On May 30, after nine hours of jury deliberation, Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 charges. This historic case has made Donald Trump the first former president to be convicted of a felony. Trump’s sentencing has been set for July 11, his punishment will be determined by Judge Juan Merchan and could range from probation to a maximum of four years in prison.
It is expected that Trump will appeal this verdict, and has referred to the trial as “rigged” and “disgraceful”. His defense has accused Judge Merchan of bias due to his daughter’s employment at a political marketing agency which has represented Democrats. When presented with the issue, the New York State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics did not find an adequate reason for the recusal of Merchan.
Many Republicans have remained supportive of Trump, and he is still expected to be named the formal GOP nominee at the Republican National Convention on July 15.
According to a poll conducted by Quinnipiac University, 50% of voters agree with Trump’s guilty verdict, while 44% disagree with it. This same poll found the guilty verdict led 22% of voters to say they were less likely to vote for him, while 23% said they were more likely to, and 54% said it wouldn’t influence their vote.
This guilty verdict may influence voters’ opinions before the upcoming Presidential election, but it will not prevent Trump from running for office. It is also possible that Judge Merchan will not require Trump to serve his punishment until after his impending appeal.
Donald Trump is currently involved in 3 other criminal cases as well as a civil fraud case, all of which are expected to go to trial after the Nov. 5 Presidential election. The three criminal cases are:
- Georgia Election Interference Case: which accuses Trump and 18 others of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results in the state of Georgia. The official trial date has not yet been set for this case.
- Federal Election Case: this case also accuses Trump of attempting to overturn the 2020 election. This case has been put on hold while the Supreme Court hears Trump’s argument of Presidential immunity.
- Classified Documents Case: this case charges Trump with illegally holding classified White House documents after his departure from office in January 2021 as well as conspiracy to obstruct justice.
The outcomes of these cases may be affected by the results of the upcoming election, as well as the Supreme Court’s decision on Trump’s claims of immunity.
