From Brookings:
For the first time in the nation’s history, a sitting U.S. president has been convicted by a criminal court prior to being elected. While presidents have been impeached—essentially charged with a crime under the Constitution’s provisions for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors—none had faced a criminal conviction before taking office. But when a majority of voters elected Donald J. Trump to the highest office in the land on Nov. 5, 2024, he was a convicted felon.
His May 30, 2024, conviction stemmed from a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star who testified that she and Trump had sex and that he paid her for her silence. He was then elected to a second term. This raises profound questions: What does a felony conviction mean today? Does a conviction matter anymore?
In my book, “Convicted & Condemned: The Politics and Policies of Prisoner Reentry,” I document America’s long political, legal, social, and racial history of using felony convictions to exclude and marginalize people from public and private resources. When a non-presidential candidate is convicted of a felony, the consequences are significant—carrying real-world implications for individuals, families, and entire communities. Continue reading >>>
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