Former President Donald Trump has been found guilty of 34 felonies by a jury in his “hush money” trial in New York. This makes him the first former president in U.S. history to be convicted of a crime.
The jury concluded that Trump violated the law by falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. He was found guilty on all counts.
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Driving the news: Trump and a wide swath of GOP allies denounced the decision following the jury’s verdict, with the former President vowing to fight the conviction.
- Trump could face up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine for each count, but Judge Juan Merchan faces wide latitude on sentencing, which could result in something as minimal as hefty fines or probation.
- Beyond the courtroom, the verdict managed to have an opposite effect on Trump’s electoral chances, with supporters crushing his campaign’s website to make contributions, leading donation portal WinRed to go offline due to overwhelming demand.
What they’re saying: Following the conviction, Trump unloaded on the case as “rigged.”
- “This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt,” Trump said to reporters following the verdict reading. “The real verdict is going to be November 5th by the people. And they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here.”
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a former foe of Trump’s in the 2024 GOP nomination fight, pilloried the entire case.
- “That this case—involving alleged misdemeanor business records violations from nearly a decade ago—was even brought is a testament to the political debasement of the justice system in places like New York City,” DeSantis said in a statement. “This is especially true considering this same district attorney routinely excuses criminal conduct in a way that has endangered law-abiding citizens in his jurisdiction.”
- “In America, the rule of law should be applied in a dispassionate, even-handed manner, not become captive to the political agenda of some kangaroo court.”
The other side: The White House issued a brief statement saying, “We respect the rule of law” in response to the verdict.
The bigger picture: Trump’s conviction could have an impact on the 2024 presidential race. As a convicted felon, he can still run for president, but the guilty verdict gives the Biden campaign an advantage.
- The conviction does not disqualify Trump from becoming president again if he wins at the ballot box in November, as the Constitution does not explicitly address the impact of a felony conviction on a president’s ability to serve.
