On Thursday, a New York City jury found former U.S. President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment of $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016. This historic conviction makes Trump the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Sentencing is set for July 11, just before the Republican Party’s presidential nomination.
Trump, who denies wrongdoing and plans to appeal, was released without bail. He criticized the trial as rigged and a disgrace. The trial included detailed testimony from Daniels about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump. Prosecutors argued the payment aimed to hide information from voters, while Trump’s defense claimed it was a normal electoral tactic.
The felony carries a maximum sentence of four years, but actual penalties might include shorter sentences, fines, or probation. Trump will not be jailed before sentencing and can still campaign or take office if elected. The conviction adds complexity to the upcoming election, where Trump is in a close race with President Joe Biden. Biden’s campaign emphasized the trial’s message that “no one is above the law.”
Trump cannot pardon himself if elected, as the case is state-level, requiring the New York governor’s intervention. This case, seen as the least significant of Trump’s four criminal prosecutions, is likely the only one to conclude before the election, potentially impacting voter support.
Source – CGTN
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