Explaining The Trump Conviction: Kangaroo Court?
Let’s face it, the former President is no stranger to legal drama. But this latest conviction has left many of us puzzled, wondering, “What exactly did he do to be convicted, and what exactly did he get convicted of?”
Grab a covfefe and let’s break it down, shall we?
The CliffsNotes Version
Here are the basics: On May 30th, 2024, a New York jury found Donald J. Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Sounds pretty dry and boring, right?
Well, not so fast. This all stems from the infamous Stormy Daniels hush money saga back in 2016. Essentially, prosecutors argued that Trump cooked the books to cover up hush payments to Daniels and prevent her from blabbing about their alleged affair before the 2016 election.
In typical Trump fashion, what began as a sensational tabloid story has escalated into a full-blown criminal case. It’s a classic example of life imitating art — or at least reality TV.
Peeling Back the Layers
But why 34 counts, you ask? Good question. Each falsified document or record (checks, invoices, etc.) used to cover up the payment was considered a separate crime.
The prosecution really wanted to hammer home just how extensive this alleged coverup scheme was. No half-measures, they were out for blood, or at the very least a questionable conviction.
Before we dive too deep into the legal details, let’s address the elephant in the room: Was Trump actually convicted of paying off Stormy? Nope! Shocking, right?
The charges focused specifically on his alleged efforts to conceal and misrepresent those hush money payments in official business records. So no lurid details required…this time.
A Felony Is a Felony, Right?
Here’s where things get a bit mind-boggling. In New York, falsifying business records is generally considered a misdemeanor offense. No big deal, slap on the wrist, etc.
But — and it’s a big but — it becomes a felony if those false records were created to cover up a separate, underlying crime. In Trump’s case, prosecutors argued the records were falsified to conceal violations of federal campaign finance laws regarding the Stormy Daniels payment. Many legal experts consider this a stretch at best and misapplying the law at worst.
So what seemed like a dry, white-collar crime all of a sudden took on much heavier implications. Basically, the jury believed Trump’s paperwork trail wasn’t just sloppy bookkeeping, but part of a calculated effort to mislead voters about his conduct as a candidate.
That’s a spicy meatball, even for someone with Trump’s high tolerance for legal proceedings.
But Does It Really Matter?
In the grand scheme of Trump’s numerous legal challenges — almost as many as his iconic properties — how significant is this specific conviction? According to experts, not very significant at all… at least not directly..
It’s certainly an historic, even iconic moment — the first time a former president has been criminally convicted. But in terms of actual consequences, this could be little more than a blip unless Trump receives real jail time at sentencing in July. Which experts agree is highly unlikely.
Even then, there’s no rule barring felons from running for or serving as president. And Trump’s wealth insulates him from many of the fallouts a felony conviction carries with it.
So, will this stop the Trump train? Probably not. But it does add another layer of chaos and controversy to his already turbulent campaign. Then again, maybe that’s just how he likes it. Further, the conviction appears to have galvanized his base as evidenced by the spike in donations his camp received following the conviction.
At this point, we probably shouldn’t be surprised by anything. But at least we can say we witnessed a truly historic American moment…for better or worse.
According to many legal analysts, this was clearly a politically driven prosecution. If that’s the case, it could be remembered as one of the worst political miscalculations of modern times. What do you think? Did the Democrats just hand over the election on a silver platter?
