Donald Trump was convicted of falsifying business records to influence the 2016 presidential campaign Thursday in a historic trial that saw a former U.S. president face criminal charges for the first time.
A New York jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts, related to a $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The prosecution had alleged Daniels was paid to keep secret a 2006 tryst she had with Trump in order to influence the results of the 2016 election, which Trump ultimately won.
The trial lasted a month and a half and was plenty eventful. In addition to the fiery testimonies of Daniels and Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, Trump was held in contempt of court 10 times and fined $10,000 for violating a gag order against attacking people involved with the trial. Many Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, traveled to New York to speak out in support of the 2024 Republican presidential candidate.
Read Also:JUST IN: Trump found guilty of all 34 counts
Trump, who did not testify in his defense, has yet to be sentenced in the case and is likely to appeal the verdict. The result may have an impact on Trump’s chances to reclaim the White House, however.
Recent Yahoo News/YouGov polling suggested a conviction would hurt Trump in head-to-head polling against President Joe Biden.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the criminal charges against Trump, marked the jury’s guilty verdict in a post on X Thursday afternoon.
“Today, a jury found Donald J. Trump GUILTY on ALL 34 felony counts,” Bragg, whose decision to charge Trump had been second-guessed by some legal analysts, wrote.
Trump calls trial ‘a disgrace’ after verdict read
Speaking from the courthouse after the guilty verdict was announced, Trump said: “This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt.”
“The real verdict is going to be November 5,” he said, referencing the 2024 election.
“I’m a very innocent man,” Trump said, claiming he didn’t get a fair trial.
Moments after the jury’s guilty verdict was read in court, Judge Juan Merchan announced that Trump would be sentenced on July 11 at 10 a.m.
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