Donald Trump has been found guilty of using a criminal hush-money scheme to influence the outcome of the 2016 election.

The verdict came after a jury deliberated for less than twelve hours in the unprecedented first criminal trial against a US president. It marks a perilous political moment for Trump, the presumptive nominee for the Republican nomination, whose poll numbers have remained unchanged throughout the trial but could tank at any moment.

    • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Convicted felons can run for office. They just can’t vote in the election.

      I desperately want him to lose Florida by one vote. His own.

    • Delusional@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Yup you just have to go on TV, act like an asshole constantly, and gain a cult like following from the dumbest Americans imaginable.

    • platypus_plumba@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Could someone explain how it’s possible for him to be running for president?

      Like, are there no laws against this? Is the only requirement for the person to have a pulse?

      • VindictiveJudge@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        If felonies prevented people from holding government positions just imagine how many bogus charges would be leveled at the GOP’s enemies just to see if anything stuck. Just look at how Russia throws bogus charges at people to prevent them from running against Putin.

      • SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        The U.S. Constitution states that the president must:

        • Be a natural-born citizen of the United States.
        • Be at least 35 years old.
        • Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years.
        • FanciestPants@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          It’s kind of like the scene “there ain’t no rule a dog can’t play basketball” from Air Bud. The constitution has set minimum qualifications to be president, but didn’t bother with the disqualifications because it would be insane to try to conceive of every possible scenario that would disqualify an individual from seeking the presidency.

      • Subverb@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        There are no laws against it, no.

        In fact he can be president and in prison at the same time, but he won’t get prison time.

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        5 months ago

        The Constitution does not say anything about a criminal record, so, that’s why. But, be real. If all the politicians had their skeletons out on display, literally none of them would be without a criminal record.

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    5 months ago

    I’m sure this will be endlessly delayed by every kind of legal maneuver possible, and I personally don’t expect the sentence to include prison time, but I don’t care. The motherfucker has been found GUILTY ON ALL 34 COUNTS. That’s good enough for me.

    • RedditWanderer@lemmy.world
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      They don’t even have to delay endlessly.

      They just need to say it’s all rigged against him, take the presidency and pardon himself and his cronies.

      His base thinks falsifying records is “smart” and the banks are dumb for falling for it. They still think he’s a stable genius

  • pdxfed@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    I trust the tough on crime Republicans will be appalled and change their vote since they’re so against felons being involved in the democratic process–or are those just the darker-skinned ones it applies to?

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      They think that the woman he cheated on Melania with and the lawyer who facilitated the transaction, along with all of the documented evidence, means that the global conspiracy to keep Trump down is only getting even more sinister.

      Nevermind that he farted himself to sleep during the trial and refused to testify. Those objective facts don’t stand up to the conspiracy theory they’ve created in their echo chamber.

        • BigBenis@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          It’s true, when you’re a compulsive liar and you can’t help yourself from spewing hatred and inciting violence, not testifying in a court of law is definitely the right move.

    • Subverb@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Nah, they’ve been setting the stage for a year that he’s being railroaded by “crooked joe”. He won’t have lost many votes with his convictions. But some…

  • nailingjello@lemmy.zip
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    5 months ago

    From CNN:

    Judge Juan Merchan sets a sentencing hearing for July 11 at 10 a.m. ET

    Seems like a long delay, is that typical in a high profile case like this?

    • Willie@kbin.social
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      They requested the delay to July, since he is in court for another case in another area. I suppose it was reasonable to grant it. It’d be unfair for someone to not get their right to a trial, even if they were found guilty of a crime in another area.

      It’d make more sense to keep him in custody in the meantime though. I mean, that’s what they do for normal people. Right?

  • zabadoh@ani.social
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    5 months ago

    (Trump’s) poll numbers have remained unchanged throughout the trial but could tank at any moment.

    https://www.npr.org/2024/05/30/nx-s1-4974598/trump-verdict-trial-voters-presidential-election

    NPR polling indicates that only a small percentage of Republicans would be affected by a guilty verdict.

    11 % of independents said they’d be less likely to vote for Trump.

    Small amounts of Republicans would be less likely to vote for Trump with a guilty verdict. I believe that I heard 7% on the radio, but I can’t find a news article to back that up.

    • ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works
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      I highly doubt any 2024 Republican, let alone 7%, have any actual reservations whatsoever about casting their vote directly for Trump.

      Like: I think I can safely say 7% of Republican voters are obligate grifters and liars too for its worth.

    • Wiz@midwest.social
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      (Trump’s) poll numbers have remained unchanged throughout the trial but could tank at any moment.

      Bold statement!

    • magnetosphere@fedia.io
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      Vast amounts of bullshit. From every side.

      Edit: are there people out there who don’t think it’ll be a circus? I agree with the verdict 100%, but let’s not kid ourselves. The next few months are going to be ridiculous.

  • mlg@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    This reminds me of that simpsons episode where Sideshow Bob becomes republican mayor via voter fraud.

    Kinda nice to actually see the court and sentencing part happen in real life instead of another dr evil retiring with zero consequences.

    • krashmo@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      So far it’s largely just a historical footnote. Wait until sentencing before you get too excited. I’d wager those consequences you speak of are mostly wishful thinking.

  • Got_Bent@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    I had to Google this to make sure it was real.

    Now is he gonna be like Bannon and ignore sentencing because there are no consequences for doing so?

    • TragicNotCute@lemmy.world
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      I’m sure he’ll attend because he’s unlikely to do time anyway.

      Six legal experts - including defense lawyers and former prosecutors - told Reuters it was rare for people without criminal histories - like Trump - who are charged solely with falsification of business records to be sentenced to prison time in New York, with punishments such as fines being more common.

      But they said such a sentence would not be impossible, and cautioned that it was too early to predict what punishment Trump could face if convicted.

      https://www.reuters.com/legal/trumps-false-records-charges-prison-is-rare-not-unprecedented-2024-05-30/

      • davidagain@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Cohen did time as a first time convict for pretty much the same stuff, only less so, but no, I don’t think Trump will do time.

  • adam_y@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    And yet he’ll still get votes.

    Whilst I’ve been waiting for this day for ages, it gives me no pleasure to realise it means very little.

  • Rhaedas@fedia.io
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    5 months ago

    Another asterisk to add, or at this point one of those other footnote symbols.

    • Lemminary@lemmy.world
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      We’ll run out of numbers and page room at this rate! We’ll need an encyclopedia worth of books just for the footnotes.

  • MyOpinion@lemm.ee
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    5 months ago

    This dude is such a sleazy scum. Well done republicans you have picked a winner.