Donald Trump found guilty in "hush money" criminal trial | Special Report

CBS News
30 May 202471:07

Summary

TLDRIn a historic first, former US President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records, related to hush money payments made during the 2016 election. The unanimous verdict by a jury of 12 comes with potential sentences of up to 4 years for each count, though the final sentencing decision, including the possibility of jail time, probation, or fines, will be determined by a judge on July 11th. This landmark conviction, although not preventing Trump from running for office, adds a new dimension to the upcoming presidential race and the Republican National Convention.

Takeaways

  • 📢 Former President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, marking the first criminal conviction of a former U.S. president.
  • 🚨 The charges are related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election, which prosecutors argue were an attempt to conceal damaging information from the public.
  • 👥 Each of the 34 felony counts carries a potential sentence of up to 4 years in prison and a $5,000 fine, but the final sentencing is at the discretion of the judge.
  • 🏢 The trial took place in the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse and was presided over by Judge Merchan, with the jury deliberating for approximately 10 hours over two days.
  • 🤔 The jury's swift verdict has been interpreted by some legal experts as a sign that may indicate a conviction, as it typically takes longer for juries to agree on an acquittal.
  • 🎯 Key evidence focused on a 2015 meeting involving David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer, and Michael Cohen, who was a crucial witness for the prosecution.
  • 🗳️ The prosecution argued that the payments to Stormy Daniels were not merely 'hush money' but part of a scheme to interfere with the 2016 election by mislabeling payments as legal expenses.
  • 👮‍♂️ Security around the courthouse was heightened, with police officers and helicopters on standby as the verdict was announced.
  • 🗣️ Trump's demeanor during the trial was described as tense, with him sitting with his arms crossed, pouting, and staring at the judge.
  • 🕰️ Sentencing is scheduled for July 11th, just four days before the Republican National Convention, adding a significant layer of complexity to the political landscape.

Q & A

  • What is the significance of the verdict in the trial of former President Donald Trump?

    -The verdict is significant as it marks the first time in U.S. history that a former president has been found guilty in a criminal trial. Donald Trump was convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records.

  • What were the charges against Donald Trump?

    -Donald Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. These charges are related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels and are considered as part of a scheme to conceal damaging information from the public during the 2016 presidential election.

  • What is the potential sentence for each of the 34 felony counts against Donald Trump?

    -Each of the 34 felony counts carries a potential sentence of up to 4 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

  • Is prison time certain for Donald Trump if convicted?

    -Prison time is not certain. The decision will be up to the judge during the sentencing phase.

  • What was the role of Michael Cohen in this case?

    -Michael Cohen, a former fixer for Donald Trump, was a crucial witness for the prosecution. He was involved in the payments to Stormy Daniels and testified about a key 2015 meeting that the jury was particularly interested in.

  • What was the 'catch and kill scheme' mentioned in the trial?

    -The 'catch and kill scheme' refers to an alleged strategy to bury scandalous stories about Trump before the 2016 election. This was part of the prosecution's argument that the payments to Stormy Daniels were not just hush money but were made to interfere with the election.

  • How did the jury's deliberation process unfold?

    -The jury deliberated for approximately 10 hours over two days. They requested rereads of certain testimonies and clarification on the law, indicating careful consideration of the evidence and legal standards.

  • What is the impact of this verdict on the upcoming presidential election?

    -The verdict could have significant implications for the presidential election. It may energize Trump's supporters or potentially sway undecided voters. However, the exact impact is uncertain and will likely depend on subsequent legal developments and political reactions.

  • What are the possible grounds for appeal that Donald Trump's legal team might use?

    -The grounds for appeal could include questions about the jury instructions, the statute under which the case was brought, and potential due process issues. The defense might argue that the case should never have been brought or that there were errors in the legal process.

  • How did Donald Trump and his team respond to the verdict?

    -Donald Trump and his team responded to the verdict by calling it a 'rigged trial' and 'disgrace.' They plan to appeal the decision and have signaled that they will use this as a political weapon against President Biden and the justice system.

  • What is the role of the Supreme Court in this case?

    -The Supreme Court is not directly involved in this case, as it is a state-level prosecution. However, the court has issued rulings in other state cases and could potentially be involved if the case were to be appealed through the state appeals process and then to the Supreme Court for a decision on whether to hear the case.

Outlines

00:00

📣 Breaking News: Trump Found Guilty in Unprecedented Criminal Trial

In a historic first, former President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a case related to hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The trial, presided over by Judge Merchan in the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, has concluded with a unanimous verdict from the jury after 10 hours of deliberation. The charges stem from payments made to conceal damaging information during the 2016 presidential election. Each felony count carries a potential sentence of up to 4 years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The sentencing is set for July 11th, just days before the Republican National Convention. The verdict has significant implications for Trump's political future and the upcoming presidential campaign against President Joe Biden.

05:03

🏛️ Legal and Political Implications of Trump's Conviction

The conviction of Donald Trump marks a turning point in American legal and political history. The swift verdict by the jury, after only 10 hours of deliberation, suggests a strong case presented by the prosecution. Legal experts, including former Manhattan assistant district attorney Rebecca Royi and criminal defense attorney Caroline Pelosi, weigh in on the potential outcomes, with the judge having discretion over the sentencing. Trump's conviction could lead to jail time, probation, or fines. The case has been portrayed by Trump and his supporters as politically motivated, and the verdict is expected to energize his base. The impact on the Republican Party and the presidential campaign is yet to be seen, with some predicting a burst of energy for Trump's campaign if acquitted, and a convulsive reaction if convicted.

10:04

🗝️ The Role of the 2015 Trump Tower Meeting in the Verdict

A pivotal moment in the case was the 2015 Trump Tower meeting involving David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer, and Michael Cohen, who acted as a fixer for Trump. The jury requested re-reads of this testimony, which is considered central to the prosecution's argument that Trump was involved in a 'catch and kill' scheme to bury scandalous stories before the 2016 election. This meeting is seen as the origin of a conspiracy to violate election law through unlawful means, thus elevating what was initially a misdemeanor to a felony crime. The verdict's swiftness indicates that the jury found the evidence and testimony compelling, leading to a guilty verdict on all counts.

15:06

🚨 Trump's Reaction and the Road to Sentencing

Following the verdict, Donald Trump expressed his anger and disappointment, calling the trial 'rigged' and 'disgraceful.' He claimed that the trial was politically motivated by the Biden Administration and vowed to fight the conviction. Trump's sentencing is set for July 11th, a date that falls just before the Republican National Convention. The outcome of the sentencing could have significant ramifications for Trump's eligibility to run for office and his political future. The conviction and the upcoming sentencing have heightened tensions and are expected to be a major point of contention in the political landscape leading up to the November elections.

20:07

🎖️ The Justice System's Victory and Trump's Appeal Plans

The conviction of a former president is a significant moment for the American justice system, demonstrating its ability to hold even the highest office holders accountable. Legal experts, including former Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance, praised the work of the assistant district attorneys and the jury for their handling of the case. Trump's team is planning to appeal the decision, with the process potentially reaching the Supreme Court. The appeals process is expected to be lengthy and could continue beyond the November elections. Trump's conviction and the subsequent legal battles are likely to remain a major political issue, influencing the presidential campaign and the country's perception of institutional norms.

25:09

🗳️ The Impact on the Presidential Election and Trump's Campaign Strategy

The verdict's impact on the upcoming presidential election is a key focus. While Trump's conviction does not prevent him from running for office, it introduces new dynamics into the political campaign. Trump's campaign is expected to center on grievance, using the conviction as a rallying point for his base. The Republican Party, including key figures like House Speaker Mike Johnson, has shown support for Trump, indicating that they will continue to back him despite the conviction. The sentencing date's proximity to the Republican National Convention adds an extra layer of complexity to the political landscape. The Biden campaign, meanwhile, is expected to maintain a focus on issues such as the economy, abortion rights, and corporate greed, while also addressing the verdict's implications for democracy.

30:10

🛡️ The Potential Sentence and Its Political and Legal Consequences

The wide-ranging implications of the potential sentence for Trump are discussed, with experts suggesting that while jail time is a possibility, it may not be the most likely outcome. The judge has significant discretion in sentencing, which could include probation, fines, or home confinement. The decision is expected to consider Trump's age, status as a first-time offender, and the nature of the offenses. The sentencing could have profound effects on the presidential campaign, with Trump potentially campaigning as a convicted felon. The verdict and sentencing also raise constitutional and legal questions about the ability of a president to pardon themselves for state crimes, which Trump cannot do in this case.

35:11

🏢 The Business and Legal Fallout for Trump and His Organization

The trial and its outcome have broader implications beyond the political sphere, affecting Trump's business dealings and the legal standing of his organization. The conviction could lead to increased scrutiny and potential legal repercussions for the Trump Organization, which was implicated in the falsification of business records. The trial has highlighted the organization's involvement in the payments to Stormy Daniels and the subsequent cover-up, which may have long-term effects on its reputation and operations.

40:13

🌐 Public Reaction and the Polarized Views on Trump's Conviction

The public reaction to Trump's conviction is deeply polarized, reflecting the nation's divided political climate. Some view the verdict as a validation of the justice system and a sign of accountability, while others see it as a politically motivated attack on Trump. The reaction is likely to be influenced by pre-existing opinions on Trump and his presidency, with supporters rallying behind him and opponents finding solace in the verdict. The polarization is expected to intensify in the aftermath of the sentencing and as the presidential campaign progresses.

