Donald Trump found guilty of 34 counts in Hush Money Trial, what happens now

Former US President Donald Trump created history in all wrong ways after he was found guilty of all 34 counts in the infamous “hush money” trial in New York. The verdict made him the first former president in the United States to be convicted in a criminal case.

The jury which comprised of 12 Manhattan residents found that Trump illegally falsified business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. They found him guilty on all counts on their second day of deliberation.

The Republican presidential hopeful turning into a convicted felon has the potential to affect his bid for the White House as well. According to CNN, the verdict was handed down in the same Manhattan courtroom where Trump has been on trial for the past six weeks. Trump angrily denounced the verdict in the hallway outside the courtroom and vowed to fight the case further.

“This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt,” Trump said at the courthouse after the verdict was read. “This was a rigged trial, a disgrace.”

Alvin Bragg expresses delight

The recent jury verdict was a major victory for Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg. “Twelve everyday jurors vowed to make a decision based on the evidence and the law and the evidence and the law alone. Their deliberations led them to a unanimous conclusion beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant Donald J Trump is guilty," Bragg told reporters after the verdict.

“While this defendant might be unlike any other in American history, we arrived at this trial and ultimately today this verdict in the same manner as every other case," he added.

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Meanwhile, Joe Biden’s campaign also reacted to the case and said that “no one is above the law”.

“In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law. Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain,” wrote Michael Tyler, Biden’s communications director, in an email after the verdict.

“But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president," Tyler added.

What happens now?

With the decision from the jury, Judge Juan Merchan who has presided over the case throughout its course will give sentencing to the former President. This is scheduled to take place on July 11, 10 am (ET).

Since Trump is found guilty in the case, Merchan could sentence him to probation or up to 4 years of imprisonment on each count in state prison. The former US President can be jailed for a maximum of 20 years.

For now, the former President will not go behind bars as he awaits his sentencing. Prosecutors have also not asked Trump to post any bond.

Does Trump have the option to appeal?

To put it simply, Trump does have the right to appeal and he has consistently appealed rulings against him in an effort to delay proceedings as he continues to campaign for the 2024 US Presidential elections.

Interestingly, shortly after the former reality TV star was convicted, his attorney Todd Blanche asked Merchan for an acquittal of the charge. However, the New York judge rejected the request.

Even during the trials, Trump’s legal team took other steps to preserve its right to appeal a potential guilty verdict. hence, it is certain that they will mount similar appeals in the near future.

Can Trump still be president?

It is important to note that nothing in the Constitution of the United States of America can bar a convicted criminal from running for the nation’s highest office.

The US Constitution actually contains only limited qualifications for a person to be a country’s president. One has to be at least 35 years old, a natural-born citizen, and at least 14 years a resident of the US to assume the office. However, the states could disqualify Trump from running due to his other cases that focus on his effort to overturn the 2020 US Presidential elections.

Will the United States see a presidency from jail?

So the main question that arises is, can we see a country where a president is running his office from jail? When asked the same question the Professor emeritus of communication at American University, W. Joseph Campbell, told Firstpost, that the possibility of Trump going to jail in the hush money case is quite bleak.

“The only criminal case that’s ongoing is the one in New York City and it’s recognized as the weakest case against Trump, having largely to do with bookkeeping errors from years ago,” Campbell told Firstpost.

“But I think it’s hard to see that he would be sentenced immediately to jail, although that’s probably not impossible, he would have the option to appeal. And being a first-time offender, he would probably be expected to be granted probation, or not probation, but would be allowed to remain free from jail while the appeals are proceeding”.

“I think it’s probably improbable that the United States would elect a guy who is sitting in a jail cell somewhere in New York City,” he added.

Will Trump still have the right to vote? 

Trump is a Florida resident, hence his right to vote might be under threat. The state of Florida bans felons from voting until they have completed the full terms of their sentence – including any supervised release – and until they have paid any associated fines and fees.

The latter part of the legislation has received severe backlash across the country since it undermines a state constitutional amendment allowing people with felony convictions to regain the right to vote.

Hence, Trump’s right to vote in Florida in November’s election will actually depend on whether he is sentenced to a term in prison and if he finishes the prison sentence by the time of the elections.

Meanwhile, in the state of New York, a 2021 law gave people with felony convictions the right to vote once they finish their term of incarceration – even if they are still subject to parole.

This means, Trump would only be denied his right to vote in Florida if he serves a prison sentence in the case. But all these factors will depend on what the sentencing will entail.

With inputs from agencies.