Trump found guilty on all 34 counts in hush-money trial

Former President Donald Trump was found guilty Thursday (May 30) by a Manhattan district court jury on all 34 counts in the so-called hush money charges brought against him by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr.

Trump’s sentencing date is July 11, at 10 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time).  The former president, the first to ever face a criminal trial, faces jail time as a result of the jury verdict. Trump will likely appeal the ruling to delay any sentencing actions.

The charges related to Trump paying $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election to prevent her from going public with her story. The payments were facilitated by Trump’s then-attorney, Michael Cohen, and were disguised illegally as legal expenses versus campaign expenses.

Thursday’s (May 30) verdict came just a few hours after the jurors asked to rehear testimony from Cohen and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker. Pecker testified that he knew he was working with Cohen on behalf of Trump to quash stories about Trump’s affair with a porn star.

Trump said the verdict is part of a rigged system that is part of a “nation in decline.”

“This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be November 5, by the people, and they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here,” Trump said in remarks as he was leaving the courthouse. “We didn’t do a thing wrong. I’m a very innocent man. It’s okay. I’m fighting for our country, I’m fighting for our constitution. Our whole country is being rigged right now. This was done by the Biden Administration in order to wound or hurt an opponent, a political opponent.”

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris issued a joint statement after the jury verdict was announced.

“Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain. But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president,” noted part of the statement.

OTHER LEGAL CASES
The hush-money case is not the only legal jeopardy faced by Trump. He faces federal charges in Florida related to his possession of classified government documents and his attempts to retain the documents.

A Georgia grand jury has indicted Trump and allies in a racketeering case stemming from an alleged scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in that state.

He also faces a civil judgment ruling by the Manhattan Supreme Court requiring him to pay more than $450 million in damages to the state of New York related to business fraud in his real estate dealings with banks.

Trump is also dealing with two civil judgments from federal juries who found him guilty of defamation in a case in which writer E. Jean Carroll accused him of rape. He faces penalties of up to $90 million.