45:14

🏛️ The Supreme Court's Role in Trump's Legal Battles

The Supreme Court's potential involvement in Trump's legal challenges is discussed, with the court currently considering two cases involving Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election. The court is expected to decide on whether Trump has absolute immunity from prosecution for these actions. A decision from the Supreme Court could further impact Trump's legal situation and the political narrative surrounding his presidency and the upcoming election.

50:16

🎉 The Republican National Convention and Trump's Future as the GOP Nominee

The Republican National Convention looms as a critical event in the political calendar, with Trump's sentencing scheduled just days before its commencement. The convention will determine the GOP's presidential nominee, and Trump's conviction could influence the party's strategy and messaging. Despite the conviction, Trump remains the presumptive Republican nominee, with the party largely standing behind him. The convention is expected to be a contentious event, with Trump's legal troubles and the upcoming election at the forefront of discussions.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Criminal Trial

A criminal trial is a legal proceeding in which a person accused of committing a crime is tried in a court of law. In the video, the former president Donald Trump is undergoing a criminal trial for the first time in U.S. history, facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. This trial is significant as it marks the first time a former U.S. president has faced such charges.

💡Donald Trump

Donald Trump is the 45th president of the United States who is facing 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records. The video centers around his unprecedented trial and the implications of the jury's verdict, which could potentially lead to prison time or affect his political career.

💡Falsifying Business Records

Falsifying business records involves altering, fabricating, or misrepresenting financial documents to conceal illegal activities or mislead stakeholders. In Trump's case, these charges are tied to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, which were allegedly recorded as legal expenses to hide damaging information during the 2016 presidential election.

💡Hush Money Payments

Hush money payments are sums of money given to individuals to ensure their silence about certain information. The payments in question were made to Stormy Daniels, allegedly to prevent her from disclosing an affair with Trump before the 2016 election. This concept is central to the charges against Trump, as prosecutors argue it was part of an attempt to influence the election.

💡Stormy Daniels

Stormy Daniels is an adult film star who received hush money payments from Donald Trump. Her involvement is crucial to the case as these payments are at the heart of the falsifying business records charges. The payments were allegedly made to prevent her from speaking out about an affair with Trump, which prosecutors claim was intended to protect his presidential campaign.

💡Jury Deliberation

Jury deliberation is the process by which a jury discusses the evidence and arguments presented in a trial to reach a verdict. In this case, the jury spent 10 hours over two days deliberating before finding Trump guilty on all counts. The speed and outcome of their deliberation are notable, suggesting a strong case presented by the prosecution.

💡Guilty Verdict

A guilty verdict is a decision by a jury that the defendant is responsible for the crime they were charged with. Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records, a historic and unprecedented event for a former U.S. president. This verdict has significant legal and political implications.

💡Political Implications

Political implications refer to the effects that legal decisions or events can have on the political landscape. Trump's guilty verdict could affect his ability to campaign for the 2024 presidential election, influence voter opinions, and impact the Republican Party's strategy. The video discusses the potential reactions and consequences within the political arena.

💡Sentencing

Sentencing is the judicial determination of a punishment for a convicted person. In Trump's case, the judge has discretion over whether he will face prison time, probation, or fines. The video mentions that Trump's sentencing is scheduled for July 11th, just days before the Republican National Convention, adding to the event's significance.

💡Appeal

An appeal is a legal process in which a convicted person seeks a higher court's review of their case, aiming to overturn the verdict or reduce the sentence. Trump's team plans to appeal the guilty verdict, arguing various legal points. This process could extend the legal battle and maintain his claims of being unfairly targeted.

Highlights

Donald Trump found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records, marking the first criminal conviction of a former U.S. president.

The charges are related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election.

Prosecutors argued that the payments were part of a scheme to conceal damaging information from the voting public.

Each felony count carries a potential sentence of up to 4 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

The jury deliberated for approximately 10 hours over two days before reaching a unanimous verdict.

The trial focused on a 2015 meeting between David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer, and Michael Cohen, a key witness for the prosecution.

Jurors requested rereads of testimony and clarification on the legal definition of 'infer' and the weight of Michael Cohen's testimony as an accomplice.

Legal experts suggest that a swift verdict is typically a positive sign for the prosecution.

The verdict comes during a presidential campaign where Trump is the Republican nominee.

Trump's defense team is planning to appeal the decision and mount a grievance war across the country.

Trump's conviction could influence the upcoming Republican National Convention and the presidential election.

Former President Trump has been accused of violating a gag order 10 times during the trial.

Trump's sentencing is scheduled for July 11th, just 4 days before the Republican National Convention.

President Biden released a statement emphasizing that no one is above the law and that the American people will have the final say in November.

Trump claimed the trial was rigged and politically motivated by the Biden Administration.

Legal analysts and former prosecutors discuss potential outcomes, including the possibility of probation or fines instead of jail time.

The White House and Biden's campaign are expected to maintain a modest reaction, focusing on issues like the economy and abortion rights.

The conviction's impact on public opinion and the upcoming elections remains uncertain.

