The case is the first time a former U.S. President has faced a criminal trial. Trump is the presumptive Republican presidential candidate and is set to take on Joe Biden in November’s election.
November 5th will be unprecedented. A very sad state of affairs.
It will be interesting to see if the USA ends up with a convicted criminal as its president. Presumably if it did he could pardon himself.
Is that the case? US law is slightly weird sometimes and unfortunately is used to “protect” the Royal Family from being replaced as head of state.
At this moment in time I am so proud to be a New Yorker. The jury did their job without being swayed or biased, the documents and evidence was rock solid no matter who was on the stand to testify. It is a show of what we are all about, no one is above the law.
Our democracy and rules of law stay intact.
They are already talking about another appeal. When is he going to be sent to jail?
Donald Trump is now a convicted felon. Because it was a crime , 34 of them, and state conviction through a grand jury, it stays as his criminal record for any further of the court cases. It will make a difference in his punishments for any further crimes coming up.
As for the question of him pardoning himself if, should, he become president again, he cannot pardon the crimes in any given state. Only federal crimes are pardonable. Therefore, NY crimes will now be with Trump for the rest of his life.
He won’t be sent to jail. Because these 34 counts are the least serious felonies, no guns, drugs, or assaults involved, only frauds and deceptions with coverups, plus his age of 77, will determine the sentence.
It could be house arrest, probation, fines, or community service. Personally I would choose for him house arrest, and 300 hours of community service. To see him dishing out soup to the homeless and druggies off the street would be his just rewards. Or digging out gutters and picking up garbage off the side of the road, road kill remains,well, need I go on?
I am so happy I may pop open my last beer this evening, smile and guzzle! Ah, good things come to he who waits. Patience has paid off! I may try more of it in the coming months.
It’s nice to see him get his comeuppance for once but I think the MAGA mob will consider him even more of a hero now.
Sounds perfect for him!!
Be funny if they did actually send him to prison - plenty of people in there may want a word with him
I do not like Donald Trump but this is a sad day for our democracy. I have no idea why anyone would be celebrating.
The importance of maintaining a judicial system that adheres strictly to the rule of law without the influence of politics cannot be stated strongly enough. The separation of the branches (executive, judicial, legislative) is a brilliant absolute in the functioning of our democracy.
Robert Kennedy Jr., a very progressive Democrat just said in a television interview, “I do not want to beat Trump in the courtroom, I want to beat him in the ballot box.”
Regardless of one’s political leanings - Kennedy has that absolutely correct.
My vote in November will be a vaccination against the insidious infiltration of vicious politics into the ideals of this nation, which I heard someone refer to last night as “The Mother Egg.”
I am casting a vote for Trump in November, not for the man, but for this constitutional democracy in which I so fervently believe. I don’t think I will be alone.
Must admit I have not been following it… but are you saying he did not break the law SM? Why would they have found him guilty otherwise?
Haven’t read it yet…
These are rhe only requirements for candidates for presidency.
Constitutional requirements for presidential candidates
- Be a natural-born citizen of the United States.
- Be at least 35 years old.
- Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years.
Our nation’s forefathers decided this as only a true democratic country can decide by each voter’s choice. I respect this part of our constitution.
It means that each of us may vote for someone like Putin or Hitler or a convicted felon of 34 crimes with three more trials coming if that is our choice.
It is a choice each of us can make. I personally choose not to elect anyone with no morals, values, or conscience in respecting the laws of our land.
Again, it is a democracy.
Wow…this thread is interesting…
I’m fairly sure the Constitution will be (or should be?) rewritten for modern times, in light of this.
I wondered about that. But is it the case that even as a convicted criminal he can still stand for President?
EDIT
Sorry just seen you have answered that. Thanks
Are US pollies subject to different laws than the rest of the population? He has been found guilty of a crime by a jury, it has nothing to do with democracy it is about the rule of law and the Separation of Powers
Elon Musk is tweeting in agreement with this statement;
‘The first felony conviction of a former US President wasn’t for the Iraq or Afghanistan wars, illegal CIA coups, drone striking weddings, or spying on Americans…
It was because Trump misclassified a $130,000 payment for a porn star’s NDA.
Tells you everything you need to know’.
https://x.com/geiger_capital/status/1796348525523144862?s=46
It’s lawfare.
Why isn’t Pelosi in the dock or even investigated for her many ‘lucky’ stock market wins that made her over $100m?
Why isn’t Maxine Walters under investigation for calling for riots, all caught on camera?
Democrats are utterly corrupt
Bruce, this abuse of justice has everything to do with democracy. In five years, Biden will be gone and Trump will be gone, but we citizens will still be the keepers of our judicial system and the other institutions of our government. No matter what these two individuals did (plenty) we will be keepers of those institutions and we have to protect them with all our might.
Kennedy’s point was that even as a very left leaning progressive, this case was a weaponization of the judicial system, allegedly by those in the executive and and legislative branches, because this case would have never been brought against a regular citizen; the prosecutor was after the man and not the crime - and Bragg campaigned to that effect.
In 1940 Supreme Court Justice Jackson warned that the ultimate abuse of political power is one in which individuals with political motives would organize investigators to spend their days poring through legal books until a reason to indict against a person (target) could be found. He argued that even the straightest arrow was susceptible to the abuse and control of those holding and running for office. Just in the last few years, the Justice Department of the U.S. sent an internal memo reminding its attorneys to avoid this dangerous temptation. Now Consider that Bragg, the District Attorney who tried this case, campaigned on a promise to get Trump. In front of God and everybody, Brag was after what he deemed to be a “criminal” (so much for innocent until proven guilty) and not the crime.
The question you are asking happens to be before the Supreme Court (argued in February). If it has gone all the way up to the highest court, I am not brave enough to stick my neck out.
At least in Florida, among the write-in candidates in the last presidential campaign were God and Jesus. Maybe there is hope for us yet.