Trump Becomes First Ex-US President with a Criminal Conviction
"The judge acknowledged the efforts of the twelve jurors in the case, commending them for their diligence in completing a 'challenging and taxing task' that spanned over 11 hours across two days," stated Judge Juan Merchan. The identities of the jurors from New York were not revealed.
Following the announcement of the verdict on Thursday, Trump exhibited a subdued response, with his shoulders drooping as he sat in the Manhattan courtroom. He initially remained silent but later vented to reporters, denouncing the process as "shameful" and "manipulated."
The "real judgment" will be made on November 5th during the presidential election, Trump declared. He asserted his innocence and noted that he was "fighting for our country, fighting for our constitution."
A fundraising appeal was promptly released by Trump's campaign, titled "I am a political prisoner!" The Republican Representative Mike Johnson voiced his distress by addressing it as "a shameful day in American history."
Judge Merchan set the sentencing date to coincide with the Republican Party convention, where Trump is predicted to secure the nomination for presidential candidate. He will subsequently confront President Biden, who defeated him in the 2020 contest.
The anticipation in the case favors a fine or supervision, with a prison sentence being rather improbable. Even such a penalty would not impair the possibility of Trump running for presidency.
The White House remained silent, choosing to respect the rule of law without offering any additional comment. In contrast, the Biden campaign acknowledged the historical significance of the verdict but maintained that the "simple reality" remained - "there is only one way to dismiss Donald Trump from the White House: at the ballot box."
The prosecutor, Alvin Bragg, acknowledged that there were numerous perspectives, but accentuated the significance of the jury's verdict. He explained that the prosecutorial role revolved around "adhering to the facts and the law," and said his team had fulfilled that mission.
The conviction centered on falsified business records to hide a $130,000 payoff to Stormy Daniels, who had been persuaded to keep mum about an alleged affair with Trump that he denies. Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen, the key witness, testified that he had been authorized by Trump to make the payoff and that it had been falsified as legal fees. Cohen expressed his satisfaction, stating that it was a momentous day for the rule of law, and reiterating the importance of truth, despite the difficult circumstances faced by him and his family.
Cohen had worked for Trump for a decade and was considered his "fixer," or a specialist in troubleshooting issues. However, during Trump's administration, Cohen was subject to multiple investigations and imprisonment, leading to a bitter rift with his former employer.
It is inevitable that Trump will attempt to pursuade the verdict via appeal. This judicial procedure's duration could potentially extend until beyond the presidential election. If Trump succeeds in the elections, he wouldn't be able to grant himself clemency, since the case is being handled at the state level in New York.
The potential implications of the verdict on the realm of politics are yet to be ascertained, according to analyst Keith Gaddie, a professor at Texas Christian University. He predicted that there would likely be no perceptible alteration in public opinion.
Trump is likewise implicated in three other legal matters. In two of them, he strove to overturn his 2020 electoral loss to Biden, and in the third, concerns his removal of classified government documents to his residence in Florida. The timeline for the proceedings on these cases is unclear.
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- Despite the conviction, Trump's legal team, led by Mike Johnson, has announced their intention to appeal the verdict, which could extend beyond the upcoming presidential election.
- The public prosecutor's office in New York, headed by Alvin Bragg, secured a conviction against former US President Donald Trump for falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, a key witness in the case, who had alleged an affair with Trump.
- Michael Cohen, Trump's ex-lawyer and longtime confidant who testified against him, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, calling it a monumental day for the rule of law and emphasizing the importance of truth.
- The Manhattan courtroom saw a turbulent response from Trump following the verdict, where he denounced the proceedings as "shameful" and "manipulated," while his election campaign team launched a fundraising appeal titled "I am a political prisoner!"
- Despite the conviction, the verdict itself does not impact Trump's eligibility to run for the presidency in the future elections, as per legal experts, leading to a heated debate among the Republicans and Democrats alike.
- After serving on Trump's 2016 election campaign team, Cohen turned into a key informant, leading to a series of investigations and his subsequent imprisonment, which severely strained their relationship.
- The Republican Party and Joe Biden's Democratic campaign have issued contrasting responses to the verdict, with the former referring to it as a "shameful day" in American history, while the latter emphasized the importance of the democratic process, encouraging voters to voice their opinions at the ballot box.
- The US Justice Department, under Joe Biden's presidency, had charged Donald Trump in multiple legal proceedings concerning allegations of financial improprieties, electoral interference, and classified document mishandling, with cases still pending in various courts.