Transcripts

00:10

this is a CBS News special report I'm

00:12

Nora odonnell in Washington and we are

00:14

coming on the air with breaking news

00:16

from the first criminal trial of a

00:17

former president in the US that is

00:19

Donald Trump we have just learned that

00:22

the verdict is in after sitting silently

00:25

through 22 Witnesses over 16 days of

00:28

testimony the juror's verdict would ever

00:30

it is will be unprecedented just to

00:32

remind everybody Donald Trump is charged

00:34

with 34 felony counts of falsifying

00:38

business records all tied to those hush

00:40

money payments made to adult film star

00:43

Stormy Daniels prosecutors claim that

00:46

the payments were part of an elaborate

00:47

scheme to quote conceal crimes that hid

00:50

damaging information from the voting

00:52

public during the 2016 presidential

00:55

election now what about these felonies

00:57

well each felony carries a potential

00:59

Cent s of up to 4 years in prison and a

01:03

$5,000 fine now if Donald Trump is

01:07

convicted prison time is not certain

01:09

that will be up to the judge during the

01:12

sentencing let's go right now to Chief

01:14

election campaign correspondent Robert

01:16

Costa who has been inside the courthouse

01:18

today and Robert what do we

01:21

know good to be with you Nora it is an

01:24

unreal scene here outside the Manhattan

01:27

Criminal Courthouse you can hear the

01:28

helicopters above police officers

01:31

everywhere bracing for this verdict to

01:33

be revealed by the jury which has been

01:35

deliberating all day based on our

01:38

reporting at CBS News the jury has

01:40

zeroed in on documents and testimony

01:43

about a key 2015 meeting between David

01:46

pecker the former publisher of the

01:48

national inquire and longtime fixer

01:50

Michael Cohen who was a crucial witness

01:52

for the prosecution the jury is wanting

01:54

to go over this testimony to figure out

01:57

was Trump directly involved in the

02:00

called catch and kill scheme to bury

02:02

scandalous stories about Trump before

02:04

the 2016 election we also know the jury

02:07

wants to know more about that underlying

02:09

crime the prosecution has been arguing

02:11

about for the past 7 weeks that this

02:13

wasn't just about so-called hush money

02:15

payments made to adult film star Stormy

02:17

Daniels it was about something bigger

02:19

about interfering in the 2016 election

02:22

by deliberately labeling these payments

02:24

as legal expenses and withholding

02:26

information from American voters it's a

02:29

very important Point Robert as the

02:31

district attorney in this case said from

02:34

the very beginning in his words this is

02:37

not a case about money for sex it's

02:39

about conspiring to corrupt a

02:41

presidential election and then lying on

02:44

business records to cover it up but the

02:47

question for those 12 members of the

02:50

jury uh was the intent question and so

02:53

that's what they have worked out on what

02:55

we estimate to be about 10 hours of

02:57

deliberation Robert I also understand

02:59

from our team of reporters that are

03:01

still inside the courtroom that Trump is

03:04

sitting with his arms crossed he's

03:06

pouting he's staring at the judge and it

03:09

feels tense inside the courtroom you've

03:12

watched Donald Trump over these past 6

03:15

weeks and have been in close contact

03:17

with officials close to him what has

03:19

been his mood his demeanor how would you

03:22

characterize this moment

03:25

is Nora I can't underscore the drama of

03:29

the past 15 minutes it was just 15 20

03:31

minutes ago that many people inside the

03:34

courthouse behind me including our own

03:35

reporters members of the Trump team

03:37

members of the prosecution believe the

03:39

jury would be deliberating till about

03:41

4:30 this afternoon and then break and

03:44

then resume deliberations on Friday then

03:47

a sudden turn a verdict was made a

03:49

verdict was decided it has not yet been

03:52

revealed everyone called back into the

03:54

courtroom Trump was confident all day we

03:56

saw him mingling with his staff talking

03:59

to family memb in the holding room as

04:01

they waited for the deliberations to be

04:02

over he has to be here at the court as

04:05

the jury deliberates but he was in an

04:07

upbeat mood that has turned the verdict

04:09

is now coming and this is more than just

04:11

a legal battle for former president

04:14

Donald Trump he is the first former

04:16

president of the United States any

04:18

American president to face a historic

04:21

criminal trial and this comes in the

04:23

middle of a presidential campaign

04:25

against President Joe Biden whose

04:27

campaign has been here in recent days in

04:29

lower Manhattan everything's on the line

04:32

right now for Trump the former president

04:34

of the United States will he serve jail

04:37

time if there is a guilty verdict he

04:39

could get probation but a prison

04:41

sentence is possible and this is someone

04:43

who just said minutes ago to reporters

04:46

he wants to campaign and this has

04:48

already been a burden a real political

04:50

cost for him costing him

04:52

time Robert Costa thank you and we

04:55

should note that the picture you are

04:57

looking at right now is a live picture

04:59

from right outside the courtroom where

05:02

we have seen Donald Trump appear some

05:05

days at the end of the trial or before

05:07

to make statements about what he has

05:09

called a Witch Hunt going on inside want

05:12

to bring in our chief Washington

05:13

correspondent Major Garrett uh we've

05:16

been to places in history that we've

05:17

never been before with Donald Trump

05:19

twice impeached uh now is likely to

05:21

become or could become I should say the

05:24

first president tried in a criminal

05:26

trial to either be acquitted and found

05:28

not guilty or guilty we just have been

05:30

here before in this what are the stakes

05:32

for Donald Trump as he is the Republican

05:34

party's nominee right to pick up on

05:36

Robert Costa's point it's not just that

05:38

he's a former president Nora he's the

05:41

Republican nominee in Waiting in an

05:43

active presidential campaign shadowed as

05:46

he has been for months now by criminal

05:49

indictments we're now going to have

05:51

probably the only verdict on any of the

05:53

pending criminal DS before the election

05:56

if he's acquitted most people I've

05:58

talked to in the Trump universe believe

06:00

there will be a burst of energy around

06:01

the former president in a very positive

06:03

political way if he's convicted they

06:06

believe those in the Trump inter circle

06:07

that this will be convulsive for the

06:09

country because at least a third of the

06:11

country Nora and maybe more than a third

06:13

believe this entire case should never

06:15

have been brought in the first place

06:17

agree entirely with the former

06:18

president's orientation to this that

06:21

others looked at this and didn't seek to

06:23

prosecute this that this is a legal

06:26

reach to take a business records case

06:28

attach it to a felony in a campaign

06:32

context which has never been prosecuted

06:34

before in New York they agree with that

06:37

orientation to this and if he's

06:39

convicted those in the Trump Inner

06:41

Circle predict a convulsive reaction

06:45

however there will be a part of this

06:47

country Norah that will say if the

06:49

former president is convicted there is

06:51

now finally some institutional

06:53

accountability for someone who has been

06:55

toppling or at least attempting to

06:56

topple all sorts of institutional Norms

06:59

in this country

07:00

I can't give you an assessment of the

07:02

actual point BYO number by number

07:05

political reaction to this but we are in

07:07

a fraught moment in American history a

07:09

lot of things hang in the balance not

07:11

just for former president Trump but the

07:13

Republican Party the Democratic party

07:16

President Biden and our sense of

07:17

institutional permanence and Norms no

07:21

doubt and this is day two to remind

07:23

everybody of the jury deliberations and

07:26

just a short time ago we got word from

07:27

the judge that a verdict was in judge

07:30

merchan saying the jury has a verdict

07:32

but we would like an extra 30 minutes to

07:34

fill out forms if that is possible want

07:37

to bring in a former Manhattan assistant

07:39

district attorney and CBS News legal

07:41

contributor Rebecca royi she joins us

07:44

now and Rebecca this 30 minutes of

07:47

course everyone is waiting to hear what

07:50

this jury has decided first 10 hours

07:54

over two days the number of questions

07:56

that they asked to get clarification on

07:59

what do you think that tells us about

08:01

how this jury may be

08:04

leaning you know it's always impossible

08:06

to know what a jury has decided until

08:09

that verdict is actually read however

08:12

this was an incredibly quick

08:14

deliberation over two days as you said

08:17

only about 10 hours of deliberation it

08:19

looks like the jury was thinking

08:21

carefully about the testimony and about

08:23

the elements that needed to be proved

08:25

Beyond A Reasonable Doubt but you know

08:28

generally speaking when verdicts are

08:30

rendered this quickly it usually is a

08:33

sign that is positive for the

08:35

prosecution because it normally takes

08:37

far longer for 12 jurors to agree to qu

08:40

acquit than this short amount of time

08:43

but of course really that is pure

08:45

speculation at this point let's also

08:48

bring in Caroline Pelosi she is the

08:50

criminal defense attorney and lecturer

08:52

in law at Columbia Law School and

08:54

Caroline good to talk to you just on

08:57

this matter falsifying business records

08:59

in New York that is a misdemeanor but it

09:01

was can be elevated if in fact intent

09:04

was used to conceal another crime that's

09:07

why this case is relevant because the

09:09

prosecutors made the case that there was

09:11

intent of course a campaign Finance

09:14

violation is their words that said it

09:16

could have tipped the election what do

09:18

you see that the jury has come back so

09:20

quickly that's right I I really do agree

09:22

with Rebecca I think the Swift nature of

09:25

this verdict and the fact that we didn't

09:27

get any other notes from saying we're

09:30

having trouble coming up with a

09:31

unanimous verdict something of that

09:33

nature we were bracing ourselves for

09:35

something along those lines I agree this

09:38

feels like guilty verdicts are on the

09:41

way um the object crime that you're

09:43

talking about there is a New York state

09:45

conspiracy to violate uh election law

09:48

and and that is by influencing an

09:50

election through unlawful means and you

09:53

know we saw that the jurors requested

09:55

rereads of testimony David Pecker's

09:57

testimony regarding that 2015

10:00

Trump Tower meeting in which the

10:02

prosecution alleged this plan this

10:04

conspiracy was hatched so I think that

10:07

that we are seeing sort of the pieces of

10:09

the puzzle come together for that object

10:11

crime making this what was uh in one

10:14

case a misdemeanor now a felony crime

10:17

falsification of the records in

10:18

furtherance of hiding this state uh New

10:21

York state election law

10:23

conspiracy any moment now we could get

10:26

the verdict in this case against Donald

10:29

J Trump these 34 felony counts the jury

10:33

had asked for an additional 30 minutes

10:34

that time has passed so we are on

10:37

standby to find out what these seven men

