Former President Donald Trump has found himself facing 91 felony counts under two federal districts and two state courts, and the following will be a simplification of the six most significant cases.
New York Civil Suit
The first case, a civil suit against Trump, was filed in the fall of 2022 by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who alleged that Trump had been fraudulently reporting the value of properties to raise his net worth. After the trial from October 2023 to January 2024, it was ruled that Trump committed fraud by Justice Arthur Engoron, who had ordered the former president and his companies to initially pay $354.9 million, excluding the fees from the other following cases. Due to interest, that amount has now grown to $478 million as of Thursday, September 26, When a New York appeals court (a court that investigates whether the lower courts have correctly applied the law) revised Trump’s verdict on his attorney’s claim that it was unconstitutional. In addition, the attorneys claim that no bank lost money due to Trump’s supposed fraud. Even so, the New York attorney general’s office argues that there is “overwhelming evidence” that Trump has lied about the value of his properties. Ultimately, no ruling was decided or is expected before the election.
Defamation and Battery Case
In 2019, writer E. Jean Carroll published an excerpt of her book in New York Magazine, in which she accused Donald Trump of assaulting her in the 1990s. Trump denied these allegations by saying she was “not my type.” Shortly after, Carroll sued Trump for defamation and battery, claiming that he had negatively affected her reputation as a trusted source in the media and was responsible for his supporters attacking her social media accounts. A jury ultimately concluded that Trump had assaulted and defamed the writer in May 2023 and awarded Carroll $5 million. In addition, a second defamation suit resulted in Trump having to pay $83.3 million in damages. It’s essential to add that the former president stands firm in his testimony that Carroll’s claim that he assaulted her is false. In a video deposition (a recorded oral testimony of a witness or party before trial) of Trump, he is seen calling Carroll a “whack job,” and he also threatened to sue her during the second defamation trial. Trump is appealing both suits.
Manhattan Hush Money Case
Another case in New York was the one Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg made against Donald Trump. Bragg alleges that the former president filed the improperly recorded money used to pay Stormy Daniels, who previously claimed that she had an affair with Trump and was paid to keep quiet about it as the 2016 election approached, as a business expense. While hush money payments are not Illegal, Trump has committed a crime by falsifying business records. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer who paid off Daniels on behalf of Trump, has since pleaded guilty to violating federal campaign finance law. Donald Trump, on the other hand, denies ever committing any crime and has named the case a conspiracy to hurt his current election. He was convicted in May of 34 counts of falsification of business records, a felony in New York. The case was scheduled to be sentenced (the official decision of the judge on what punishments or penalties the defendant will face) on September 18. However, Justice Juan Merchan has delayed sentencing until November 26, allowing Trump the opportunity to continue with his election campaign.
Classified Documents Case
In November 2022, a special counsel from the Department of Justice, Jack Smith, indicted the former president with almost 40 felonies that detail how, when Trump left office, he stored secret federal documents on different properties that he then refused to return. Smith also claims that Trump put the safety and security of the nation at risk by showing unauthorized persons those classified documents. The charges include willful retention of national security information, obstruction of justice, and withholding of documents. The trial was initially scheduled for May 20th, 2024, but on July 15, Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case becauseSmith was unconstitutionally appointed as special counsel. However, the possibility of a guilty verdict was always questionable due to Judge Cannon, who has been shown to favor Trump in the past. Smith has appealed to a federal court to resume the case, saying in his request form that the judge “deviated” from legal precedent.
2020 Election Conspiracy
In addition, the Capitol Hill siege of January 6, 2021, by Trump supporters that left five people deceased was revealed to have been spurred on by Trump, who at his rally encouraged his supporters to protest at the US Capitol. Despite Trump tweeting to his supporters about how they should “remain peaceful,” he did not tell them to go home. In addition, Trump and his allies used propaganda techniques to undermine the 2020 election, all in an attempt to overthrow it. Trump was indicted by the federal grand jury that was investigating the siege with charges such as conspiracy to defraud the United States, witness tampering, conspiracy against the rights of citizens and, attempts to obstruct an official proceeding. The case was supposed to be on trial in March, but it was then put on hold on the issue of Trump claiming presidential immunity. Special counsel Smith is also involved with this case and has made efforts to move forward towards an official trial despite the Supreme Court ruling that grants former presidents immunity from prosecution.
Georgia Election Interference
Closely connected is an indictment by Trump accusing him of conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia, a case brought to Fulton County by District Attorney Fani Willis. The indictment states that the former president and his allies have violated Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act or RICO. While solid evidence, such as the call in which Trump asked the Georgia Secretary of State to “find” the votes he needed to win, the judge overseeing the case still dismissed some of the charges. Willis has also received scrutiny and attempts to remove her from the prosecution have increased after it was revealed that she had engaged in a romantic relationship with a colleague. While some defendants have pleaded not guilty,it is incredibly challenging for the prosecution to continue with the case. Thus, a ruling cannot be expected before the election in November.
