1-6-2024 (NEW YORK) A Manhattan courtroom witnessed history unfold on Friday as Donald Trump became the first former US president to be convicted of a crime. The verdict, delivered by a panel of 12 unanimous Manhattanites, has thrust the nation into uncharted legal and constitutional territory, setting the stage for an unprecedented presidential election in just five months’ time.
The panel of New Yorkers, meticulously chosen to weigh the 34 charges against Trump, was tasked with the monumental responsibility of examining the prosecution’s case: that the former president falsified business records to cover up “hush money” paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election. The alleged purpose? To silence her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump and protect his campaign. Despite his vehement denials of the encounter, the jurors were left to determine whether Trump not only fudged the records but did so with the intent to commit or conceal another crime – a violation of New York election laws prohibiting the unlawful promotion or prevention of a candidate’s election.
The complexity of the allegations raised eyebrows from the outset, with Trump accusing the charges of being politically motivated – a claim fueled by the fact that the man who brought the case, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, is a Democrat holding an elected position. However, Bragg insisted from the moment Trump was indicted that the case had nothing to do with politics, arguing that “this type of white-collar prosecution” was core to the work of his office.
“While this defendant may be unlike any other in American history, we arrived at this trial, and ultimately today at this verdict, in the same manner as every other case that comes to the courtroom doors,” Bragg asserted, “By following the facts and the law, and doing so without fear or favour.”
With Judge Juan Merchan setting a sentencing date of July 11, just days before Trump is due to be officially confirmed as the Republican nominee, the nation finds itself grappling with the extraordinary prospect of voting a convicted felon into the White House. Although a prison term is possible, Trump’s lack of a prior criminal record may see options like probation considered. Nevertheless, his legal team is expected to appeal, potentially setting off a lengthy process.
In the meantime, Trump has wasted no time in attempting to capitalise on his predicament, firing off a fundraising email within minutes of the verdict’s announcement, urging potential donors to “please, please, PLEASE join me at this dark hour”. While he has managed to rally support off the back of all four of his criminal cases, a key question now is how the verdict will influence American voters more broadly.
In an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released ahead of the decision, two-thirds of people surveyed said a guilty verdict would make no difference to the votes they’ll cast in November. However, in a race expected to be closely contested, every vote counts, and the outcome could hinge on a relatively small number of voters in swing states where the result could go either way.
Not to be outdone, President Joe Biden has also sought to fundraise off the verdict, taking to the social media platform X to argue: “There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box.” Although Biden had long made a point of not commenting on the case to avoid adding credence to Trump’s unfounded claim of White House involvement, he had begun shifting his position in recent weeks, dropping references to Trump’s legal woes into his public remarks.
In a controversial move, Biden’s campaign even sent actor Robert De Niro down to the court precinct to criticise the former president, as the president seeks to frame Trump’s potential election as a threat to US democracy that must be stopped. With Biden’s approval ratings stubbornly low, his campaign is already referring to Trump as a “convicted felon”, setting the stage for a remarkable presidential debate between the two candidates next month.
Trump, for his part, has been relentlessly posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, attacking the judge and claiming election interference. He plans to continue this argument when he holds a press conference at his Manhattan residence, Trump Tower, on Friday, local time. In the city where the former real estate tycoon made his name, 12 ordinary New Yorkers have just etched his legacy in the history books – but not in the way he would have wanted.
