UPDATE #2: Gov. Jared Polis responds:
No one is above the law. Coloradans have faith in our justice system and the guilty convictions from a jury of his peers show the former President lacks the moral capacity to lead our country.
Rep. Diana DeGette:
The wheels of justice turn slowly, but they do turn. No one is above the law, and today’s ruling is a step towards ensuring that no American can exploit our legal system for personal gain. I commend the jurors for doing their civic duty as well as Judge Merchan for diligently overseeing this trial and ensuring it was a fair, equitable, and smooth process.
—–
UPDATE: As The New York Times reports:
Donald J. Trump has been convicted of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal that threatened his ascent to the White House in 2016, part of a scheme that prosecutors described as a fraud on the American people. He is the first American president to be declared a felon, a stain he will carry as he seeks to regain the presidency. [Pols emphasis]
Mr. Trump was convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records by a jury of 12 New Yorkers, who deliberated over two days to reach a decision in a case rife with descriptions of secret deals, tabloid scandal and an Oval Office pact with echoes of Watergate. The former president sat largely expressionless, a glum look on his face, after the jury issued its verdict.
The jury found that Mr. Trump had faked records to conceal the purpose of money given to his onetime fixer, Michael D. Cohen. The false records disguised the payments as ordinary legal expenses when in truth, Mr. Trump was reimbursing Mr. Cohen for a $130,000 hush-money deal the fixer struck with the porn star Stormy Daniels to silence her account of a sexual liaison with Mr. Trump.
Sentencing was scheduled for July 11. The felony conviction calls for a sentence of up to four years behind bars, but Mr. Trump may never see the inside of a prison cell. He could receive probation when he is sentenced, and he is certain to appeal the verdict — meaning it may be years before the case is resolved. Still, the jury’s decision is an indelible moment in America’s history, concluding the only one of four criminal cases against Mr. Trump that was likely to go to trial before Election Day.
We will update as more information becomes available, but make no mistake: This is a BIG FUCKING DEAL.
It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Stay tuned.
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GUILTY !!!
DETAILS to come.
On all counts!
But Gary Hart had a blonde sitting on his lap…
Who'd have thunk a porn star would save our country? Paging Franklin Graham…..
Paging Lindsey Graham …..
Maybe someone might offer to conduct a welfare check on our basement dweller?
Oops. Wrong God. I meant the other one. My bad.
Well, who ya gonna believe, a bleached blond with saggy tits or Stormy Daniels?
Seems like a good time for this one.
And even WITH any appeals delaying consequences. WAPO explains the next step
That's nice. I like people who weren't tried and convicted.
It's good to see our country working as intended.
So now Trump says the courts are rigged too. Not surprising, sadly. So Trump says he loves America but says our voting system is rigged, the courts are rigged, the executive branch is corrupt, Congress is inept and that at least half the country is demonic, hateful Liberals who he can't stand. He says cities are rampant with crime and no one can do anyone about it.
I'd really love for him to have to answer a softball question of "What is it you actually love about America?". The catch would be that he isn't allowed to contradict himself within the past year. I'm not sure it's possible.
Upcoming calendars will need to shoehorn in an event between the first debate and the Republican National Convention
June 27, 2024 — the first time two men who have held the Oval Office meet in a televised presidential debate
Jul 15-18, 2024 –- Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
I'm guessing MAGAworld will wear this as a badge of honor. But what about the GOP which wants to win elections?
Who's this, now?
I am pleasantly surprised! Maybe they can schedule sentencing for the week of the RNC in July.
It's set for July 11, four days ahead of the Republican convention.
In the ultimate irony, convicted felons in Florida can't vote.
If you're not a qualified elector i.e. a felon who can't vote, then I wonder if your ballot access is affected?!
But Trump isn't convicted in Florida. He's convicted in New York. And that opens up the wrinkle in Florida’s law.
Naturally, in the world of competing campaigns
Just minutes after the verdict was announced, the Trump campaign sent out a fund-raising email in which Trump said, in all capital letters, “I am a political prisoner!”
Biden campaign on Trump verdict: 'No one is above the law'
The campaign also stressed that it still needs voters to stop Trump at the ballot box and recognize that, for better or worse, Trump will be the GOP nominee.
