By Aaron Miller-
Former President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in a criminal hush-money scheme designed to influence the outcome of the 2016 election.
The verdict, reached by a New York jury after less than 12 hours of deliberation, marks a historic and perilous moment for Trump, who remains the presumptive nominee for the Republican presidential candidacy in 2024.
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The charges stem from allegations that Trump falsified business records to hide reimbursements made to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who paid adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep her affair with Trump quiet. The payments were falsely recorded as legal expenses, prosecutors argued, in an effort to conceal a violation of New York state election law, which prohibits the use of unlawful means to promote a candidate’s election.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office presented a compelling case, calling 20 witnesses over four weeks. Testimonies revealed how Trump, along with Cohen and tabloid mogul David Pecker, orchestrated a scheme to bury accounts of affairs with Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. This effort intensified after the release of the infamous Access Hollywood tape, in which Trump was caught bragging about sexual assault.
Michael Cohen, the prosecution’s star witness, recounted how he secured a home equity loan to pay Daniels through a shell company, believing Trump would reimburse him. He testified that Trump approved all actions related to the payment and that the scheme aimed to prevent the story from damaging Trump’s chances in the 2016 election.
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Trump’s reaction to the verdict was vehement, denouncing the trial as “rigged” and labelling the judge as “corrupt.” Despite the conviction, Trump’s poll numbers have remained steady, although this legal blow could impact his political future.
President Joe Biden’s campaign quickly responded, emphasizing the importance of the rule of law. “In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law,” wrote Michael Tyler, Biden’s communications director. He highlighted that despite the verdict, the only way to prevent Trump from returning to the Oval Office is through the ballot box.
The crux of the case revolved around the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, which prosecutors argued constituted an illegal campaign contribution made to benefit Trump’s campaign. Testimonies revealed that Trump feared losing female voter support if the affair story broke alongside the Access Hollywood tape scandal.
Cohen’s testimony detailed how he invoiced Trump for bogus legal services to cover the reimbursement for the hush money.
Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11 at 10 am ET. The guilty verdict in this case sets a significant legal precedent, being the first criminal conviction of a U.S. president, current or former.
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