Former President Donald Trump Found Guilty

 I am copying and pasting Heather Cox Richardson's blog for today:

"After slightly less than ten hours of deliberation, a jury today found former president Donald J. Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in order to unlawfully influence the 2016 election.

For the first time in our history, a former president of the United States is a convicted felon.

For the first time in our history, a former president of the United States has been convicted of committing crimes to steal an election. 

Republican senators could have convicted Trump of high crimes and misdemeanors in 2019. In that year, the House impeached Trump after he tried to rig the 2020 presidential election by withholding congressionally appropriated funds to support Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s 2014 invasion. He withheld the funds to try to force Ukraine president Volodomyr Zelensky to manufacture dirt on Democrat Joe Biden.

Republican senators could have convicted Trump, but they acquitted him.

Republican senators could have convicted Trump of high crimes and misdemeanors in 2021. In that year, the House impeached him after he tried to seize the presidency by instigating an attack on the U.S. Capitol and trying to rig the count of the electoral vote after Americans had elected Democrat Joe Biden. 

Republican senators could have convicted Trump, but they acquitted him.

Today, twelve ordinary Americans did what Republican senators refused to do. They protected the rule of law and held Trump accountable for his attempt to rig an election." 

From the NYT Editorial Board this morning:  "In a humble courtroom in Lower Manhattan on Thursday, a former president and current Republican standard-bearer was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The jury’s decision, and the facts presented at the trial, offer yet another reminder — perhaps the starkest to date — of the many reasons Donald Trump is unfit for office.

The guilty verdict in the former president’s hush-money case was reached by a unanimous jury of 12 randomly selected New Yorkers, who found that Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, was guilty of falsifying business records to prevent voters from learning about a sexual encounter that he believed would have been politically damaging."

One more quote from Jeff Monroe on the 12Blog:  "What have we learned? Will this change anything? I wish it would but doubt it. Will Trump learn? Change? Don’t be ridiculous. The man’s narcissism prevents him from admitting error and he is incapable of remorse."

My thoughts and reactions:  I am amazed and happy with this verdict. I had thought it would be a hung jury--that at least one person would find it difficult to convict a man who seems to have so much power--bullying power--over others.  Jim thought they would convict but not on all 34 counts.  So now we wait for Trump's appeals--and sentencing in July.  He can still be elected president in November--even if it is from prison.  But he can't pardon himself from this state sentencing at least. 

I had prayed for this jury and am thankful they could come to a decision so quickly.  I will continue to pray for our country and good leaders.  I have prayed for Donald J. Trump that he can have a change of heart and stop insulting others and inciting violence. I am hoping that someone like Goldwater will come forward as he did when he told Nixon to resign.  We need  Republican leaders who will say this is enough and we need a better candidate to run in November.