NEW YORK. Donald Trump became the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime when a New York jury found him guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment made before the 2016 election.
The verdict was delivered after two days of deliberations by the 12-member jury, who reached a unanimous decision. Trump remained impassive as the jurors were individually polled to confirm the verdict.
Justice Juan Merchan has scheduled Trump’s sentencing for July 11, mere days before the Republican National Convention where Trump is anticipated to secure the presidential nomination. “Nobody can make you do anything you don’t want to do. The choice is yours,” Merchan told the jurors, thanking them for their service.
The conviction throws the United States into uncharted territory just months ahead of the November 5 presidential election, with Trump, the Republican frontrunner, aiming to reclaim the White House from incumbent Democratic President Joe Biden. Trump, 77, maintains his innocence and is expected to appeal the verdict. “This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who is corrupt,” he told reporters. “The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people. I am a very innocent man.”
Facing a maximum sentence of four years in prison, Trump will not be jailed before sentencing. A conviction does not bar him from campaigning or taking office if elected. Opinion polls indicate a tight race between Trump and Biden, and a Reuters/Ipsos poll suggests the guilty verdict could erode Trump’s support among independent and Republican voters.
A source within Trump’s campaign revealed that the verdict might accelerate discussions on selecting a female vice-presidential running mate. Meanwhile, Biden’s campaign responded, emphasizing that the ruling underscores that no one is above the law. “There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box,” the campaign stated.
The jury reached their decision at 4:20 p.m. (2020 GMT) and delivered the 34-count guilty verdict shortly after 5 p.m. Reactions were swift, with House Speaker Mike Johnson calling it “a shameful day in American history.”
The five-week trial featured explicit testimony from Stormy Daniels, who claimed a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 while he was married to Melania. Trump denies the affair. His former lawyer, Michael Cohen, testified that Trump authorized a $130,000 payment to Daniels during the 2016 election to silence her, with reimbursements disguised as legal fees. Trump’s defense questioned Cohen’s credibility, citing his criminal record and history of lying.
Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, requested the verdict be overturned, arguing it relied on Cohen’s unreliable testimony. Justice Merchan denied the request. Trump’s expected appeal will likely challenge Daniels’ testimony and the legal theory used by prosecutors, although legal experts believe his chances of success are slim.
Falsifying business records is typically a misdemeanor in New York, but prosecutors elevated the charges to felonies, arguing that Trump was hiding an illegal campaign contribution. Trump has consistently claimed he could not receive a fair trial in his heavily Democratic hometown.
This case, revived by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg after his predecessor declined to prosecute, was viewed as the least significant of the four criminal cases Trump faces. It featured long-publicized allegations of sex and deceit but was substantiated by financial records.
As the only case likely to go to trial before the election, its outcome could have significant political repercussions. If elected, Trump could potentially dismiss the two federal cases alleging his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and mishandling classified documents. However, he would be powerless to stop a separate election-subversion case in Georgia.
Trump, who has pleaded not guilty in all cases, portrays his legal battles as politically motivated attacks by Biden’s allies. The nation now watches closely as the implications of this historic verdict unfold.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
