Former and possibly future president of the United States Donald Trump numerous charges have been brought against him. They are aimed equally at the activities of his presidency as well as at his private life and activities as a businessman.
In this article, we will go through the main charges against him.
Some of the criminal suspicions of the presidency are under investigation at the federal level, others at the state level. This is a significant difference. If Trump is re-elected president, he can in principle order his attorney general to drop federal investigations into him.
However, the president’s powers do not extend to state judicial institutions, he says news channel CNN.
Trump’s tactics in the trials are delay them by all means so that he would be elected president before the judgments. of the United States the Ministry of Justice’s line has beenthat a sitting president cannot be convicted of crimes.
The Supreme Court of the United States has broad powers to decide cases. It is likely that cases originating from his activities during the presidency will end up in the Supreme Court, regardless of the decisions of the lower courts.
Trump has denied all the accusations and says they are a manhunt by his political opponents.
Trump’s presidential campaign and his popularity seem to be unaffected by the charges. For his supporters, the charges are just further proof that he is the victim of a political manhunt. According to surveys however, for some Republicans, a criminal conviction would be a reason not to vote for him.
1. Federal prosecution for attempting to change the outcome of an election
What is it about?
After the 2020 presidential election, Trump refused to accept his defeat. On January 6, 2021, Trump supporters violently stormed the congressional building in an attempt to block the transition ceremony.
Federal prosecutors say Trump made false allegations of election fraud, tried to get the wrong people to be state electors and pressured the vice president Mike Pence to suspend the announcement of the election results.
Several charges have been brought against Trump for attempting to obstruct the administration.
What can happen to Trump?
The charges are very serious and can result in a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Trump’s defense has argued that he had presidential immunity from criminal charges. The existence of immunity from prosecution is now being considered at a lower court level, and the matter will proceed to the Supreme Court.
The special prosecutor leading the trial Jack Smith has asked the courts for quick decisions on the existence of immunity from prosecution, as it would completely change the former president’s legal status.
2. Federal prosecution for illegal possession of classified documents
What is it about?
At the beginning of 2021, it became public that Trump kept boxes of classified documents at his apartment in Florida’s Mar-a-Lago. A charge of illegal possession of state secrets has been brought against him.
In addition, Trump is suspected of trying to block representatives of the administration in order to get them back. His assistant had tried to destroy surveillance camera footage.
Trump says that as a former president he had the right to keep the documents in his possession.
What can happen to Trump?
Unauthorized possession of state secrets can result in a prison sentence of up to ten years. Each conviction carries a separate prison term, and Trump has been charged with more than 30.
The legislation regarding the aggregation of sentences is very complex, so it is difficult to say in advance what the punishment would be if he were convicted.
3. Indictment by the state of Georgia for attempting to alter the outcome of the election
What is it about?
Trump has been indicted in the state of Georgia for trying to change the election result.
Prosecutors have used Georgia’s lax criminal code, which provides broad powers to prosecute organized crime.
Trump is accused, among other things, of trying to replace the electors elected in the state of Georgia with his own Republican electors. His has also become known his call to Georgia’s top official, where he demanded to “find the votes” he would use to win the election.
Trump’s problem is also that three of his former lawyers have already promised to testify in court.
What can happen to Trump?
The charges are heavy. Violation of the organized crime law alone is punishable by a prison sentence of 5 to 20 years.
4. New York state prosecution for embezzling payments to adult entertainment stars
What is it about?
Donald Trump has had extramarital affairs with adult entertainment stars in the early 2000s by Stormy Daniels and by Karen McDougal with. Trump’s lawyer at the time Michael Cohen arranged for the women to pay $130,000 to $150,000 to not disclose the relationships.
Trump’s company paid the costs to Cohen, marking them as legal fees and bonuses.
A total of 34 charges have been brought against Trump for falsifying company records.
What can happen to Trump?
If prosecutors can prove that the forgery was done to cover up another crime, the penalty could be up to four years in prison.
Prosecutors have not specified what crimes were possibly covered up. However, it appears from court documents that it could be election campaign finance laws or tax fraud.
5. New York State Lawsuit for Inflating Trump Companies’ Assets
What is it about?
The state of New York accuses Trump’s business group, the Trump Organization, of inflated assets. Its purpose, according to the indictment, was to make the company appear more solvent than it actually was, so that it received low-cost loans from banks and low-cost insurance from insurance companies. According to the prosecutor’s estimate, the value of the Trump Organization was artificially increased by $3.6 billion.
The judge presiding over the trial Arthur Engoron has already stated in its preliminary decision that Trump is guilty of fraud. Trump has appealed the decision.
Under New York law, the judge decides the case himself, and there is no jury involved in the trial. If Trump loses the case, he will complain about it.
According to Trump, it is a plot by Democratic judges to disrupt his presidential candidacy.
What are the consequences for Trump?
New York State is seeking $370 million in damages from the Trump Organization.
Trump may also be banned from doing business in New York state. He might even have to give up the Trump Tower skyscraper.
His sons are also indicted Donald Jr. and Eric.
6. Compensation amount for a victim of sexual harassment
What is it about?
A federal court this week began hearings to decide how much Trump must compensate the journalist To E. Jean Carroll defamation and loss of income.
Trump was already found guilty of sexually abusing Carroll in 1996 in the trial that ended last year. Trump had to pay five million dollars in damages.
However, Trump has continued to accuse Carroll of being a liar. Carroll considers this defamatory. He also says he lost a lot of income.
What are the consequences for Trump?
The court’s task is only to determine how Trump compensates Carroll for his actions.
Carroll is demanding at least ten million dollars in damages and in addition a large fine for Trump.
More information about court cases from news agency AP in the composition.
What do you think about Trump’s numerous lawsuits?