No other former US president has been indicted in criminal cases. Donald Trump is in the middle of four such cases, and he has already been found guilty in one of them.
In May, a court in New York found Trump guilty of falsifying documents and violating the Accounting Act in connection with the payment of so-called hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.
The penalty is up to four years in prison, and sentencing has been announced on 26 November.
Serious
Trump is also charged in three other and far more serious cases. One case concerns Trump’s alleged attempt to get election officials to overturn the results of the 2020 Georgia state election.
One case concerns Trump’s attempt to reject the election results that year, as well as the speech he gave before supporters stormed the congressional building on January 6, 2021.
Trump is also charged with violating the US Espionage Act after large amounts of classified documents were found at his home in Florida after he had moved out of the White House.
Trump denies criminal guilt in all the cases and claims that they are the result of political persecution on the part of the Democrats.
Will fire special investigator
In an interview in October, Trump made it clear that he will immediately fire special investigator Jack Smith after his inauguration. He leads the investigation into the cases concerning the Georgia election and the classified documents.
The Supreme Court has decided that the case surrounding the storming of the Congress building must be reviewed again, as US presidents have extensive immunity when it comes to actions committed in the course of their office.
– The American people have listened to the Democrats’ prosecutors and the cases they have filed against Donald Trump, but they are going to elect him anyway, Mike Davis said before the election results were clear. Davis is the founder of the conservative Article III Project.
Not the same control
Although Trump as president can fire Smith and put an end to the federal criminal cases, he does not have the same control over the bribery case in New York and the criminal case in Georgia.
However, no one believes that these cases will have legal consequences for him as long as he is US president.
– He was properly prosecuted for crimes according to the system we have, says Kristy Parker of the organization Protect Democracy.
If Trump makes sure that the cases are dropped, that does not mean that it was wrong to bring charges, she believes.
Asking for a new postponement
Trump’s lawyers will now probably ask that the sentencing in the bribery case in New York be postponed once again.
The United States has never before seen a president-elect receive a prison sentence before his inauguration, and legal experts expect another delay after Trump moves into the White House.
The sentencing was originally supposed to take place on 11 July, but has been postponed twice. Trump’s lawyers and the prosecutor’s office are arguing about whether Trump’s breach of the Accounting Act occurred in the course of office, which in that case opens the door for immunity.
Trump has made it clear that he will appeal the sentence, regardless of the sentence. His lawyers are also trying to get the case transferred to a federal appeals court, which could see it take another turn.
Trump is also charged with spreading false allegations of fraud during the 2020 election, and that case is being heard in federal court in Washington.
Legal tug of war
Smith has also taken out federal charges in the case of the classified documents, as well as Trump’s attempt to hide them when he had the FBI at his door in Florida.
Aileen Cannon, who was appointed as Florida attorney general by Trump, dismissed this case in July, arguing that Smith did not have the mandate to pursue it. The special investigator has appealed the ruling, and the legal tug-of-war continues.
Prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia, last year indicted Trump on charges of violating the Organized Crime Act in connection with his alleged attempt to pressure election officials to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.
Trump cannot put a stop to this case, which is being brought at the state level, but his lawyers have made it clear that they will ask for it to be put on hold for as long as Trump is president.
Hearing in December
Trump and 14 co-defendants in the case, including his former lawyer Rudy Giuliani and former chief of staff Mark Meadows, have asked a Georgia appeals court to fire the prosecutor in the case, Attorney General Fani Willis.
Willis has acknowledged that she had a relationship with Assistant Solicitor Nathan Wade, who has now resigned. A hearing in the appeal case is scheduled for 5 December.
Legal experts believe that this case will also be put on hold while Trump is president, even if the appeal is not accepted.
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**Interview about Donald Trump’s Legal Challenges**
**Editor:** Good day, and welcome to our special segment discussing the unprecedented legal challenges faced by former President Donald Trump. Joining us is legal expert, Dr. Sarah Thompson, who has been closely following these cases. Sarah, thank you for being here.
**Sarah Thompson:** Thank you for having me.
**Editor:** Let’s start with the recent developments. In May, Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records related to hush money payments. What does this mean for the legal landscape surrounding him?
**Sarah Thompson:** This is indeed a significant event. Trump’s conviction on 34 counts marks a historic moment as no former US president has faced criminal charges before. The sentencing scheduled for November 26 could potentially lead to a prison sentence of up to four years, which would be unprecedented for a president.
**Editor:** Beyond this hush money case, there are three other serious criminal cases pending against him. Can you briefly explain the nature of these cases?
**Sarah Thompson:** Certainly. The first involves alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. The second relates to Trump’s actions surrounding the January 6th Capitol riot, including a speech he delivered before the events. Lastly, he faces charges under the Espionage Act for allegedly mishandling classified documents post-presidency. Each of these cases holds substantial legal implications.
**Editor:** Trump has consistently called these indictments politically motivated. How is the public and legal experts responding to his claims?
**Sarah Thompson:** Public sentiment is quite polarized. Supporters view these charges as political persecution, while critics argue that the legal system must hold everyone accountable, regardless of their status. Legal experts, like Kristy Parker from Protect Democracy, emphasize that just because he claims political motivation, it does not negate the validity of the charges.
**Editor:** Speaking of political implications, Trump has stated he would fire special investigator Jack Smith if re-elected. What implications could that have?
**Sarah Thompson:** That’s a complex situation. While he could dismiss federal prosecutors, he has limited control over the cases in New York and Georgia. However, if he were to be re-elected, it could certainly complicate or delay the legal proceedings, especially if his administration seeks to intervene in ongoing investigations.
**Editor:** There’s talk about potentially postponing the sentencing in the New York bribery case again. How common are such delays?
**Sarah Thompson:** Delays are not unusual in high-profile cases, particularly those involving significant legal questions like executive immunity. Trump’s legal team has previously sought extensions, and with the current political climate, we may see this happen again.
**Editor:** With so many moving parts, what can we expect in terms of the timeline for these cases?
**Sarah Thompson:** It’s hard to predict, given the complexities involved, but as Trump navigates his political ambitions and these legal issues, we can expect a prolonged legal process. It’s likely there will be several more delays and appeals, particularly if he secures the presidency again.
**Editor:** Sarah, thank you for your insights on this intricate situation. It’s clear that we’re witnessing historic and potentially paradigm-shifting legal battles.
**Sarah Thompson:** Thank you for having me; it’s a crucial moment for American democracy and the rule of law.
**Editor:** And thank you to our viewers. We’ll continue to monitor these developments closely and bring you the latest updates.