10:40

and five women have decided in this case

10:44

there are also we should note two

10:45

lawyers who were on this jury as well

10:47

let's bring in Jan Crawford who is our

10:50

chief legal correspondent also covers

10:52

the Supreme Court what do you see about

10:54

today as we await this verdict well I

10:56

mean following up on major's point I

10:58

think what is so extraord Aries this was

11:00

kind of seen as maybe the weakest of the

11:02

cases that could have been brought

11:04

against former president Trump the main

11:06

case being of course potentially the

11:08

prosecution for his attempts to uh

11:11

overthrow the 2020 election that case uh

11:14

has kind of ground to a halt uh as it is

11:16

now before the Supreme Court on whether

11:18

or not he is absolutely immune from

11:20

prosecution there we're waiting a

11:22

decision from the court which could

11:24

determine whether that trial will go

11:26

forward it could be potential

11:30

uh impossible for that prosecution so we

11:33

could be in a situation where out of all

11:34

the cases the classified documents case

11:37

at the January 6th potential prosecution

11:39

in this case this could end up being the

11:43

only case against former president Trump

11:45

to go to trial and potentially Merit a

11:47

conviction and to Major's Point uh that

11:50

could um land in ways that we cannot

11:54

possibly imagine a former president um

11:57

being convicted on charg that are novel

12:00

In some cases uh considered Weak by many

12:03

legal commentators and multiple grounds

12:06

for the president to argue on statutory

12:09

and constitutional grounds uh that he is

12:11

going to appeal this and fight it in the

12:14

appell at courts Donald Trump and his

12:16

attorneys are in the courtroom the judge

12:18

is in the courtroom the jury is being

12:19

brought in we are just minutes or

12:22

seconds away from a verdict and of

12:24

course as soon as we know that

12:26

information we will share it with you I

12:29

think one of the key questions Blackley

12:31

um that our viewers may have if Donald

12:34

Trump is a convicted felon he can still

12:38

run for president does it mean he will

12:40

go to

12:41

jail we don't know because the judge has

12:44

discretion as a matter of fact in the

12:46

closing arguments but he could former

12:49

for yes he could I mean that's that's

12:50

out there on the table but in the

12:52

closing arguments former president

12:54

Trump's attorney lead

12:56

attorney was harshly criticized by the

12:59

judge for injecting into his closing

13:01

argument something that defense

13:03

attorneys know they shouldn't inject

13:04

which is you can't send a former

13:06

president to jail over this and the

13:08

judge said wait a minute you can't talk

13:10

about that first of all it's a

13:11

discretion in my hands and second of all

13:14

you can't talk to a jury that way in

13:15

your close but the former president's

13:18

legal council injected that I believe as

13:21

a safe harbor to tell the jury the

13:23

stakes are so high tactically I believe

13:25

the jury knew that going in the jury has

13:27

known from day one the stakes are

13:29

enormously High one other point talking

13:32

about this 2015 meeting in Trump Tower

13:35

the prosecution said that's where this

13:37

began and it took on incredible

13:39

relevance in the final weeks of The

13:41

Campaign which I remember vividly nor

13:43

because I was covering it day by day

13:45

when the status of Donald Trump as the

13:48

Republican Party nominee was thrown into

13:50

great distress by the Access Hollywood

13:53

tape and everything that flowed from I

13:55

think it's very important that you bring

13:56

this up because people say I don't

13:58

understand why this is relev this

13:59

relationship that they had 18 years ago

14:01

why is this coming up now again because

14:03

it was October was when the Access

14:06

Hollywood tape came out Donald Trump's

14:08

team was worried that this would

14:09

completely derail his chances in beating

14:11

Hillary Clinton this the motivation to

14:14

squash lots of behind the scenes

14:16

conversations about is there an

14:18

alternative should Mike Pence become the

14:19

nominee for the one and only time in

14:22

that campaign or his presidency or his

14:24

post-presidency Donald Trump publicly

14:27

apologized he record what was described

14:30

in gallows humor by Trump AIDs that time

14:32

as a hostage video to say I'm sorry for

14:35

this for this locker room talk that

14:37

shows the depth of distress within the

14:39

Trump campaign over that particular time

14:42

and the Stormy Daniels story if it had

14:45

been confirmed and verified in that real

14:47

time the Trump campaign had every reason

14:49

to believe that could have been not only

14:51

damaging Nora but potentially fatal in

14:54

that Clos in the closing hours closing

14:57

weeks of that campaign we are just

14:58

moments away from a verdict in the case

15:02

against Donald Trump I want to bring in

15:03

Erol Bernett who is outside the

15:05

courtroom you can see a lot of the

15:07

activity though where arrol is a lot of

15:09

the police activity and arrol remind us

15:11

what some of the questions were that the

15:13

jury had today in terms of

15:17

clarification Nora that's what's so

15:19

interesting it was yesterday after only

15:21

approximately 4 hours of deliberating

15:23

that the jurors had notes for the judge

15:26

they needed instruction from the judge

15:28

on what it meant to infer something they

15:31

also wanted instructions as to how to

15:34

Value Michael Cohen's testimony

15:36

considering he was an accomplice to this

15:38

alleged crime they also wanted four

15:41

additional pieces of testimony as it

15:43

related to David peka a close Confidant

15:46

and someone who testified that he's

15:47

still a friend of trump and considers

15:49

him a mentor and they had questions

15:51

about testimony relating to a Trump

15:53

Tower meeting in August of 2015 which

15:56

the prosecution says was the Nexus the

15:58

call the origins of a scheme to deceive

16:02

the American public by suppressing

16:05

negative stories about Donald Trump in

16:07

the tabloids amplifying negative stories

16:09

about his opponents to effectively pave

16:12

the way for him to the White House they

16:15

wanted clarification on that and what's

16:17

interesting is when the judge uh

16:20

clarified that because Michael Cohen is

16:22

an accomplice you cannot convict based

16:24

on his testimony alone unless it is

16:27

corroborated by other evidence and

16:29

testimony as part of the trial also he

16:32

made he clarified to them that they can

16:34

infer something uh basically he used the

16:36

analogy of if it rained overnight even

16:39

if you didn't see the rain you can infer

16:41

that it rained overnight if you can see

16:43

outside your window in the morning and

16:44

people have umbrellas and the pavement

16:46

is wet so even in the absence of direct

16:49

fact you can make an inference as a jury

16:52

if other facts seem to suggest and

16:55

reasonably line up another scenario and

16:58

so as we wait to hear what the exact

17:00

verdict is uh we are

17:03

now I understand inside the courtroom

17:06

with juror seated with Donald Trump

17:07

looking quite anxious we're getting a

17:10

word of what the verdict is we are

17:13

getting

17:14

word on the first count that Donald

17:17

Trump

17:20

is

17:23

guilty now remember there are 34 counts

17:28

that we will go

17:31

through count two guilty count three

17:37

guilty count four guilty count five and

17:43

six guilty count seven

17:47

guilty count eight

17:53

guilty count nine

17:56

guilty count 10

17:59

guilty count 11 guilty count 12 guilty

18:06

count 13 guilty count 14 and 15 guilty

18:12

count 16 guilty remember this is a

18:16

unanimous decision by the jury on each

18:17

of these counts count 17

18:20

guilty count 18 guilty count 19 guilty

18:25

count 20 guilty count 21 guilty count 22

18:29

guilty count 23 guilty count 24

18:35

guilty count 25 guilty count 26 guilty

18:40

count 27 guilty count 28 guilty 29

18:43

guilty count 30 guilty count 31 guilty

18:47

count 32 guilty count 33 guilty count

18:52

34 guilty Donald Trump has been found

18:56

guilty on all count

18:59

of falsifying business

19:02

records in an attempt to cover up these

19:05

alleged relationships in the New York

19:08

hush money

19:12

trial is an extraordinary moment Nora to

19:17

hear you read what you just

19:20

read is a moment of enormous gravity for

19:22

this country we cannot Overlook

19:27

that to hear that word guilty not just

19:31

once but 34 times about a former

19:34

president of the United States in any

19:37

context is completely Uncharted

19:40

Territory and there will be a raging

19:42

debate across this country

19:45

about the propriety of bringing these

19:47

charges but under our system a grand

19:49

jury heard the evidence a grand jury

19:52

rendered an indictment and through all

19:53

due process the former president was

19:56

accorded all due process rights and a

19:58

jury of his peers assembled in New York

20:00

in this Courthouse found him guilty on

20:02

all

20:04

charges this is not just a legal moment

20:07

for this country it is not just a

20:08

political moment for this country it is

20:11

a moment where everything about politics

20:13

and law and our orientation to

20:16

both are convulsed as never before

20:20

Donald Trump has become the first per

20:22

former president ever convicted of a

20:26

crime I want to bring in Robert Costa

20:28

who has covered Donald Trump for a long

20:31

time and written books about Donald

20:32

Trump I can only imagine what the former

20:35

president is doing right

20:39

now Nora this is the conclusion of a

20:42

trial but it's only the beginning of a

20:44

fight I've already gotten new reporting

20:46

from Trump sources they are planning to

20:48

appeal this decision as much as they can

20:51

and they plan to mount a grievance War

20:53

across the country to Echo What majors

20:55

said this is a moment of seriousness for

20:58

the country on a legal political and

21:00

Democratic front because you now have a

21:02

presumptive republican nominee who will

21:04

be mounting an appeals process as he

21:06

heads toward the Republican convention

21:08

and he has the Republican Party behind

21:10

him it was here in the park steps away

21:13

that the Speaker of the House second in

21:14

line to the presidency Mike Johnson came

21:16

here to say we stand with Trump so many

21:19

have come here wearing red ties and

21:21

saying that Trump is our candidate

21:23

regardless of whether he's convicted of

21:25

a crime in New York City here in deep

21:28

blue man hatan right now there were

21:29

cheers that went up in the park around

21:31

us as the conviction was made clear to

21:33

the the crowd that has been Gathering

21:35

here but from Trump supporters across

21:37

the country there is anger and

21:38

frustration right now and Trump campaign

21:41

officials are arguing this is going to

21:43

make Trump stronger inside the party but

21:45

now as a convicted felon it could raise

21:48

new questions about maybe not his

21:50

nomination for the Republican party but

21:52

Democratic sources really believe some

21:54

swing voters in places like Michigan

21:56

Pennsylvania in the suburbs across the

21:58

country might start to say do we really

22:00

want to have a convicted felon in the

22:02

white house it's a tag that Trump can no

22:04

longer Escape it's an important we're

22:07

talking about a legal issue right now

