US Election: Trump's Criminal Cases
The 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.
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.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
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
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.