Oh he is going to haul in a shitload of $$$$ over the next 24 hours.
Reporting that #WinRed crashed from all the MAGA logging on to give Orange Jesus their kids lunch money.
Jonathan Turley was on Fox telling people – and given his audience, this was laughable – that regardless of the outcome, people need to respect the process and respect the jury!
Altogether now: THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!
He also speculates that there will be an attempt to go directly to the US Supreme Court with a request for an emergency stay arguing federal constitutional issues, yadda yadda yadda.
Hmmm, is Johathan Turley gonna be a man without a network?
From a NYT/Sienna College poll last winter: "Nearly a quarter of Trump’s own supporters said he shouldn’t be the nominee if he’s convicted of a crime, according to a New York Times/Sienna College poll published in December. A clear majority of Americans, 57 percent, said they would not vote for Trump if he’s convicted of a felony in a September Reuters/Ipsos poll — including just under a third of Republicans."
But the NYT today? "For Trump, 'Guilty' May Not Matter."
Worried about declining interest in election coverage much?
"From a NYT/Sienna College poll last winter: "Nearly a quarter of Trump’s own supporters said he shouldn’t be the nominee if he’s convicted of a crime"
That was then, this is now.
I expect his approval rating to stay about where it is but those approving of him will do so with greater intensity.
Biden's numbers, unfortunately, will stay where they are both in approval and (lack of) intensity.
Don't mistake lack of intensity with lack of commitment. This is Biden's last campaign. He is a good man who isn't going to lose to this jerk. Biden brought the country through the pandemic. He helped restart the economy. He showed that Congress can get things done when they are in control. He isn't losing to this stooge. Maybe not a lot of drama around him every day but he is ready to win again. Losers usually don't fare as well the second time around.
I agree with what you're saying, GG. My question is when does the Biden campaign plan to start stressing all the good stuff Biden has done, and is doing. Nobody's perfect; for him, it's the border and the Afghanistan withdrawal, even though Trump is not blameless on either issue. But when will they talk about the good stuff instead of just "how bad Trump is."
The Biden campaign is ramping up. The most recent campaign appearance had Biden & Harris in Philadelphia. Full text (as prepared) of Biden is here.
The accomplishments mentioned by Biden
And there are another dozen or so items in the list of promises made and kept.
Only when he's done there does he shift problems with Trump. And there are more comparisons in that section showing Biden taking on and doing what Trump said would be done.
His conclusion refers back to accomplishments and points to a need for people to give him a chance to do more.
"My question is when does the Biden campaign plan to…"
Nothing until July. Enjoy Pride. Live a good life SMILE! Let Republicans get angry and pick extremist candidates in their primaries.
Yep👍
I'm certain there will be LOTS of polls in the next week or so, trying to suss out the impact of a guilty verdict.
Given there will be an appeal, there will be a sentencing hearing on July 11, and there will be multiple people weighing in on the details of the trial and verdict (especially if one or more of the jurors has something to say), trying to use a survey of opinions NOW to understand the impact on a vote in October or November won't provide much clarity.
Trump as role model: one of my clients at the halfway house remarked, "See? a convicted felon can become president!"
Only in America!
Dave Williams tried to grift off Trump’s guilty verdict- but they smacked him down.
From Alex Isenstadt of Politico:
Pols- please use your formidable photoshopping skills to make Dave Williams into the Grinch who Stole Christmas.
Grifters gotta grift! But the larger message to prospective members of the Trump Stooge Party is that wading into the cesspool that perpetually surrounds Trump might not be the wisest career move. He’s already attracting mostly D-list talent.
Trump may one day share the fate of someone like Robert Vesco, the con man who went from stealing hundreds of millions of dollars, to getting fleeced by those that offered him refuge for a price, until he wound up penniless and in prison. Karma is a bitch.
Rep. (and now, historian & foreign affairs commentator) Lauren "Bim" Boebert :
As others who have read headlines may recall, there hasn't been a request to authorize a war for a generation or two.
And that MANY countries have former leaders who have been found guilty in their courts and rarely even a peep from the US President. Time Magazine provides a partial list, Alphabetical, from Argentina to Thailand.
Axios has a map: