Former President Donald Trump made history on Thursday by becoming the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime. The conviction came after he was found guilty on all 34 counts in his New York criminal hush money trial. This verdict stemmed from charges related to falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election. Prosecutors argued that Trump had disguised a $130,000 hush money payment as legal expenses. Each count in the conviction corresponds to various business records, including checks paid to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, invoices from Cohen, and entries in Trump’s financial ledgers. This landmark trial, while concluding with a conviction, leaves uncertainty about the implications leading up to the November election.
When is Donald Trump’s sentencing date?
Judge Juan Merchan has set Donald Trump’s sentencing date for July 11, allowing the presumptive GOP presidential nominee to remain free until then. This date falls between his first debate against President Joe Biden, scheduled for June 27 in Atlanta, and the Republican National Convention, where he is expected to be formally appointed as the party’s nominee. The convention is slated for July 15-18 in Milwaukee. Additionally, a second debate between Trump and Biden, hosted by ABC, is scheduled for September.
Can Trump go to prison?
Indeed, each felony count of falsifying business records, escalated to a felony due to prosecutors demonstrating the intention to commit or conceal another crime, carries a maximum sentence of four years. Nevertheless, New York restricts sentencing for the type of felonies faced by Trump – Class E felonies – to a maximum of 20 years. However, any incarceration is unlikely to take effect until after his appeal process unfolds subsequent to the November election. “With a defendant lacking any prior criminal record, my firm expectation would lean towards a sentence of probation,” remarked Mitchell Epner, a seasoned New York litigator, in anticipation of the trial.
Can Trump run for president as a felon?
The U.S. Constitution does not disqualify convicted felons from running for president. The only prerequisites for presidential candidacy are being a “natural born” citizen, at least 35 years old, and a resident of the U.S. for a minimum of 14 years. While some states may attempt to impose additional eligibility criteria for candidates to appear on the presidential ballot, legal experts suggest such efforts are unlikely to succeed. Previously, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a bid by multiple states to prevent Trump from running, citing the 14th Amendment, which bars individuals who have engaged in insurrection after taking an oath to uphold the Constitution (such as upon assuming office) from holding office again.
