Donald Trump becomes the first former president to be criminally convicted in hush money case | US News
Donald Trump has made history by becoming the first former US president to be criminally convicted. In a landmark ruling, a New York jury has found him guilty of falsifying business records to commit election fraud. He faced 34 counts and was found guilty on all of them, requiring unanimity for any verdict.
Trump is set to be sentenced on 11 July, just days before the Republican National Convention begins on 15 July, where he is expected to be formally nominated for president. This verdict has thrown the country into uncharted territory as the election on 5 November approaches, with Trump and Joe Biden locked in a tight race for the White House.
While Trump faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison, others convicted of similar crimes have often received shorter sentences, fines, or probation.
Speaking outside the court, Trump denounced the conviction as a “disgrace” and maintained his innocence, calling the trial “rigged” and criticizing the judge. He stated that the case is far from over.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden’s spokesperson emphasized that “no one is above the law,” highlighting the importance of accountability and the rule of law. Michael Cohen, a key witness in the trial and Trump’s former fixer, also celebrated the verdict, stating that the truth always matters.
Trump pumps a fist outside Trump Tower after the verdicts. Pic: Reuters
A video from the TV show Access Hollywood where Trump made lewd comments about women surfaced a month before the 2016 election, causing a crisis within his campaign. This led to the hush money scheme to silence Stormy Daniels, an adult film actor, from revealing her alleged encounter with Trump. The trial highlighted the coordinated efforts to conceal this information from voters.
Trump’s involvement in reimbursing his lawyer for the hush money payments and the subsequent cover-up led to the criminal conviction. His repayment of the funds, disguised as legal expenses, was a key element in the prosecution’s argument of a conspiracy to influence the election.
The guilty verdict marks a significant moment in American history, with implications that extend beyond Trump as an individual. The public now faces the task of evaluating how this conviction will impact his presidential campaign moving forward.
