Today, a New York City courtroom witnessed a historic moment as Donald Trump became the first former president to be convicted of felony crimes. A jury in New York found him guilty of falsifying business records as part of a scheme to unlawfully affect the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actor who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with him.
The jury took only nine and a half hours to find the former president guilty of all 34 felony counts, while Trump appeared calm at the defendant’s table. His son, Eric Trump, was seated behind him in the first row of the gallery as the jury foreman pronounced each of the 34 counts guilty.
For the man residing just three miles from the courthouse in lower Manhattan, in Trump Tower, the verdict represents a staggering legal reckoning. The verdict subjects him to potential prison time in the city where his exploitation of the tabloid press propelled him from real estate magnate to reality TV star, and eventually to the presidency.
As he attempts a return to the White House in this year’s election, the verdict offers voters another opportunity to evaluate their tolerance for Trump’s norm-defying conduct. However, those who believed Trump would remain silent following the verdict were mistaken.
The convicted former U.S. president declared himself a “very innocent” man, asserting that he is “fighting for our country” and “fighting for our constitution.” He claimed that “our whole country is being rigged at this moment,” attributing the verdict to the Biden administration, which he accused of seeking to “wound or hurt a political opponent.”
Trump is anticipated to appeal the verdict swiftly and will confront a challenging situation as he attempts to re-enter the campaign trail as a convicted felon. Currently, there are no scheduled campaign rallies, but he is expected to conduct fundraisers next week.
It may take several months for Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the case, to determine whether to sentence Trump to prison.
The Biden- Harris Campaign released a statement:
Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain. But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president.
The threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater. He is running an increasingly unhinged campaign of revenge and retribution, pledging to be a dictator ‘on day one’ and calling for our Constitution to be ‘terminated’ so he can regain and keep power. A second Trump term means chaos, ripping away Americans’ freedoms and fomenting political violence – and the American people will reject it this November.
Meanwhile, even though he will now be referred to as a convicted felon, it would be unwise to discount Trump from the 2024 presidential race. For another candidate, a criminal conviction might spell the end of a presidential bid, but Trump’s political career has survived two impeachments, allegations of sexual misconduct, and investigations ranging from potential ties to Russia to attempts to overturn an election, along with salacious personal narratives, including a recording where he boasted about grabbing women’s private parts.
This will be a pivotal issue for independent swing voters in key battleground states. The verdict may afford President Joe Biden and fellow Democrats the opportunity to reinforce their stance that Trump is unsuitable for office.
Simultaneously, the guilty verdict provides the presumptive Republican nominee with fodder to reinforce his unproven claims of persecution by a criminal justice system he alleges is biased against him. Thus, this will become yet another talking point in an already dynamic election season.
Washington based CEO & Founder of LJC. Media covering politics, sports, & entertainment A seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director, and podcast host. Digital Director and Washington Bureau Chief at News Talk Florida & The Daily Cable
