We’re in uncharted waters, John. Today, we're going to do our best to break it all down.
With each passing week, it appears that the only trial Donald Trump will receive a verdict in is his Manhattan criminal trial, where he is facing 34 felony counts over allegations that he knowingly falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 hush-money payment before the 2016 election.
Trump’s other trials in Florida, Georgia, and Washington D.C. are in varying states of delay. And what’s worse — if Trump is reelected this November, it’s overwhelmingly likely he won’t be put on trial at all.
With so much hinging on the decision of the Manhattan jury, today we wanted to try and answer a big question that’s on everyone’s mind: What happens if Trump is convicted?
- If convicted in New York, Trump can still run for President. Believe it or not, a felony conviction would not disqualify him from continuing his presidential bid, even from a prison cell.
- Trump could potentially face prison time, though the majority of first-time offenders in non-violent cases are sentenced to probation and fines. This decision ultimately lies with Judge Juan Merchan, who is not required to imprison Trump even if convicted by the jury. According to other legal experts, any hypothetical prison sentence would likely be imposed concurrently — which in NY state would be a maximum of four years.
- Trump can and will almost certainly appeal if convicted. This process could take months or longer to be resolved. However, it's unlikely the appeals process would conclude prior to Election Day.
- While a guilty verdict in Manhattan wouldn't have a direct impact on Trump's other cases, his conviction could alter public perception of him and his legal troubles, potentially eroding support he will need to win in November. In the event of a conviction, this could potentially influence jury perceptions in his other cases and could even impact Trump's willingness to settle or negotiate plea deals.1
If you ask us, the fact that Trump is facing more than 91 charges should be enough in itself to disqualify him from ever holding public office again.
Regardless of this trial’s outcome, it’s extremely unlikely that a guilty conviction would hamper Trump’s campaign for the White House. John, that means we could potentially end up with a convicted felon as our 47th president.
That's why we're working overtime day in and day out to prevent Trump from retaking the White House this November. With so much at stake, we must do everything we can to reelect President Biden. So if you can, please chip in $20.24 or anything you can today to stop Trump.
DONATE
As always — thank you for reading.
With gratitude,
— LeftNet
1 - Time
