Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony charges related to hush money payments. Here are the key points:
- Trump was convicted by a New York jury over $130,000 paid to porn star Stormy Daniels
- He could appeal the conviction, but legal experts say it is unlikely to be overturned
- If the conviction stands, Trump would be a felon even if elected president in 2024
- As president, he could pardon himself for any federal charges but not state cases
- Trump still faces other criminal investigations that could lead to more charges
Could Donald Trump really be elected president while a convicted felon? Experts say it’s possible if his recent conviction survives appeal.
Trump Found Guilty on 34 Felony Counts
On Tuesday, a New York jury found the former president guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The charges were about secret money paid to porn actress Stormy Daniels when Trump was running for president in 2016.
Prosecutors said Trump paid Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about an alleged sexual encounter. They argued Trump then tried to cover up the payments by falsely listing them as legal expenses in business records.
Trump himself did not testify at the trial. His lawyers plan to appeal the guilty verdict.
Could Trump Be President While a Felon?
Legal experts say that if Trump’s conviction is upheld, he would technically still be eligible to run for president and take office as a convicted felon. However, it would be an unprecedented situation.
Brian Klass, a politics professor at University College London, commented:
“It’s extraordinary that Trump remains a potentially viable candidate despite being a felon, being found liable for sexual assault, being banned from doing business in New York, having incited the attack on the Capitol on January 6th, and having tried to overturn a democratic election.”
Federal vs State Charges
As president, Trump could hypothetically pardon himself for any future federal charges brought against him. He could also direct the Justice Department to drop federal investigations.
However, Klass notes “this case, the one with Stormy Daniels, as well as the one in Georgia which is also about his attempts to overturn the election…he can’t do anything about them.”
The Georgia case Klass refers to is a state prosecution investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in that state. Trump has no authority to pardon state crimes or interfere in those investigations.
What About the Classified Documents Case?
Another major legal threat facing Trump is the federal investigation into his mishandling of classified White House documents after leaving office.
Allegedly, Trump took boxes of secret records to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Some contained extremely sensitive information about U.S. nuclear capabilities.
While Trump appointed the judge overseeing this case, Klass says, “It’s difficult to keep all these cases separate” from the New York conviction. If found guilty, Trump would face the same limitations in pardoning himself for a federal conviction.
Impact on the 2024 Election
So, could Trump realistically win the presidency while simultaneously being considered a felon by the justice system? The jury is still out.
Klass believes the conviction will “fire up his die-hard base” of supporters but hurt him with undecided swing voters who tend to be more politically moderate.
Ultimately, the legal battles seem unlikely to discourage Trump’s staunchest backers. But his criminal troubles could sway just enough swing voters in key states to decide the 2024 election.
Only time will tell whether “President Felon” could become a reality. One thing is certain – these unprecedented circumstances are uncharted territory for American democracy.