NEW YORK—A 12-member Manhattan jury on Thursday, May 30, found the 45th President of the United States and presumptive 2024 Republican Presidential candidate, Donald J Trump, 77, guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to “hush money” payments by his former lawyer Michael Cohen to a porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
“The Jury Instructions given by HIGHLY CONFLICTED Judge, Juan Merchan, were UNFAIR, MISLEADING, INACCURATE, AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “They were also VERY CONFUSING (Just what the Judge wanted!), BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CRIME!
“Not only did this HIGHLY CONFLICTED, BIASED Judge, Juan Merchan, prevent me from presenting the fact that I did not take a Tax Deduction on the Legal Expense (which was marked, correctly, as a Legal Expense), the Judge also did not allow my lawyers to get Tax Records from the former attorney, whose name I am not allowed to mention due to the UnConstitutional Gag Order imposed upon me. ELECTION INTERFERENCE! WITCH HUNT!
“MY CIVIL RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TOTALLY VIOLATED WITH THIS HIGHLY POLITICAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND ELECTION INTERFERING WITCH HUNT. OUR FAILING NATION IS BEING LAUGHED AT ALL OVER THE WORLD!”
This is the first instance in U.S. history that a former president is convicted of a felony.
“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,” Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said in a statement regarding Thursday’s verdict. “The threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater. “
Trump’s sentencing date, July 11 at 10 a.m. by Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, is just four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he is expected to be confirmed the party’s official presidential candidate. Trump faces a maximum sentence of 136 years—four years per charge. Being all are a Class E Felony, the least severe felony charge in New York state and with no prior criminal history, it is unlikely Trump would be sentenced to prison.
The 45th President of the United States, Donald J Trump, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment hearing in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday, April 4, after 34 felony counts related to payments made to two women—$130,000 to porn actor Stormy Daniels and $150,000 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
After a five-year investigation first led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s predecessor, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the unsealed indictment at the time alleged, “The defendant DONALD J. TRUMP repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election.”
The charges were announced by New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. The unsealed indictment by the Grand Jury of the County of New York accuses the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, of 34 counts of FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS IN THE FIRST DEGREE, in violation of Penal Law §175.10. The counts are as follows:
- An invoice from Michael Cohen dated February 14, 2017
- A General Ledger (GL) entry related to voucher number 842457
- A General Ledger (GL) entry related to voucher number 842460
- Made and caused a false entry related to check number 000138
- Made and caused a false entry related to an invoice from Michael Cohen dated February 16, 2017 and transmitted on or about March 16, 2017
- A General Ledger (GL) entry related to voucher number 846907
- Made and caused a false entry related to check number 000147
- Made and caused a false entry related to an invoice from Michael Cohen dated April 13, 2017
- A General Ledger (GL) entry related to voucher number 858770
- Made and caused a false entry related to check stub dated June 19, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an invoice from Michael Cohen dated May 22, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 855331
- Made and caused a false entry related to check stub dated May 23, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an invoice from Michael Cohen dated June 16, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 858772
- Made and caused a false entry related to check and check stub dated June 19, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an invoice from Michael Cohen dated July 11, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 861096
- Made and caused a false entry related to a check and check stub dated July 11, 2017, bearing check number 002781
- Made and caused a false entry related to an invoice from Michael Cohen dated August 1, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 863641
- Made and caused a false entry related to check and check stub dated August 1, 2017, bearing check number 002821
- Made and caused a false entry related to an invoice from Michael Cohen dated September 11, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 868174
- Made and caused a false entry related to check and check stub dated September 12, 2017, bearing check number 002908
- Made and caused a false entry related to an invoice from Michael Cohen dated October 18, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 872654
- Made and caused a false entry related to a check and check stub dated October 18, 2017, bearing check number 002944
- Made and caused a false entry related to an invoice from Michael Cohen dated November 20, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 876511
- Made and caused a false entry related to a check and check stub dated November 21, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an invoice from Michael Cohen dated December 1, 2017
- Made and caused a false entry related to an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 877785
- Made and caused a false entry related to a check and check stub dated December 5, 2017, bearing check number 003006
During the trial, Trump exposed the relationship between Justice Merchan, who presided over the case, and the Biden administration. The Daily Mail reported that Merchan’s daughter, Loren, 34, was the former digital director for then-candidate Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign and is now partner and president of Authentic Campaigns, a progressive digital firm, and worked on several high-profile Democratic campaigns – including for President Joe Biden.
