On May 30, 2024, Donald John Trump – the 45th President of the United States – was found guilty on all 34 felony counts he faced of falsifying business records. The charges related to hush money paid to women in order to prevent them from presenting stories to media in an effort to influence an election.
The decision of the 12 member jury – 7 men, 5 women – was historic, as it marked the first time in American history that a former president became a convicted felon.
Judge Juan Merchan scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 11, in which he could hit Trump with anything from probation as a first time offender to as much as four years in prison. The July 11 date is four days before the Republican National Convention. Trump is the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination in November, and has already clinched the necessary number of delegates for said nomination.
While the conviction is a landmark moment in U.S. history, there are two things to note. One, Trump’s legal team will likely begin the appeals process, which could take a while to navigate. Two, and most importantly, while Trump is officially a convicted felon, he is still eligible to run for the U.S. Presidency, as the only requirements is that a candidate be a U.S. born citizen, living in the country for at least 14 years, and be 35 years of age prior to the election.
As for Trump being able to vote himself, he is a legal resident of Florida, and not New York from where the conviction occurred.