22:08

but a political issue as well as you

22:11

point out I want to go straight to Erol

22:12

Barnett who is right outside who can

22:14

give us a sense of what's happening

22:15

there outside the courtroom

22:18

arrrow Nora two angles I can give you

22:21

outside the courthouse we're hearing

22:23

some sense of cheering and people

22:25

yelling guilty the courthouse directly

22:27

behind me while our reporters inside are

22:30

painting some of the color as the jur as

22:32

the for person uh read out the verdict

22:35

it was very similar Norah to the way you

22:37

read this out it was quiet and somber

22:40

inside the courtroom with former

22:42

president Donald Trump seated as the

22:44

defendant looking at the jury as the

22:46

four person leaning with his left arm on

22:48

a railing and a right hand holding the

22:51

microphone slowly 34 times said guilty

22:56

as the judge was asking for the jury's

22:59

verdict on these felony counts then the

23:02

judge asks the jury um you know is this

23:05

accurate is this is this the proper

23:07

reflection of your verdict they said yes

23:09

and and during this entire time Donald

23:12

Trump staring intently at each of the

23:15

jurors uh the lawyers standing with

23:17

their hands clasped and the jurors at

23:20

this moment uh being thanked by the

23:22

judge for their service judge Merchant

23:24

acknowledging that these past 6 weeks

23:27

have been stressful for them let's not

23:29

forget some jurors that were selected

23:31

early dropped out and buckled under the

23:34

pressure the media Spotlight and the

23:36

importance of the moment but inside the

23:38

courthouse a somber moment as Donald

23:41

Trump former president of the United

23:43

States GOP presumptive nominee had to

23:46

sit and listen as a defendant as a jury

23:48

of 12 of his peers found him guilty on

23:51

all 34 felony counts this was the moment

23:55

that Donald Trump became a felon

23:58

Errol Bernett thank you so much want to

24:00

bring in our legal panel again former

24:02

Manhattan assistant district attorney

24:04

and CBS News legal contributor Rebecca

24:06

royy joins me again uh and Rebecca let's

24:10

talk about this Donald Trump is 78 years

24:13

old a firsttime offender in uh the eyes

24:18

of the New York court system will he go

24:21

to jail what do you think

24:24

happens we really won't know until the

24:27

sentencing I think that you know he's

24:29

certainly not going to jail for the rest

24:31

of his life on these counts but there is

24:33

a real possibility of some jail time and

24:36

of course any jail time for somebody um

24:39

in his position uh of his age is a

24:42

significant thing right now you know one

24:44

other thing that has struck me about

24:47

this case is there has been so much

24:49

criticism of the case and in a way this

24:52

verdict does vindicate um Alvin Bragg

24:55

the Manhattan district attorney who

24:57

brought this and Ed it as a case that is

25:00

quite standard for New York and for

25:03

Manhattan and you know of course when

25:05

all eyes are on our local um justice

25:09

system sometimes things look unusual

25:12

bizarre different but in many ways this

25:14

is this is not um as different from

25:17

other cases as some people suggested it

25:20

was and the evidence as we can tell from

25:23

this quick strong verdict was fairly

25:27

strong

25:30

Rebecca thank you want to bring in

25:31

Caroline Pelosi she's a criminal defense

25:34

attorney and lecturer in law at Columbia

25:36

Law School and on that same point

25:39

Caroline because I think people want to

25:40

know not only what happens to Donald

25:42

Trump what happens in this presidential

25:44

election which is now 6 months from now

25:48

the question before the judge in terms

25:50

of sentencing prison time or there could

25:53

be probation right what are the some of

25:55

the things that the judge will consider

25:57

absolutely absolutely it is within the

25:59

judge's discretion there is no mandatory

26:01

minimum jail sentence for these crimes I

26:04

I totally agree with Rebecca this is a

26:06

huge win for Alvin Bragg this case had a

26:09

long and winding road to get here

26:11

remember it was called the zombie Theory

26:13

it just wouldn't die it it it spanned

26:16

over two um different uh District

26:18

Attorneys uh people resigned in protest

26:21

for the ways that they felt about

26:22

whether or not the case was being

26:24

brought but this will Mark the beginning

26:26

of an a lengthy appell it process I like

26:29

to point to the Harvey Weinstein verdict

26:31

uh being overturned that took Soup To

26:33

Nuts four years um Justice takes time so

26:37

there will there are you know many legal

26:40

issues here that I think are right for

26:42

review I don't know that any will take

26:44

the day but certainly there are

26:45

meritorious arguments to be made um but

26:48

when you're thinking about uh

26:49

potentially putting a presidential

26:52

candidate uh in jail there are some

26:55

considerations to be had but I would

26:57

note he he was not um you know a stellar

27:00

uh descendant during this case those are

27:03

aggravating factors these issues with

27:05

the gag order his behavior throughout

27:07

the trial that could potentially be a

27:10

factor in judge michan's um analysis of

27:13

whether or not to impose jail time here

27:16

also things like remorse it does not

27:18

seem as though uh the former president

27:21

is at all remorseful for any of these

27:23

actions we'll have to wait and see for

27:25

the arguments that are made in the

27:26

sentencing memoranda

27:28

it's a good point Caroline as you note

27:30

judge merchan has found Donald Trump

27:32

that violated his gag order 10 times

27:35

during this trial uh Caroline py standby

27:38

I want to bring in former Manhattan

27:40

district attorney s Vance who first

27:42

opened this investigation into former

27:44

president Donald Trump in 2018 but left

27:47

office before the charges were filed uh

27:50

s good to see you what's your reaction

27:52

to today's

27:53

verdict uh my reaction is uh a a huge

27:58

congratulations to the assistant Das and

28:01

to Alvin Bragg for the amazing job that

28:03

they've done in trying what was a very

28:06

difficult case uh a complicated case and

28:08

I think from an outside perspective

28:10

because I wasn't in the courtroom I

28:12

think they tried it uh almost flawlessly

28:15

so it was important case uh and I'm you

28:18

know I congratulate them in the office

28:20

as you said this case began uh the Trump

28:23

investigation began some time ago when I

28:24

was district attorney we had to go to

28:26

the Supreme Court twice in order to get

28:28

access to his financial tax records that

28:30

led to when I was in office his

28:32

indictment for the the Trump's company's

28:34

indictment for tax crimes uh and then as

28:38

the case moved on uh da Bragg took it up

28:41

and has uh succeeded in doing something

28:43

very

28:44

important we are watching now just

28:47

outside the courtroom members of Trump's

28:49

team coming out as some of his lawyers

28:52

as well as his communication Specialists

28:54

so my guess is they're trying to decide

28:56

what to do next and whether we'll hear

28:58

from Donald Trump himself s we do want

29:01

to ask you though um given this verdict

29:04

do you see there are grounds for appeal

29:06

what could the timeline

29:09

be well I think the appeals uh the

29:12

appeals will happen whether there are

29:14

grounds for them or not uh I think there

29:16

will be many claims by the the Trump

29:19

team for judicial errors bias uh uh

29:23

errors and instruction I think the

29:25

appeals will come from you know all

29:27

sides but uh I think that uh by no means

29:31

are those peals certain to Prevail and

29:34

at the moment uh I think what we're

29:36

seeing is a sad day in the sense that a

29:39

former president has been convicted uh a

29:41

day we should celebrate however for the

29:43

victory of the justice system and our

29:45

jury system and our court system to be

29:46

able to uh manage a case that's

29:49

significant and difficult uh and I think

29:52

it will ultimately I hope uh uh end up

29:55

having a counting influence uh but I but

29:57

I as I say that you know I think really

30:00

what we'll see next is what is the

30:01

political reaction and how that uh and

30:04

how the political reaction will uh will

30:06

be managed over the next months and S I

30:10

want to just listen in here now because

30:12

Donald Trump is approaching other

30:15

cameras are you wor about going to

30:21

jail this was a disgrace this was a

30:24

rigged trial by a conflicted judge who

30:27

was corrupt

30:29

it's a Rigg trial of

30:31

disgrace they wouldn't give us a venue

30:34

change we were at 5% or

30:38

6% in this District in this area this

30:41

was a rigged disgraceful trial and the

30:45

real verdict is going to be November 5th

30:48

by the people and they know what

30:51

happened here and everybody knows what

30:52

happened here you have a Sor respect da

30:57

and the whole thing we didn't do a thing

31:00

wrong I'm a very innocent

31:02

man and it's okay I'm fighting for our

31:06

country I'm fighting for our

31:07

constitution our whole country is being

31:09

rigged right now this was done by the

31:12

Biden

31:13

Administration in order to wound or hurt

31:17

an opponent a political opponent and I

31:19

think it's just a disgrace and we'll

31:22

keep fighting we'll fight till the end

31:24

and we'll win because our country's gone

31:26

to hell we we don't have the same

31:28

country anymore we have a divided mess

31:32

we're nation in Decline serious decline

31:34

millions and millions of people pouring

31:36

into our country right now from prisons

31:39

and from mental institutions terrorists

31:43

and they're taking over our country we

31:45

have a country that's in big trouble but

31:48

this was a rigged decision right from

31:50

day one with a conflicted judge who

31:52

should have never been allowed to try

31:54

this case never and we will fight for

31:57

our con itu this is long Fromm over

31:59

thank you very much why shoulds go

32:03

for and there you have it Donald Trump

32:06

calling this a rigged trial we're

32:08

hearing from sources close to him they

32:10

do plan to appeal the sentencing we have

32:12

learned is going to be on July 11th at

32:16

10 a.m. um where the judge has

32:18

discretion uh each of these counts my

32:21

understanding can carry as much as four

32:23

years of jail time as well of thousands

32:26

of dollars in fine just want to quickly

32:29

fact check something that the former

32:31

president said Scott McFarland is with

32:33

us um Donald Trump has repeated that

32:35

this was launched by by the Biden

32:37

Administration but we should just

32:38

clarify that so that people don't think

32:39

this is something that that Joe Biden

32:41

initiated this is a grand jury and this

32:44

is a jury of his peers who did the work

32:47

in this prosecution adjudication but

32:49

it's not just Donald Trump Norah it's

32:51

his allies the house Speaker Mike

32:53

Johnson has just released a statement

32:54

saying Democrats cheered as they convict

32:58

the leader of the opposing party Alise

33:00

stanic who chairs the house Republican

33:02

conference said this is a Biden

33:03

Administration prosecution not only is

33:06

this not federal this is a local

33:07

prosecution but this is not a Democratic

33:10

party process but that date really jumps

33:13

out at me Nora July 11th for sentencing

33:15

that's 4 days before the Republican

