Prominent Republican figures are rallying behind former president and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump after last week’s guilty verdict in New York. Trump has been found guilty on all 34 felony counts in his criminal hush money trial. It was the first time a former U.S. president was ever tried or convicted in a criminal case, and it was the first of Trump’s four indictments to reach trial. Several surveys conducted after the guilty verdict show mixed results, as it remains uncertain if the conviction will be beneficial for Trump or have negative consequences.
Raising money
Trump’s campaign raised lots of money as soon as the conviction was announced. The next day, the Trump campaign raised more than $52 million. This trend continued in the coming days, boosting Trump’s finances significantly. Meanwhile, several conservative megadonors announced they would back the presumptive Republican candidate financially, helping him even more to catch up with the Biden campaign, which has been leading the fundraising race for months. Regardless of the guilty verdict and sentence, Trump can run for president. Even if he receives a prison sentence, he remains eligible to challenge Biden in November. However, Republicans want to avoid such a scenario at all costs.
Republicans backing Trump
Senate Republicans sent warning to Judge Juan Merchan of New York against imposing a prison or house arrest sentence on former President Trump, or taking any measures that might hinder his ability to campaign as the probable Republican nominee for the upcoming November election. Trump’s process of appealing his conviction on 34 felony charges, all linked to the falsification of business records, is expected to be lengthy. Legal experts believe that the U.S. Supreme Court, which tends to be conservative, is unlikely to step in on his behalf.
The decision on Trump’s punishment is largely in the hands of Judge Merchan. He has a range of options at his disposal, from prison and house arrest to probation and community service. Merchan has been praised by legal authorities for his meticulous approach to managing this case. He is scheduled to deliver Trump’s sentence on July 11, just four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Prison sentence is possible, but unlikely
Republican senators recognize that, according to legal experts, it would be quite rare for Trump to get a prison sentence for a class E felony, and he would probably stay free while appealing to higher state courts. However, they are uneasy because Judge Merchan has significant control over the sentencing conditions, and they believe he biased the trial against Trump’s team.
Republican Senators send warning to Judge Merchan
Republican senators caution that any sentence limiting Trump’s movement or his ability to interact with voters might damage public trust in the fairness of the 2024 election. Senator John Cornyn from Texas, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, stated that jailing Trump or confining him to his home would constitute a “further abuse of power.”
“I’m very troubled by what I see in the way the courts have been weaponized,” he said. “It used to be there were some institutions in America, namely the FBI, the Department of Justice and the courts, which were regarded as out of bounds for overt partisan politics, but unfortunately that’s changed, and not for the better.”
Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) said it would be “foolish” for the judge to sentence Trump to jail or House arrest.
“But when you see the conviction and the rules that he instructed the jury with, it’s completely unfair, it’s unconstitutional, and I would put nothing past him at this point,” he said of Merchan.
Budd said a tough sentence “would only strengthen the resolve of the Americans to support President Trump.”
Trump calls on the Supreme Court to save him
On Sunday, former President Trump appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court for intervention following his conviction on all charges in his New York criminal trial. The Supreme Court can only step in if an aspect of the appeal involves constitutional or federal law issues, which currently seems unlikely.
“A Radical Left Soros backed D.A., who ran on a platform of ‘I will get Trump,’ reporting to an ‘Acting’ Local Judge, appointed by the Democrats, who is HIGHLY CONFLICTED, will make a decision which will determine the future of our Nation?” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “The United States Supreme Court MUST DECIDE!”
