US Election: Trump's Criminal Cases
OVERVIEW: Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has multiple criminal cases ongoing. After being convicted on 34 counts of fraud in a state trial in New York in May 2024, Trump — the first US president ever to be criminally indicted and the first to be convicted of felony crimes �...
Facts
- OVERVIEW: Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has multiple criminal cases ongoing. After being convicted on 34 counts of fraud in a state trial in New York in May 2024, Trump — the first US president ever to be criminally indicted and the first to be convicted of felony crimes — is still facing three more federal criminal cases. An overview of his cases are as follows.[1][2][3]
- NY BUSINESS FRAUD: NY District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump on 34 counts of 'intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime' from February to December 2017. Falsifying records is a misdemeanor, but Bragg made it a felony by charging him with doing so within the context of the 2016 election. The records involve reimbursements for a $130K 'hush money' payment made by Trump's then-attorney Michael Cohen to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Trump was convicted on all counts. Originally set to be sentenced Sept. 18, this was later delayed until Nov. 26, after the election.[4][5][6][7][8][9]
- FEDERAL CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS: In July 2024, a federal judge dismissed this case, arguing that special counsel Jack Smith's office was neither created by Congress nor confirmed by the Senate. Smith filed an appeal in late August. Smith had charged Trump with illegally bringing classified documents with him after leaving office. This followed an FBI search of Trump's home, during which 102 classified documents were seized. Trump's lawyers have argued that the DOJ violated his rights.[4][10][11][12]
- GEORGIA ELECTION INTERFERENCE: Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis charged Trump and former advisors with trying to overturn the 2020 election. Trump is accused of ordering officials to create 'fake electors' and pushing state officials to violate their oaths. The judge has thrown out three of Trump's 13 charges and the case is currently delayed. Georgia's election board also concluded that the state's ballot recount was improperly conducted, but didn't help Biden fraudulently win.[4][13][14][15][16]
- FEDERAL ELECTION INTERFERENCE: Smith filed similar charges to those in Georgia and some related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. Smith alleges that Trump sought to obstruct Congress' election certification and encourage former VP Mike Pence not to certify the results. SCOTUS' July ruling makes presidents 'absolutely immune' from being prosecuted for talks they have with DOJ officials while in office. In August, a grand jury indicted Trump again on these charges, with Smith narrowing the scope.[4][17][18][19]
Sources: [1]Time, [2]Atlantic, [3]Associated Press, [4]Politico, [5]NPR Online News, [6]ABC News (a), [7]Default, [8]Manhattanda, [9]BBC News, [10]Wsj (a), [11]United States Department of Justice, [12]Verity (a), [13]Wsj (b), [14]ABC News (b), [15]The Hill, [16]Atlantanewsfirst, [17]States United Democracy Center, [18]PBS NewsHour and [19]Verity (b).
Narratives
- Democratic narrative, as provided by Huffington Post and Mother Jones. Trump's conviction in the New York business fraud case was a monumental moment, as the courts proved that no one — not even a former president — is above the law. However, Trump's nomination to the top of the Republican presidential ticket, despite the numerous other legal cases against him and his alleged role in the Jan. 6 riots, threatens the justice system and democracy as Americans have come to know it. While the SCOTUS immunity decision granted wide leeway for all presidents, Trump will be particularly dangerous in the aftermath of that ruling.
- Republican narrative, as provided by The American Mind, Daily Wire and PJ Media. Democrats will do anything to win the next election, and they know the only chance they have is if they imprison their biggest rival. But this is a witch hunt — coordinated from the White House down to the weaponized Justice Department and beyond. The authoritarian Biden administration, however, is failing to stop Trump, who remains popular. Trump's conviction only increased his popularity and fundraising haul. Leftist lawfare is backfiring on the Democrats, and Trump will repair the broken justice system once he returns to the presidency.
