In a stunning development, a New York jury has unanimously found former US President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts related to the falsification of business records to conceal information that could have impacted the 2016 presidential election.
The case centered around hush money payments made by Trump and his then-fixer, Michael Cohen, to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in violation of state and federal laws. The jury’s verdict marks the first time a former president has been convicted in a criminal case in American history.
This unprecedented situation has significant implications for US politics. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president in the upcoming 2024 election, now faces the prospect of becoming a convicted felon while running for the nation’s highest office. Unlike in India, American law does not bar convicted criminals from contesting elections.
Reacting to the verdict, Trump lashed out, calling the trial “rigged” and the judge “corrupt.” He claimed the “real verdict” would come from the people on November 5th, framing himself as a “political prisoner” and launching a fundraising appeal.
In contrast, President Joe Biden’s campaign issued a statement emphasizing that no one is above the law and warning that a second Trump term would mean “chaos, ripping away Americans’ freedoms and fomenting political violence.”
The political implications of the verdict remain uncertain. A pre-verdict poll found that 67% of respondents said a conviction would not impact their voting decision, 17% said it would make them less likely to vote for Trump, and 15% said it would make them more likely to do so.
The prosecution’s case rested on the argument that Trump had conspired with Cohen to make the payment to Daniels, falsifying records to conceal the true nature of the transaction. During the six-week trial, Cohen, Daniels, and the publisher of the National Enquirer provided details that corroborated the prosecution’s claims.
Trump’s defense, on the other hand, denied any relationship with Daniels and questioned the credibility of the witnesses. The former president now faces various legal challenges, including charges related to the 2020 election in Georgia and the handling of classified documents in Florida.
As the nation grapples with the fallout of this historic verdict, the stage is set for a highly contentious 2024 presidential race, with the specter of a convicted felon as a leading contender.
