Editor's Pick | Donald Trump convicted in hush money trial

Donald Trump became the first former American President to be convicted of felony crimes on Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. Mr. Trump sat stone-faced while the verdict was read as cheering from the street below could be heard in the hallway on the courthouse’s 15th floor where the decision was revealed after more than nine hours of deliberations. “This was a rigged, disgraceful trial,” an angry Mr. Trump told reporters after leaving the courtroom. “The real verdict is going to be November 5 by the people. They know what happened, and everyone knows what happened here.” Judge Juan Merchan set sentencing for July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee is expected to formally make him their nominee. Can Mr. Trump contest the elections? According to an editorial in The Hindu, the New York conviction does not bar Mr. Trump from continuing his run as a presidential candidate, and it is possible that even if he is sentenced to time in prison, he could govern the country from behind bars. “The more troubling question relates to the polarising effect his legal travails might have on the public discourse,” it pointed out. Mr. Trump is expected to quickly appeal the verdict and will face an awkward dynamic as he returns to the campaign trail with felony convictions. There are no campaign rallies on the calendar for now, though he’s expected to hold fundraisers next week. The falsifying business records charges carry up to four years behind bars, though Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg would not say on Thursday if prosecutors intend to seek imprisonment, and it is not clear whether the judge — who earlier in the trial warned of jail time for gag order violations — would impose that punishment even if asked. Mr. Trump faces three other felony indictments, but the New York case may be the only one to reach a conclusion before the November election, adding to the significance of the outcome. The verdict is likely to give President Joe Biden and fellow Democrats space to sharpen arguments that Mr. Trump is unfit for office, though for now the White House has offered only a muted statement saying that it respected the rule of law. Republicans showed no sign of loosening their embrace of the party leader, with House Speaker Mike Johnson releasing a statement lamenting what he called “a shameful day in American history.” He called the case “a purely political exercise, not a legal one.” The first criminal trial of a former American President always presented a unique test of the court system, not only because of Mr. Trump’s prominence but also because of his relentless verbal attacks on the foundation of the case and its participants. What next? Judge Merchan must first approve the verdict and enter a final judgment, though this is typically a formality. The Hindu’s Editorials Presidential felony: On the Trump verdict Splash back: On test flights of private rockets, the prospects The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Name the Pune hospital at the centre of a storm around the May 19 Pune car crash that killed two people. Shri Patil General Hospital Sassoon General Hospital Jehangir Hospital Deccan Hospital To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 01 June 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 01 June 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Donald Trump convicted in hush money trial [Donald Trump became the first former American President to be convicted of felony crimes]( on Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. Mr. Trump sat stone-faced while the verdict was read as cheering from the street below could be heard in the hallway on the courthouse’s 15th floor where the decision was revealed after more than nine hours of deliberations. “This was a rigged, disgraceful trial,” an angry Mr. Trump told reporters after leaving the courtroom. “The real verdict is going to be November 5 by the people. They know what happened, and everyone knows what happened here.” Judge Juan Merchan set sentencing for July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee is expected to formally make him their nominee. Can Mr. Trump contest the elections? According to an editorial in The Hindu, the New York conviction does not bar Mr. Trump from continuing his run as a presidential candidate, and it is possible that even if he is sentenced to time in prison, he could govern the country from behind bars. “The more troubling question relates to the polarising effect his legal travails might have on the public discourse,” it pointed out. Mr. Trump is expected to quickly appeal the verdict and will face an awkward dynamic as he returns to the campaign trail with felony convictions. There are no campaign rallies on the calendar for now, though he’s expected to hold fundraisers next week. The falsifying business records charges carry up to four years behind bars, though Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg would not say on Thursday if prosecutors intend to seek imprisonment, and it is not clear whether the judge — who earlier in the trial warned of jail time for gag order violations — would impose that punishment even if asked. Mr. Trump faces three other felony indictments, but the New York case may be the only one to reach a conclusion before the November election, adding to the significance of the outcome. The verdict is likely to give President Joe Biden and fellow Democrats space to sharpen arguments that Mr. Trump is unfit for office, though for now the White House has offered only a muted statement saying that it respected the rule of law. Republicans showed no sign of loosening their embrace of the party leader, with House Speaker Mike Johnson releasing a statement lamenting what he called “a shameful day in American history.” He called the case “a purely political exercise, not a legal one.” The first criminal trial of a former American President always presented a unique test of the court system, not only because of Mr. Trump’s prominence but also because of his relentless verbal attacks on the foundation of the case and its participants. [What next?]( Judge Merchan must first approve the verdict and enter a final judgment, though this is typically a formality. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Presidential felony: On the Trump verdict]( [Arrow][Splash back: On test flights of private rockets, the prospects]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Name the Pune hospital at the centre of a storm around the May 19 Pune car crash that killed two people. - Shri Patil General Hospital - Sassoon General Hospital - Jehangir Hospital - Deccan Hospital To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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