the opportunity to appeal, although this process could take months. The maximum penalty he could receive is four years in prison for each of the 34 charges, although given his lack of prior convictions, it would be unusual for him to be incarcerated. Instead, he may face a fine and community service.
Donald Trump’s reaction to the trial
Trump has already indicated his intention to appeal, following months of criticizing the process and targeting the Manhattan District Attorney who brought the case, as well as Judge Merchan, who presided over his trial. However, long before that appeal is even considered, Trump will find himself entangled in the gears of the criminal justice system.
Upon arriving at the court earlier, the accused once again targeted the New York justice system and expressed frustration with its actions, as he has done from the outset. ‘Here we go again. I haven’t seen a single jurist who thinks this should have been brought forward,’ he said. The day before, he had also called the trial ‘a disgrace’ and reiterated his innocence.
Specific charges against former President Trump
Trump faces 34 charges of falsifying business records in his company regarding the alleged scheme to conceal potentially unfavorable stories about him, which were assessed during the weeks-long trial involving approximately 20 key players who testified. This included Daniels herself, who provided graphic details of the events dating back to 2006, and the former president’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to making those payments. The total amount involved is reported to be $130,000.
This does not prevent Donald Trump from continuing as a presidential candidate in the United States, as there is no legal prohibition for a convicted individual to run for president or even to serve as president. However, voting would be more complicated: Trump is registered as a voter in Florida, where felons are required to serve their entire sentence, including probation, before regaining the right to vote. With just a few months until the elections, it seems unlikely that Trump could serve his sentence before that time.
