Trump: Accused of Electorial Fraud
In the US justice system, it took a full eight years to finally convict former President Donald Trump. His verdict? Guilty, thirty-four times over. The charges were surrounding his illegal means of winning the 2016 presidential election. Despite his apparent dismay, the sting wouldn't last long.
Asked for confirmation, the speaker replied bluntly, "Guilty." The hit weighed on Trump, but not for long. His lawyer, Todd Blanche, requested that the verdict be read aloud by each of the twelve jurors. Trump himself then turned, directing his gaze toward the jurors. Each one repeated the damning word, some looking away, others staring intently at Judge Juan Merchan. The judge thanked the jury, who promptly exited the room. Blanche pleaded that the verdict should be dismissed, as it relied heavily on the testimony of Trump's former personal attorney and witness, Michael Cohen. However, Merchan denied this motion. Simply put, America's ex-president was now a criminal.
The detail of this moment could be thoroughly documented by media outlets like the "New York Times." While the penalty for the alleged "hush money" case in Manhattan has yet to be announced, which Merchan has set for July 11th, Trump's team has declared their intention to appeal. The verdict, however, paints a clear picture. The Republican presidential candidate was accused of conspiring with others to unfairly influence the 2016 election via payoffs to women, violate election law, and then attempt to cover it all up with falsified documents.
The second day of the trial ended almost inconclusively. The jurors remained silent since the 4:15 p.m. testimony of Cohen and publisher David Pecker. Judge Merchan informed the room that he would release the jury at 4:30 p.m. But just ten minutes prior, he was notified of a verdict - an unexpected turn of events. Tension filled the Manhattan courtroom. Trump shifted in his seat, a hush fell over the space.
The verdict was read, and a rare gloomy display followed from Trump, looking defeated. He stood up, shook hands with his son Eric, exited the room, and approached waiting journalists. His gaze lowered, steps heavy. After delivering a defiant yet weak statement about the "disgrace" of the process and judicial bias, he claimed, "The real verdict is from the people on November 5th." A mainly politically-minded individual, he insisted he was "a very innocent man." He then left abruptly for the Trump Tower. En route, he gained his usual composure, chin high, fist clenched, as though looking forward with determination.
On social media, Donald Trump Jr. raged against the state of affairs. Democrats, he claimed, had turned the country into a "third-world sewer," with Biden's administration masterminding the entire operation to harm his father in the November election. The claim fell short, considering the verdict was reached by American citizens. And while the appeal was a viable option, the decision wasn't directly influenced by the Justice Department, as Trump's circumstances would've remained the same if it was unsuccessful.
For days on end, the ex-president denied the allegations, expressing an abundant lack of remorse. This could well affect the sentencing. The New York Times and their contemporary analysis struggled to agree on the potential consequences. It was unanimously decided, though, that a prison sentence for Trump was a real possibility. Whether he'd have to serve it, however, was uncertain. In any case, a successful November campaign was still very much on the table. Preliminary predictions indicated delays of at least one year due to appeals. If Trump won, America could face a four-year presidency.
The aftermath could potentially be a boon to both political parties. The Republican fundraising platform "WinRed" was temporarily inaccessible due to a presumed surge of visitors. Biden's campaign team seemingly seized the moment, tweeting, "There's only one way to keep Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box." Accompanied by a fundraising appeal. The White House maintained a measured response, "We respect the law and will not comment."
In all, the Fordham University Law School's professor Michael Pozen had succinctly summed up the situation as follows: "Despite any presidential power he wielded, he was a mortal who broke the law."
Trump's dreams of becoming president in 2016 have turned into a nightmare. "It's tragic that someone with a criminal record could potentially become the next president," commented Trump's former White House attorney, Ty Cobb, during an interview with CNN. This is a first in American history. "Our country's founding fathers would be weeping with disappointment," Cobb further stated. One wonders how the election eight years ago might have unfolded differently if Stormy Daniels had revealed her story a little earlier.
Read also:
- In the midst of his campaign for the 2024 US presidential election, rumors swirled about Donald Trump's past legal troubles, specifically involving Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen.
- Despite Trump's denials, the judgments from the 2016 election fraud case, which found him guilty of conspiring with others to unfairly influence the election, continue to haunt him.
- In the wake of these judgments, some political analysts question whether a convicted felon should be eligible to run for the US presidency in 2024, bringing up the potential role of Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen in the 2016 election and their impact on the 2024 race.
