In a historic turn of events, former President Donald Trump has been found guilty of all 34 charges of falsifying business records by a Manhattan jury. This verdict marks the first time in American history that a former president has been convicted of a felony. Trump is also the first major-party presidential nominee to be convicted of a crime while campaigning for the White House.
The charges against Trump stem from a hush money trial where he was accused of falsifying the repayment of his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to cover up a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Throughout the trial, the prosecution presented 20 witnesses to illustrate how the payment to Daniels was part of a pattern of payoffs to suppress negative stories about Trump before the 2016 election.
Following the verdict, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced that Trump’s sentencing date is set for July 11, 2024. This comes just days before the start of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
In response to the guilty verdict, President Joe Biden emphasized the importance of defeating Trump at the ballot box in the upcoming election. Trump, on the other hand, denounced the trial as rigged and vowed to continue fighting the charges.
As the nation grapples with this unprecedented development, the political landscape is sure to be reshaped by the implications of Trump’s conviction. Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving story.