33:18

National

33:19

Convention wow opens in Milwaukee swing

33:22

state and to Scott's point and we should

33:25

not overlook this Nora the politics of

33:28

this will rage From This Moment forward

33:30

and those who support former president

33:32

Trump will regard this as a New York

33:34

matter and a democratic matter not an

33:36

American matter they will be offended by

33:40

this and they will to the former

33:42

president's Point try to rally their

33:45

supporters and other like-minded

33:46

Republicans and others on November 5th

33:50

the former president has a very serious

33:52

legal problem he is trying to remedy it

33:55

through politics want to bring in Robert

33:57

C

33:58

who is there outside the courthouse and

34:01

uh Robert you could hear how angry

34:03

Donald Trump was in those comments what

34:05

are you

34:07

learning Nora just seconds ago got off

34:10

the phone with someone very close to

34:11

former president Trump said he was

34:13

expressing his anger his Fury about this

34:16

verdict even before it was read he was

34:18

predicting to Associates that he

34:20

believed that this trial was a disaster

34:23

and that he was going to fight it all

34:24

the way through appeal he was already

34:26

signaling to some of the top Republic

34:27

Republicans in the country in the past

34:29

hour that regardless of what happened he

34:31

wanted them to be with him he believed

34:33

they would stand with him and he is

34:35

really preparing his allies tell me just

34:37

now to fight this all the way and to use

34:40

this as a political weapon against

34:43

President Biden the justice department

34:45

not involved in this case this is a case

34:46

in lower Manhattan this was a jury

34:49

comprised of 12 New Yorkers people who

34:51

are his peers in his home city of New

34:53

York at the same time you're going to

34:56

hear former president Trump constantly

34:58

use this as a refrain that he was

35:00

targeted by this trial targeted by this

35:03

prosecutor and he is going to use his

35:06

own channels of communication whether

35:08

it's social media some kind of Rally or

35:11

speeches or other means to get his

35:13

message out there without factchecking

35:15

and often without the bounds of normal

35:17

discourse holding him in but this is

35:20

American politics today he has helped to

35:22

create and really spearheaded this

35:24

environment we are in now but I know

35:26

from people who have been with him in

35:27

the past hour that he is furious and

35:30

that this is not just something he's

35:31

going to leave to the lawyers he wants

35:33

to be out front now and this country is

35:35

going to see him out front all

35:38

summer want to bring back in former

35:40

Manhattan district attorney s Vance and

35:42

give you the opportunity sir to respond

35:45

to those charges that this case was a

35:47

disgrace and that was rigged and brought

35:50

by the Biden

35:52

Administration well certainly the origin

35:54

origins of this case which was when I

35:56

was district attorney had

35:58

had nothing to do with the Biden

35:59

Administration and I I I don't think

36:01

anything changed uh with regard to Da

36:03

Bragg taking over and and developing uh

36:06

his separate case out of where the case

36:08

began with us uh I think what you're

36:11

going to what you know your your your

36:13

panelists have got it completely right

36:15

this is now going to go into the streets

36:17

it's going to be a matter of politics uh

36:19

I think the president will take this to

36:21

the Supreme Court where I think he hopes

36:24

that it will finally receive the kind of

36:27

he wishes he had in a jury uh and that's

36:30

going to be taking some time but it's a

36:33

great day for the DA's office in

36:34

Manhattan I'm proud of their work I'm

36:36

proud to be associated with the office

36:38

and I think um uh this is a

36:41

controversial case but it tough cases

36:44

are controversial uh and they uh did a

36:48

fabulous job under a lot of pressure and

36:50

under very bright lights in the public

36:52

and and Sai explain that how does a

36:55

state case make its way up to the

36:56

Supreme Court

36:58

well the the Supreme Court has issued

37:00

rulings in many state cases uh it will

37:03

go through the uh State appeals process

37:06

and then after the court of appeals

37:07

assuming the courts of appeal in New

37:09

York do not overturn the verdict and and

37:12

former president Trump will take his

37:13

best shot at each level and take his

37:15

best hard shots then they will appeal to

37:18

the Supreme Court to to uh accept sirari

37:21

which is a fancy word meaning the

37:23

Supreme Court agrees to hear the case

37:25

and uh that's the you know that's the

37:28

straight path either through the state

37:30

system or the federal system where a

37:32

defendant has the opportunity to at

37:34

least ask the highest court of land to

37:35

consider uh consider reviewing the case

37:38

sance thank you want to bring in Jan

37:40

Crawford who covers the Supreme Court

37:42

for us explain that process but also I

37:44

mean we're talking again right as as

37:46

cyance noted this will go to the streets

37:48

but there's still more to do in the

37:49

courts and we're still awaiting

37:51

decisions from the Supreme Court as well

37:53

on other matters well sure the Supreme

37:54

Court right now has two other cases

37:56

involving former president Trump but

37:58

they're both related to the prosecution

38:01

of trump for his efforts allegedly his

38:03

efforts to overturn the 2020 election

38:05

here in Washington on January 6 largely

38:08

and whether he's absolutely immune from

38:10

prosecution for those actions that's

38:12

what the Court's deciding now and

38:14

whether that case can even go forward

38:16

and if it can uh can he be charged and

38:19

other January 6 defendants be charged

38:21

with obstruction a major legal issues

38:24

for the Thee the former president and of

38:26

course the court to decide between now

38:28

and the end of June but right now those

38:30

are going to take a back seat because

38:32

what many people had hoped to see uh

38:34

certainly Democrats had hoped to see was

38:37

a conviction of pres former president

38:39

Trump and they got that so I think you

38:43

whether not there was going to be a

38:44

trial or not on the January 6 efforts

38:48

all right and I understand we've got

38:50

some new information coming in from Ed

38:52

O'Keefe uh who is at the White House for

38:55

us Ed what are you learning are we going

38:57

to hear from President Biden we are not

38:59

going to hear from President Biden but

39:01

we have a written statement from him nor

39:02

I'll explain why we won't in a moment in

39:04

his statement he says in New York today

39:07

we saw that no one is above the law

39:09

Donald Trump has always mistakenly

39:11

believed he would never face

39:13

consequences for breaking the law for

39:15

his own personal gain but today's

39:17

verdict does not change the fact that

39:18

the American people face a simple

39:19

reality there is still only one way to

39:22

keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office

39:23

at The Ballot Box convicted felon or not

39:26

Trump will be the Republic repan nominee

39:28

for president the threat Trump poses to

39:30

our democracy has never been greater the

39:32

President says in his statement from his

39:33

campaign he says Trump quote is running

39:36

an increasingly unhinged campaign of

39:38

Revenge and retribution pledging to be a

39:40

dictator on day one and calling for our

39:42

constitution to be terminated so he can

39:45

regain and keep power a second Trump

39:47

term means chaos ripping away Americans

39:49

freedoms and fermenting political

39:50

violence and the American people will

39:51

rejected this November the president is

39:54

at his vacation home in rith Beach

39:56

Delaware today marking the 9th

39:58

anniversary of the death of his son Bo

40:00

we saw him briefly this morning in

40:02

Wilmington Delaware at a church service

40:04

with his family uh and they stopped by a

40:06

Veteran's Memorial before he headed to

40:09

that beach home he's expected back here

40:10

tomorrow for a few events for a few

40:12

hours his campaign and here at the White

40:15

House they have stressed that the

40:16

president was likely to say something in

40:19

some form but not necessarily make a big

40:21

deal of this and isn't it telling that

40:23

both the convicted former president and

40:26

the City president have said the same

40:28

thing that ultimately the American

40:30

people get to make this decision in

40:32

November Nora Edo Keef at the White

40:35

House thank you want to go back outside

40:38

the courthouse now um to Robert Costa

40:41

and Graham Kates uh who have been

40:43

covering this case so closely Graham I

40:45

know you were inside just made your way

40:47

out give us a sense of what was

40:49

happening the mood uh there and uh the

40:52

demeanor of the

40:55

individuals yeah as the jurors walked in

40:59

neither Trump nor the jurors looked at

41:01

each other which is different than

41:02

earlier in the day Trump had usually

41:04

stared and had a study the jurors and

41:06

then as the four person read uh for each

41:08

count guilty guilty guilty Trump stared

41:12

Straight Ahead he appeared emotionless

41:15

when he was finally excused from the

41:16

proceeding as he just began walking out

41:19

he kind of grabbed his son Eric's hand

41:21

really briefly uh and then with as deep

41:24

of a frown as you've ever seen on

41:26

Trump's face walked slowly out of the

41:28

room with his Entourage behind

41:30

him and um his family was there

41:33

throughout so much of this know Eric

41:35

Trump Donald Trump Jr was here but Eric

41:37

Trump was also here for the Civil fraud

41:39

trial for Trump this he run ran a family

41:42

company all these payments made through

41:43

the Trump organization his family there

41:45

with him in the courtroom yeah that's

41:47

Eric more than anyone throughout this

41:49

trial and his civil fraud trial came

41:52

frequently on many

41:54

days and Robert I want to ask you

41:56

because we have now learned learned that

41:57

this sentencing by judge Maran will be

42:00

July 11th and Donald Trump will be

42:03

sentenced as a convicted felon 4 days

42:07

before the Republican

42:10

convention can you run a presidential

42:13

race just on grievance alone I mean how

42:15

will that change the Dynamics The

42:18

Contours of this

42:21

race it's not going to change the

42:23

Contours of this race too much I've

42:25

spent a lot of time talking to officials

42:26

in the B campaign and talking to Trump

42:28

campaign officials and they've made it

42:30

clear to me on the Trump side that

42:32

grievance is the fuel that helps Trump

42:35

supporters really get a line with him

42:37

even if they have concerns about his

42:38

conduct or different policy positions

42:41

but Trump's also running a campaign

42:43

concurrently against President Biden's

42:45

record on the economy about border

42:47

security railing against the president's

42:49

policy on immigration so in many

42:52

respects he's running a traditional

42:54

Republican campaign and that's why he

42:55

has the Republican party in sconed in

42:58

his grip he is someone who has the

43:00

speaker so many senators saying we're

43:02

with you Trump nodding along they almost

43:04

forgive his grievance because they

43:06

believe he's able to put together a

43:08

coalition of populism nationalism and

43:11

anger that will Propel not only him to

