What happens now that a convicted felon has won the presidency? What does the GOP look like going forward?
- Thread starter geechiedan
- Start date
What happens if a convicted felon – like Trump – wins the presidency?
Earlier this year, Donald Trump made history by becoming the first former president ever convicted of a crime.
Now, as he is on the verge of securing a second term in the White House having swept two key swing states, he appears poised to make history again: by becoming the first convicted felon elected to the nation’s highest office.
On May 30, Trump was convicted in New York of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in order to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the days before the 2016 election, in order to silence her about an alleged sexual encounter one decade earlier.
Judge Juan Merchan has since delayed his sentencing until after the November 5 election but could hand down jail time to Trump – potentially paving the way for an unprecedented situation where the president of the US is running the country from a prison cell.
As it stands, there are four scenarios that could play out:
1. Trump could win the election and then be sentenced to prison by Judge Merchan on November 26.
2. He could win the election but be spared jail at his sentencing.
3. He could lose the election and be jailed.
4. He could lose the election but be given a lesser sentence.
So what happens if Trump wins the election and then gets jail time?
In the US Constitution, there are no restrictions barring a convicted felon from seeking or winning elected office, even if that ultimately means becoming president and running the country from prison.
But the Constitution also offers no explanation for what should happen in that scenario.
As a highly litigious individual, Trump is likely to appeal whatever sentence Judge Merchan hands down.
But, he would not be able to use the powers of the presidency to pardon himself – and in turn spare himself from prison – because the New York case involves state charges.
“The state and federal systems in the United States are completely separate,” Steve Duffy, a jury consultant at Trial Behavior Consulting, told The Independent prior to the hush money trial verdict earlier this year.
“The only person who could pardon him would be the governor of New York – who is exceedingly unlikely to do that,” Duffy added.
Assuming Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul does not take such a step, a legal brawl is likely to break out to determine whether there is a way for the commander-in-chief to wriggle out of serving time.
The feud could end up all the way at the Supreme Court – a nine-justice court consisting of three Trump appointees.
If, after exhausting all legal avenues, Trump still finds himself unable to avoid jail, it could pave the way for calls for his third impeachment or for attempts to remove him from office via the 25th Amendment.
Should that fail and he really does find himself serving as president of the US from a jail cell, Trump would quickly find that there are many duties and trappings of the role he would simply not be able to fulfil while incarcerated.
The viewing of classified materials would create an obvious national security conflict.
And traveling abroad to meet fellow world leaders at summits or on diplomatic missions would obviously also be out of bounds.
Earlier this year, Donald Trump made history by becoming the first former president ever convicted of a crime.
Now, as he is on the verge of securing a second term in the White House having swept two key swing states, he appears poised to make history again: by becoming the first convicted felon elected to the nation’s highest office.
On May 30, Trump was convicted in New York of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in order to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the days before the 2016 election, in order to silence her about an alleged sexual encounter one decade earlier.
Judge Juan Merchan has since delayed his sentencing until after the November 5 election but could hand down jail time to Trump – potentially paving the way for an unprecedented situation where the president of the US is running the country from a prison cell.
As it stands, there are four scenarios that could play out:
1. Trump could win the election and then be sentenced to prison by Judge Merchan on November 26.
2. He could win the election but be spared jail at his sentencing.
3. He could lose the election and be jailed.
4. He could lose the election but be given a lesser sentence.
So what happens if Trump wins the election and then gets jail time?
In the US Constitution, there are no restrictions barring a convicted felon from seeking or winning elected office, even if that ultimately means becoming president and running the country from prison.
But the Constitution also offers no explanation for what should happen in that scenario.
As a highly litigious individual, Trump is likely to appeal whatever sentence Judge Merchan hands down.
But, he would not be able to use the powers of the presidency to pardon himself – and in turn spare himself from prison – because the New York case involves state charges.
“The state and federal systems in the United States are completely separate,” Steve Duffy, a jury consultant at Trial Behavior Consulting, told The Independent prior to the hush money trial verdict earlier this year.
“The only person who could pardon him would be the governor of New York – who is exceedingly unlikely to do that,” Duffy added.
Assuming Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul does not take such a step, a legal brawl is likely to break out to determine whether there is a way for the commander-in-chief to wriggle out of serving time.
The feud could end up all the way at the Supreme Court – a nine-justice court consisting of three Trump appointees.
If, after exhausting all legal avenues, Trump still finds himself unable to avoid jail, it could pave the way for calls for his third impeachment or for attempts to remove him from office via the 25th Amendment.
Should that fail and he really does find himself serving as president of the US from a jail cell, Trump would quickly find that there are many duties and trappings of the role he would simply not be able to fulfil while incarcerated.
The viewing of classified materials would create an obvious national security conflict.
And traveling abroad to meet fellow world leaders at summits or on diplomatic missions would obviously also be out of bounds.
Why'd yall hand the presidency over to Trump?? Yall could have just given black people reparations and this wouldn't have happened.
See.. Oh well y'all don't care . Y'all can happily get back to
SKEEEEWEEEEEEEEEEEEE
See.. Oh well y'all don't care . Y'all can happily get back to
SKEEEEWEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Ah, I'm sorry I must have missed something.....Why'd yall hand the presidency over to Trump?? Yall could have just given black people reparations and this wouldn't have happened.
See.. Oh well y'all don't care . Y'all can happily get back to
SKEEEEWEEEEEEEEEEEEE
When then they ever not have it again?
You wanted trump to win to prove a point.... demand reparations from him...the reps control all three branches...four if you count SCOTUS....so bring the reparations demand to him.Why'd yall hand the presidency over to Trump?? Yall could have just given black people reparations and this wouldn't have happened.
See.. Oh well y'all don't care . Y'all can happily get back to
SKEEEEWEEEEEEEEEEEEE
organizing and building as one and not giving our vote to a party until they give us what we want.
you werent winning anything anyway unless you are gay. thats what makes this whole thing comical for those in your feelings. life is going to be same regardless. they cant bullshit with us anymore.
How do you get reparations and specialized black policy out of the trump admin?
you build your own community until its viable enough to demand anything it wants. we need power. we dont have leverage with repubs because they can win without us so we need even more power or a third party
Sooo you rooted for trump to win to teach the Dems a lesson in taking the black vote for granted...and I admit they had it coming.. but if republicans can win without you and you won't allow the democrats back to show and prove they learned their lesson..and a 3rd party is never going to be mainstream viable...
How exactly does the black agenda move forward? In our lifetime?
Name the 4 branches
Can you explain how Trump will aid in that?
He doesn't see a world where black people aren't begging for crumbs from politicians to improve their lives
The executive
The legislative (my bad I was thinking of the house and Senate separately)
The judicial
My point still stands tho..
When it comes to Trump, define crazy? People forgive EVERYTHING he does including instigating a riot at the Capitol.
I meant like changing the rules so that he can run again.
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who said he will?
why is your mind automatically want a handout to improve our lives? no white man will do for us unless we have leverage. my goodness
I didnt root for anyone but the lesson needed to be learned.
We'll see if the dems learned from this.
we move forward by building together,investing each other, and when we have leverage,we can make demands.
you seem like you just want a side to give what you what you want. that's not going to happen
That leverage was proven to the democrats...all you have to do now is hope trump doesn't rewire shit on a constitutional level so that all those demands are achievable by the time Dems get back in office to play out the leverage .
Patiently waiting for Eva Longeria to come out and tell us how her people were solely responsible for saving the country this go around.
YEP!
Even if he doesn't you are going to face that out of control cockgobbler vance trying for 2 elections.