Donald J Trump was found guilty on Thursday of falsifying information to cover up a sex scandal that threatened to derail his 2016 presidential campaign. The verdict ended an extraordinary trial that tested the resilience of the US justice system and has implications for the upcoming November presidential election.
A jury of 12 New Yorkers convicted Trump on all 34 counts of falsifying business records after deliberating for two days. The case was filled with stories of secret deals, tabloid scandals and an Oval Office deal reminiscent of Watergate. Unlike other times, the former president remained mostly expressionless, with a grim look on his face as the jury made its verdict.
Trump, who turns 78 in June, is the first former president with a criminal record, as well as the first felon to be nominated by a major political party. This provides Democrats with plenty of ammunition for attack commercials as the November election rematch with President Joe Biden approaches.
According to polls, Trump is virtually even with President Joe Biden and has a modest advantage in many crucial swing states that will determine the election outcome. However, these surveys indicate that his conviction may change the situation.
However, despite his legal issues, many Republicans still support Trump and would vote for him as president. They acknowledge his faults outside of public office or the courtroom. 56 per cent of Republicans believe his sexual misconduct should not prevent him from running for president.
On the other hand, In exit polls taken during the Republican primaries this winter, double-digit percentages of respondents stated they would not vote for the former president if convicted of a felony.
Donald Trump may have been convicted of a crime and now lives in Florida, a state notorious for limiting convicts’ voting privileges. He may still vote as long as he is not imprisoned in New York.
Florida respects the procedures that other states have in place for out-of-state felony convictions. In New York, criminals lose their voting rights only while in jail. When they are freed, their voting rights are immediately restored, even if they are on parole, owing to a 2021 legislation established by New York’s Democratic Assembly.
Can Trump Still Run for President Despite Legal Wrangles?
Just before the Republican convention, where Trump is expected to be named the party’s presidential nominee, he is scheduled to be sentenced for falsifying company documents on July 11. Despite his decision, he is still able to campaign and contest polls under the law. The US Constitution merely stipulates that presidents must be US citizens, be at least 35 years old, and have spent 14 years in the country.
Also, Trump probably won’t go to jail. The maximum penalty for his felony falsification of corporate records is 1 to 4 years, but in New York, people convicted of this crime alone who have not been convicted of felony crimes typically get a year or less in prison for falsifying business records, and most of them have been convicted, unlike other crimes.
If Trump faces more than a fine, he may have to stay home or follow a curfew instead of going to jail. A former president with lifetime Secret Service protection could make it difficult to secure him in prison.
Jeffrey Engel, director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University said, this will be remembered as a really big, unusual event, but what matters is what comes next,” he continues.
The people in November will determine whether or not they think Trump’s conviction is significant. People may believe that the former president’s guilty conviction had a role if he loses. If he prevails, it may only be a minor chapter in his incredible political tale.