43:13

the White House but them and that's

43:15

really the calculus here for so many

43:17

Republicans at the highest level I'm

43:19

speaking with they're staying with Trump

43:21

because they believe he still is even as

43:24

a convicted felon who might have a

43:26

prison sentence as he approaches the

43:27

Republican convention he still is their

43:29

path to

43:31

power I think this is a good time to go

43:33

through some of the basic questions that

43:35

are out there because Donald Trump said

43:37

that the real verdict will be on

43:39

November 5th that is now 159 days away

43:43

major he can run for president as a

43:45

convicted felon absolutely right can he

43:47

vote Yes because he's not I mean so he's

43:51

not adjudicated fully because the appell

43:53

process goes on so it's not over until

43:55

it's over over and sance indicated that

43:58

overest may take a considerable period

44:01

of time because the former president

44:02

will try to find every venue possible

44:05

legal to re-evaluate and possibly

44:09

overturn this verdict and in reading so

44:11

until all that is done he is a voter in

44:14

good standing to my understanding there

44:15

are former prosecutors who said that

44:17

it's unlikely that a 77y old former

44:21

president since this is his first uh

44:23

offense in this course would be would be

44:25

sentenced to jail but it could happen

44:28

but could he be elected president while

44:31

serving prison time well obviously

44:33

that's never happened right but there's

44:35

nothing that we know of that would stop

44:37

that from happening and even if he

44:39

doesn't go to jail I mean there's a

44:40

number of other options available to

44:42

this judge including house arrest so

44:44

what does that mean for the campaign I

44:45

mean it's it is almost inconceivable to

44:48

kind of think about all you know the

44:51

road ahead for us now as this political

44:53

campaign stop starts with a convicted

44:56

felon as potentially the Republican

44:58

nominee and our polling Division and

45:01

election analyst Anthony Santo Kabir

45:05

others know how difficult it has been

45:08

impossible Nora to actually gauge what

45:11

people's reaction is going to be if

45:13

there was a conviction we now are in the

45:16

first hours of the country absorbing

45:18

this and all these questions now

45:21

overhang a presidential campaign in ways

45:23

they didn't 1 hour ago and when people

45:26

think about this some will be enraged

45:29

some will find Solace that there is

45:31

accountability institutionally in our

45:33

country and our system works our justice

45:35

system works and others are going to

45:36

ponder well my goodness what does this

45:39

mean if he is elected and those

45:41

imponderables now are realities and how

45:44

people process that and then decide

45:46

their voting behavior from that is

45:48

unknown territory but it begins in

45:50

Earnest this afternoon but you know I

45:53

mean he pay he set the ground yesterday

45:55

for this saying that mother teres

45:57

uh wouldn't have even beaten these

45:59

charges and the system was rigged and

46:00

people will believe that some people

46:02

will believe that for sure there a

46:03

significant number of people will

46:05

believe that you look at polling that

46:07

shows a complete erosion of faith in our

46:09

institutions across the board many

46:11

people say that Donald Trump caused some

46:13

of that but when you when you hear

46:15

Republican leaders right now in the

46:17

House and Senate issuing statements

46:18

saying this is a travesty this is a pro

46:20

Biden judge this was rigged from the

46:22

beginning a significant number of

46:24

American people will believe that you

46:27

it's a stretch to compare Donald Trump

46:28

to Mother Teresa well you know I mean I

46:30

didn't say that I think he he said that

46:33

yeah and there's going to be this

46:34

process to try to discredit jurors we've

46:38

seen that in the previous prosecutions

46:40

that are aligned to January 6th in the

46:42

2020 election where they say it's a

46:43

liberal jury in Washington DC a liberal

46:46

jury in Manhattan almost like there's

46:48

well it is a liberal jury in Manhattan I

46:50

mean I think to that's hard to argue

46:52

with but for the moment the jurors met

46:54

behind closed doors you function as a

46:57

jury and the foreman had to get up hold

46:59

a microphone today and announce a

47:01

verdict against a former US president

47:03

and there is always this concern anybody

47:05

related with an Nexus to a trump case

47:07

has the threat of being threatened doxed

47:09

or hassled but Jan those jurors also

47:11

swore that they could be impartial so

47:13

just to say that they're from a liberal

47:15

area votes liberally and vot Democratic

47:17

does not mean that they did not promise

47:19

under oath that they would be impart and

47:21

I certainly am not implying that I am

47:23

saying that we have to acknowledge what

47:25

the facts are because those are fact

47:27

that the American people are going to

47:28

hear to Jan's Point inferences will be

47:31

drawn yeah inferences in the political

47:33

dialogue across this country will be

47:35

drawn about the composition of this jury

47:37

and the location of this case inferences

47:39

will be drawn and the judge why the case

47:42

wasn't brought initially under the

47:43

previous district attorney and why the

47:45

federal government didn't purs pursue

47:47

these federal election charges against

47:49

Trump I mean there's a number of

47:51

questions that people are going to have

47:52

there's a number of questions that Trump

47:54

is going to raise on appeal starting

47:55

from the very beginning with the

47:56

indictment itself and how some of you

47:59

know what was some of those under

48:01

underlying object offenses there are

48:03

constitutional issues that he can raise

48:04

there is a lot there that he can use as

48:07

this campaign unfolds to argue and point

48:10

to that this entire prosecution was

48:12

flawed from the get-go I think we have

48:15

all have a lot of questions too about

48:16

what happens next not only the political

48:18

Arena but also what happens to Donald

48:20

Trump so I do want to bring back in

48:21

Caroline policey she you know Caroline

48:24

the judge as we've noted has wide

48:26

discretion over the sentence here but do

48:29

you think that judge Maron will sentence

48:32

the former president to

48:34

prison I don't I personally do not think

48:37

that um given look you know For Better

48:39

or For Worse Trump has been treated like

48:42

any other criminal defendant the fact is

48:45

I you know based on a a reading of a lot

48:48

of these types of cases um not many are

48:51

actually sent to serve time and so if

48:54

you're treating the former president

48:56

just like any other regular Manhattan

48:58

night um that would have been uh

49:00

sentenced here as a first time

49:03

nonviolent offender it would be very

49:05

unlikely that he would go to prison I

49:07

think that if he does get sentenced you

49:09

know that would just uh sort of add fuel

49:12

to his fire in terms of acting as though

49:14

he's being singled out here so uh not to

49:17

mention the fact that there would be

49:18

issues with the Secret Service he would

49:20

not be with the general population there

49:22

would have to be it would be a big

49:24

burden on the prison system to have him

49:27

there so personally I think that the

49:29

objectives of sentencing can be

49:31

accomplished through um other forms of

49:33

punishment fines probation that type of

49:36

thing so I don't see it happening

49:38

personally what do you think is the more

49:39

likely

49:41

sentence I think he will get a pro

49:44

probationary sentence I think that there

49:45

will be fines to be you know tied to the

49:49

offense uh conduct in this case um look

49:52

the the the fact is it's not going to

49:55

have any effect on his run for

49:58

presidency from a legal perspective

49:59

obviously there's nothing in the

50:00

Constitution that you know says that uh

50:03

he he can cannot run um on the voting

50:05

part you know uh he's registered to vote

50:07

in Florida and they do sort of uh

50:10

concede to the state in which uh the

50:12

potential felony has been adjudicated

50:15

and in New York state any felon can vote

50:17

as long as they're not currently

50:19

incarcerated serving time so if he

50:21

doesn't serve any time um he will

50:24

definitely be able to vote and just in

50:27

researching and preparing for today I

50:29

did read though that if Donald Trump is

50:31

sentenced to probation he would be

50:34

required to clear any outof state travel

50:38

such as campaign rallies or fundraisers

50:41

with a probation officer well that is

50:45

abolutely true yeah I mean I guess that

50:48

can be done through staff and lawyers

50:50

but nevertheless something we haven't

50:52

seen before absolutely and that happens

50:55

every day I do that for my clients a lot

50:58

all the time um it is not fun dealing

51:01

with probation getting every little uh

51:04

you know detail of your life really

51:06

having them sign off on any time you

51:08

want to travel I do not see the former

51:11

president um you know conceding lightly

51:14

to this type of of probationary uh

51:16

sentence but nonetheless he he will have

51:19

to and then finally Caroline on grounds

51:22

for appeal what do you think um Trump's

51:24

attorneys could latch on to

51:27

there are a lot of grounds for appeal

51:29

here starting with um just the law the

51:31

statute under which uh the the the da

51:34

brought this case you know there's been

51:36

a lot said about this this this issue of

51:39

unanimity among jurors while you know

51:42

there the elements of the offense here

51:44

were reached unanimously there is this

51:46

added Little Hook here that the object

51:49

offense here the the New York state

51:50

election law conspiracy had to be uh

51:53

done through quote unquote unlawful

51:55

means the jurors did not have to find

51:57

unanimously with respect to what those

51:59

unlawful means were remember there were

52:01

three presented to them tax fraud uh F

52:04

violations and other falsification of

52:07

business records I think there are

52:09

potential due process issues um in that

52:12

statute and then uh with respect to the

52:15

the jury instructions you know they

52:16

weren't allowed to bring them back with

52:18

them there will be questions uh on just

52:21

how they arrived at their verdict um

52:23

there is a lot here I'm not convinced

52:26

that any will will take the day but I do

52:28

think that they are not frivolous

52:31

arguments Carolyn thank you I just want

52:34

to share with you what we're hearing

52:36

from our Pat mil Milton a producer out

52:39

there is said as soon as the verdict was

52:41

released the NYPD dramatically increased

52:45

their presence there you may have been

52:46

able to hear as Robert Costa was

52:48

speaking or Errol Barnett the NYPD

52:50

helicopters flying overhead of the

52:53

courthouse streets all locked down there

52:57

I think you still see the president's

52:58

motorcade there that's the shot uh there

53:01

there's some hundred mixed uh onlookers

53:04

protesters supporters there are Trump

53:07

supporters there wearing red Maga hats

53:09

they are gathered um so it is quite the

53:12

scene uh in Manhattan there for this

53:16

historic verdict just to remind everyone

53:19

just a short time ago learning that this

53:22

jury of 12 were unanimous in convicting

53:27

Donald Trump on all 34 counts and Donald