“This is where we are as a nation,” Trump said. “Who would’ve thought they can’t beat us at the ballot box, so they try and beat us through the law.”
Trump’s legal team attempted to have the case tossed before it ever gets to trial. The Class E felony charges, which are usually treated as misdemeanors, came almost six years after the payoffs. New York’s statute of limitations are two years for misdemeanor offenses and five years for certain felony offenses.
Jim Walsh, Washington Republican Party Chair:
“Clown show. If there is a conviction, it will likely be overturned on appeal. Higher courts have already rejected instructions like this. This judge doesn’t care about the law. He just wants a media headline.”
Shasti Conrad, Washington Democratic Party Chair:
“Today’s verdict out of New York affirms what the Washington State Democratic Party has been saying for more than eight years – Convicted Felon Donald Trump is wholly unfit to lead our nation. His conviction today by a jury of his peers demonstrates the lengths Convicted Felon Trump will go to and the laws he will break to get what he wants – another four years of power at the expense of hard-working Americans. The Washington State Democratic Party will never stop fighting for a more perfect union, which is why we will continue to resist Donald Trump’s campaign of lies, grift, and autocratic desires with every fiber of our being every minute of every day until the election is over and we have prevented the end of democracy…again.”
Bob Ferguson, Democratic candidate for governor:
“Laws matter in this country. Dave Reichert’s candidate for president just got convicted of 34 felonies. I’m running for Governor to uphold the law. America must not elect a convicted felon for president.“
Semi Bird, Republican candidate for governor:
“The endless attacks against President Trump, both civil and criminal, have been targeted and specific to one purpose and one purpose only. To remove him from the presidential race.”
Thursday’s verdict came at 5:05 p.m. EST after just under 10 hours over two days of deliberation by the jury.
Both Cohen and Daniels testified that the money was to prevent her from selling to media outlets her story of having sex with Trump one time in 2006. Daniels implied that the sex was a power imbalance and claimed that Trump “was bigger and blocking the way.”
However, earlier in May of 2024, political pundit Bill Maher, played video clip from a 2018 interview between him and Daniels where she said multiple times her sexual encounter with Trump was consensual.
“You say it’s not a MeToo case,” Maher pressed Daniels at the time.
“It’s not a MeToo case,” Daniels replied. “I wasn’t assaulted. I wasn’t attacked, or raped, or coerced or blackmailed.”
“They tried to shove me in the MeToo box to further their own agenda. And first of all, I didn’t want to be part of that because it’s not the truth and I’m not a victim in that regard.”
Cohen during his testimony stated that he wired $130,000 to adult film star Daniels days before the 2016 election to silence her about an affair with Trump.
“Just do it,” Cohen said Trump allegedly told him, instructing him to figure out the best way of paying off Daniels.
Trump legal team is expected to appeal the verdict which can take up to a year, at least. If Trump were to win the presidency, his Presidential pardon powers only extend to federal crimes, not state charges. The conviction on May 30 in Manhattan are state-level charges meaning if Trump were reelected, he would be unable to overturn this conviction. However, New York state Governor Kathy Hochul could grant a pardon.
Trump still faces charges in three other cases:
- Allegations that Trump instructed the Georgia Secretary of State to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.
- Trump’s alleged plot to subvert the transfer of power after the 2020 presidential election
- Classified document case in Florida
The three cases do not appear likely to go to trial before the November General Election.
Real Clear Politics 2024 Presidential Polling Data
According to the latest Real Clear Politics aggregate 2024 Republican Presidential polling data from several pollsters as of May 29, the 45th President of the United States President Donald J Trump is leading the nearest challenger, Joe Biden, by 1.8 points. Currently, Trump leads with 41.2%, Biden with 39.4%, Kennedy with 10.4%, Jil Stien with 1.8%, and Cornel West with 1.8%.
Donald J Trump Presser: “I WILL NEVER SURRENDER”
🚨#Breakingnews: Donald J Trump presser on May 31 at Trump Tower after guilty verdict of falsifying business records related to “hush money” payments by former lawyer Michael Cohen to a porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of 2016 presidential election.https://t.co/LAn47kJUIG
— Lynnwood Times (@LynnwoodTimes) May 31, 2024
EDTOR’S NOTE: Article updated at 8:43 a.m., May 31, 2024, to include Donald J Trump’s Friday presser at Trump Tower.
Author: Mario Lotmore
