Donald Trump Found Guilty on All Charges: What Comes Next?

Throughout his presidency, Trump faced numerous legal challenges and investigations, but this latest development marks a significant turning point in American politics.

In a historic move, former President Donald Trump has become the first US president to be convicted of a crime. Donald Trump is officially guilty. The question on everyone’s mind now is: will he go to prison? This unprecedented situation has sparked a heated debate across the nation.

Donald Trump Has Officially Been Found Guilty

Donald Trump’s reelection bid has been derailed following a New York court’s ruling of guilt on 34 charges in his hush money trial. As the first US president convicted of a criminal offense, he was found to have falsified business records to silence a porn star. Trump awaits sentencing on July 11, with potential consequences including a prison term or substantial fine, though the likelihood of imprisonment is low.

The groundbreaking verdict may impact the US election, but Donald Trump faces additional legal jeopardy beyond this trial. With potential jail time looming, he also awaits trial in three other criminal cases. Lastly, Donald Trump was found guilty. Despite this, he received clearance from the Supreme Court to feature on the 2024 ballot before Super Tuesday, a significant boon to his campaign.

The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision barred states from barring Trump from the ballot. This is due to allegations of inciting insurrection, overturning a prior ruling by Colorado’s Supreme Court. Trump swiftly shifted focus to another significant case after the Supreme Court agreed to consider his claims of presidential immunity from prosecution.

What Is Donald Trump Currently Facing?

Trump, an experienced property tycoon familiar with legal battles, has utilized his cases as a campaign tool. He has framed them as attempts to undermine his “MAGA” Republicanism and impede his political ascent. The charges have sparked unprecedented constitutional inquiries, fueling debate over the feasibility of governing from jail. Here’s an overview of the key cases, their developments, and potential outcomes.

Mishandling of Classified Documents

Mr. Trump faces 40 felony charges stemming from mishandling classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The indictment alleges he endangered national security by transferring US secrets from the White House to various locations within his club, including a ballroom, bathroom, and shower. The documents purportedly contained sensitive information on nuclear programs. They also included the defense and weapons capabilities of both the US and foreign nations.

The Election in Georgia

Donald Trump faces 13 charges related to his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. This includes racketeering and violating his oath of office. Nineteen co-defendants, including former Trump attorneys Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, and bail bondsman Scott Hall, were indicted alongside him. Four have already pleaded guilty in agreements with Fulton County prosecutors, potentially requiring their testimony against Trump in upcoming trials. Notable co-defendants include his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, and lawyer John Eastman.

Mr. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in Georgia following the 2020 election. This is during which he attempted to overturn the state’s results after narrowly losing to Mr. Biden. In a leaked call with Brad Raffensperger, the Republican secretary of state, Trump urged him to “find” thousands of votes that would secure his victory in the state. He allegedly stated, “There’s nothing wrong with saying, you know, um, that you’ve recalculated. All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state.”

There Is Even More to the Story

Mr. Trump’s legal team unsuccessfully argued against Georgia district attorney Fani Willis bringing charges against him, as well as attempting to dismiss a grand jury’s report. After surrendering at a Georgia jail and posting bail of $200,000, Trump awaits trial. He has a proposed start date of August 5, 2024, just months before the US presidential election.

Allegations of a conflict of interest arose regarding Willis’s romantic involvement with lawyer Nathan Wade. The latter spearheaded the case and took Willis on expensive trips. Although Wade eventually stepped aside, Trump challenged the decision not to dismiss Willis. An appeals court agreed to hear the case in May, further delaying a trial date. If Willis is removed from the case, Georgia will need to assemble a new prosecution team. This would make it a trial before the presidential election unlikely.

Other Election Issues

In addition to the charges in Georgia, Mr. Trump faces four criminal counts related to the events leading to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Special counsel Jack Smith brought a 45-page indictment accusing Trump of attempting to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election. He allegedly pressured officials in swing states where he lost to assemble “fake electors” to disregard the popular vote and urged the Justice Department to initiate “sham” election inquiries.

The indictment refers to six co-conspirators who remain unnamed, with Rudy Giuliani seemingly identified as “co-conspirator number one.” Prosecutors claim Trump also attempted to persuade then-Vice President Mike Pence to reject valid Electoral College votes. Trump faces two counts of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding for allegedly trying to impede Congress from confirming Joe Biden’s victory.

The Fraud Case in New York

In September, Mr. Trump was found to have overstated his net worth and the value of his properties, including Trump Tower and Mar-a-Lago. In February 2024, he was fined nearly $355 million and barred from serving as a director of his own company for three years, with the fine totaling over $454 million after interest. Judge Arthur Engoron also prohibited Trump’s adult sons from managing the family business for two years and ordered them to pay over $4 million each. While a life ban was not imposed, the judgment poses significant challenges for the family’s property empire in the coming years. Trump plans to appeal the ruling, denouncing the judge and the New York Attorney General Laetitia James as corrupt.

The Capitol Issue

Trump faces a felony charge, previously used against Capitol rioters, along with conspiracy against rights, criminalizing joint efforts to impede constitutional or federal rights. His campaign likened the prosecutions to Nazi Germany in the 1930s, vowing they would fail and Trump would be re-elected. Trump pleaded not guilty in federal court in August, while special counsel Jack Smith, branded “deranged” by Trump, aims for a speedy trial over the four counts. Despite potential conviction, Trump asserts he’ll persist in his bid for the presidency.

The Stormy Daniels Case

Donald Trump was convicted on 34 felony charges in his hush money trial and is set to be sentenced on July 11. While the maximum jail term for falsifying business records is four years, legal experts doubt he will receive a custodial sentence. Last year, Trump faced 34 counts of fraud in New York related to hush money paid to Stormy Daniels, with the jury finding him guilty of falsifying records to hide a $130,000 payment. The indictment alleges these payments were made to conceal damaging information from voters before and after the 2016 election.

In 2018, Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, received a three-year prison sentence for tax evasion and campaign finance violations linked to paying off Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels. Trump pleaded not guilty to the 34-count indictment, labeling it a “political witch-hunt” aimed at undermining his candidacy in the Republican Party. Despite Trump’s attempts to delay proceedings, this case marked the first of his criminal trials to go to court.

If you think these are a lot, there are still plenty of charges we haven’t mentioned. But, we would love to hear from you as well. Do you think it is right that Donald Trump was found guilty?

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