Donald Trump Convicted: What It Means For His 2024 Presidential Bid

The grand jury in New York found Donald Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records.

New York: Donald Trump on Thursday became the first former US president to be convicted of a felony as a grand jury in New York found him guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records. The Biden Harris Campaign said no one is above the law while Trump said the verdict is a result of a rigged political system.

Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he will be formally nominated as the party’s presidential candidate against incumbent Joe Biden in the November elections.

“This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt. It's a rigged trial, a disgrace. They wouldn't give us a venue change. We were at 5 per cent or 6 per cent in this district, in this area. This was a rigged, disgraceful trial,” said Trump shortly after the verdict was read.

As the verdict reverberates across political circles, one of the most pressing inquiries emerges: Can a convicted felon run for president? The answer, unequivocally, is yes.

According to CNN report, the US Constitution sets three prerequisites for presidential candidates: natural-born citizenship, being at least 35 years old, and having at least 14 years of US residency—all of which Trump meets. Although the 14th Amendment restricts individuals involved in insurrection, invoking this requires a special act of Congress, which is unlikely in the current political climate.

Judge Juan Merchan has slated Trump's sentencing for July 11, strategically coinciding with the Republican National Convention's commencement in Milwaukee, just four days later. Speculation looms over the possibility of a prison sentence for Trump, despite the likelihood of a non-incarceration outcome for most Class E felony convictions in New York, according to CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig.

Notably, Trump's status as a former president entitles him to lifetime Secret Service protection, ensuring security regardless of his legal predicament.
However, the prospect of a presidential campaign from a prison cell is not unprecedented.

Eugene Debs, the socialist leader, mounted a presidential bid from a federal prison in Atlanta during his 10-year sentence for sedition in 1920.
While Trump's eligibility to run for president remains intact, questions regarding his voting rights post-conviction linger. State regulations dictate felons' voting privileges, with Vermont and Maine permitting voting from prison.

Trump's residency in Florida introduces additional complexities, as the state's referendum to re-enfranchise convicted felons in 2018 was accompanied by stipulations mandating the payment of fines and fees associated with sentences.

Neil Volz, deputy director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, predicts minimal obstacles for Trump's voting rights restoration, given Florida's deference to felony conviction jurisdiction.

Despite the state's ongoing efforts to streamline eligibility confirmation for formerly incarcerated individuals, confusion persists regarding fee requirements, hindering many from exercising their right to vote, CNN reported.