53:32

Trump will be sentenced now on July 11th

53:37

uh that date significant certainly as he

53:39

will become a convicted felon Just 4

53:42

days before the Republican National

53:46

Convention and uh

53:50

major this I I'm wondering what happens

53:54

now in the next couple weeks Donald

53:56

Trump can now campaign freely which he

53:58

has had trouble doing because he he has

54:00

had to appear in court every day right

54:02

so he can travel the country we don't

54:04

know what will happen on July 11th but

54:06

if he sends to probation he could still

54:08

be out there on the campaign Trail he

54:10

could still be out on the campaign Trail

54:11

providing it it's approved through all

54:13

the probationary processes which is also

54:16

Uncharted terrain and in the one sense

54:20

that I think this trial matters

54:21

politically is that for the former

54:24

president every day at the courthouse

54:26

was a day to prepare for this day he

54:29

knew that charges rendered against him

54:31

could result in a guilty verdict so how

54:33

do you prepare for that you don't

54:35

prepare for it psychologically not if

54:37

you're former president Trump you

54:38

prepare for it politically and seating

54:40

the clouds every single day with

54:43

deep-seated questions about the process

54:46

and the orientation of the judge the

54:49

jury the proceedings around it some of

54:52

it completely without factual basis some

54:55

of it driven in entirely by grievance

54:57

some of it completely ignoring the

54:59

underlying facts but some of it based on

55:01

his own gut sense that if he were

55:04

convicted what he had to do in that

55:05

intervening time however long this trial

55:07

took was prepare his supporters for the

55:09

idea that if it was a guilty verdict it

55:11

would be on its moment deemed fraudulent

55:14

and offensive to them that's the

55:18

political terrain that the former

55:19

president is occupied every single day

55:21

of this trial and it now takes on

55:24

greater significance because in his

55:26

rhetoric what I foretold has now

55:29

happened and I will campaign on that

55:31

basis want to bring in Edo Keefe who is

55:34

at the White House and has traveled

55:36

recently with President Biden out on the

55:39

campaign Trail what are you hearing from

55:42

Biden's advisers Nora we've just gotten

55:44

off the phone with white house and

55:46

campaign officials who tell us we will

55:47

not see or hear from the president for

55:50

the remainder of today he remains at his

55:52

home in reoboth Beach Delaware with his

55:54

family privately marking the death of

55:55

his son

55:57

campaign AIDS stress that the reaction

55:59

to this whatever it looks like in the

56:01

coming days is expected to be modest

56:04

because it is their view based on

56:06

polling done by us by other news

56:08

organizations by the campaign that this

56:11

is not going to move large blocks of

56:15

Voters in Battleground States in any

56:17

real measurable way that opinions on the

56:19

former president are pretty much baked

56:21

in and to that point we saw just minutes

56:24

after this verdict the former president

56:27

send an appeal to his supporters to

56:29

donate to his campaign calling him a

56:31

quote political prisoner we saw the

56:33

current president us his Twitter or X

56:36

account to blast out a fundraising

56:38

appeal to his supporters saying this

56:39

will all be determined in November and

56:42

so both of these campaigns now are

56:44

preparing for just that in the case of

56:46

the Biden campaign he was in

56:48

Philadelphia yesterday uh speaking about

56:50

the economy uh trying to sustain support

56:54

with black voters and Aid that I was

56:56

just speaking with remind us the plan is

56:58

to keep focused on issues like access to

57:01

abortion rights corporate greed you're

57:03

going into the month of June so you're

57:05

dealing with a lot of anniversaries

57:07

around mass shootings and that's

57:09

expected to be part of his focus and on

57:10

the world stage he'll be in France and

57:12

Italy in the next two weeks meeting with

57:14

European leaders there's news this

57:15

afternoon from here uh regarding the

57:18

expansion of the military operations in

57:19

Ukraine just be presidential and allow

57:22

that contrast to stand alongside what

57:24

we're seeing on the streets of New York

57:26

and uh and continue to play out we now

57:29

I'm being handed a statement from the

57:33

White House council's office and this

57:34

will stand Nora as the only official

57:36

comment from the White House today

57:38

spokesman for the White House council's

57:39

Office saying quote we respect the rule

57:41

of law and have no additional comment

57:45

Nora Edo ke thank you very much I want

57:49

to bring back in sance as we watch the

57:53

president's motorcade uh

57:56

leave the courthouse there and um s

58:02

thank you again for staying with us and

58:03

it's great to have your expertise as the

58:05

former Manhattan district attorney so

58:08

Trump would likely have to visit this

58:09

probation office is that now what is

58:11

that like well he like every other

58:14

defendant is going to be interviewed by

58:16

the probation department because the

58:17

probation department makes a

58:19

recommendation to the judge regarding

58:21

sentence as a as a state organizational

58:24

matter uh I I don't know why that he was

58:27

you know he was uh checking that off

58:30

that box out while he was still in court

58:32

more likely he was staying there because

58:34

of the security issues that they wanted

58:36

to have uh locked down between

58:38

courthouse and uh and and his Trump

58:41

trump

58:42

residents yeah and Sai um Major Garrett

58:46

has a question for you Sai so good to

58:49

have you with us could you from your

58:51

perspective answer or inform parts of

58:55

the country that hear former president

58:58

Trump say this case never should have

59:00

been brought there is no crime it is so

59:04

novel as to stretch all understood

59:06

bounds of prosecution even in Manhattan

59:10

those are I think the core accusations

59:12

meant to undermine what we're seeing

59:14

playing out today can you address

59:17

those well I first of all you got to go

59:21

through a process before you charge

59:23

anyone let alone a president of uh

59:26

presenting a case to a grand jury those

59:27

grand jury minutes are reviewed by a

59:29

judge uh the judge goes through

59:31

innumerable layers of motions to dismiss

59:34

I reject the claim that judge rashan is

59:37

biased obviously the former president

59:39

would disagree with that but I think he

59:41

is a very middle of the road a smart

59:44

disciplined jurist and I think he

59:46

deserves huge credit for managing uh a

59:50

very very difficult case and and a very

59:52

very difficult client so uh I don't it's

59:56

easy to blame New York it's easy to

59:57

blame the Manhattan DA's office uh we

60:00

were the far first office

60:02

to indict his his altero company and and

60:07

pursue investigations against him but

60:09

that's because he he you know it's

60:11

because of what he did not because of

60:13

politics Sai let me ask you you know

60:16

judge meran um certainly within the the

60:19

legal system do you think he will

60:21

sentence Donald Trump to

60:24

prison I doubt it

60:26

um I doubt

60:28

it and uh but giving what judge ban wide

60:32

rum to not uh you know I'm telling him

60:36

anything about what to do I I think

60:41

that if this were an ordinary more

60:43

ordinary case uh given that Alan

60:46

weiselberg was sent to three months in

60:48

prison and then another three months for

60:49

lying that his boss Donald Trump in any

60:53

other world would probably be getting an

60:57

equivalent sentence uh a sentence of

60:59

jail is not required for an E felony

61:01

which is what he's been convicted of now

61:03

uh and your other panelists have said

61:05

there are lots of options from court

61:07

from uh home arrests to uh checking in

61:11

with the probation before leaving the

61:13

state the lots of ways that they can try

61:14

to control uh the president's Behavior

61:17

yeah I heard I heard what you said s

61:19

that you doubt that judge Maran would

61:22

sentence Donald Trump to prison time but

61:26

if he did sentence him to prison time do

61:28

you think he would Grant

61:31

Bond on his appeal while he makes the

61:38

appeal I honestly don't see a world in

61:41

which Donald Trump is sentenced to

61:44

jail I think that's an important

61:47

clarification yeah an an important uh

61:50

and I appreciate that cyance I want to

61:52

just bring in Katrina Kaufman she is

61:55

also there

61:56

outside the courthouse in Katrina I know

61:58

you were inside you saw Donald Trump up

62:01

close um share with us your

62:06

reporting I was sitting right there as

62:08

Donald Trump exited the courtroom after

62:11

this verdict a very deep frown on his

62:13

face followed by his attorney Todd

62:15

blanch who looked equally upset and his

62:18

son Eric and as the jury had come into

62:21

the room before to deliver the verdict

62:23

Trump was looking towards them and none

62:25

of them looked him in the eye as they

62:27

walked by and also when each one was

62:31

confirming that they agreed with this

62:33

verdict that the foran had read he

62:34

looked over at each juror one by one as

62:38

they affirmed the verdict um his son

62:41

Eric was sitting behind him that whole

62:43

time and when they got up he and Eric

62:45

had a little bit of a handshake before

62:47

they exited the room but I can't

62:49

describe to you the feeling of tension

62:52

as well as we waited for the verdict to

62:54

come down we we got about a 20 minute

62:57

warning from when the jury sent a note

62:59

to the judge and we found out we were

63:01

all just sitting there and you really

63:03

could have just cut through that tension

63:04

with a knife but clearly this was a very

63:07

difficult moment for him I was watching

63:09

him as well as the verdict came down and

63:11

he just had this very blank look on his

63:14

face his eyes were so squinted that it

63:16

was almost hard to tell if they were

63:18

even open during part of the time that

63:20

the foreman was reading that he was

63:22

guilty on each of these 34 charges

63:26

Katrina thank you and just to recap what

63:29

we have learned in the last hour this

63:32

historic decision Donald Trump found

63:36

guilty on all 34 counts this is the

63:40

first time in history that this has

63:42

happened with a former president he is

63:44

also the Republican nominee for

63:46

president and will be sentenced 4 days

63:49

before the Republican National

63:51

Convention in Milwaukee this July and

63:56

just after um a presidential debate as

63:59

well the first this summer uh against

64:03

Joe Biden which will be musse TV no less

64:07

um I want to ask about that because I

64:10

think many people look at sometimes I

64:11

just want to step back for a second when

64:13

we show National polls or you read about

64:16

National polls about the mood of the

64:17

country those are the mood of the

64:21

national electorate but a presidential

64:23

race is decided in Battleground States

64:25

sure and it will be decided in seven key

64:28

Battleground States just like it was in

64:30

the last election and of those seven

64:32

Battleground States that's what we'll be

64:34

looking at closely too is does this sway

64:38

that small percentage or two of Voters

64:40

either way does it bring some of Trump's

64:43

supporters who've been on the fence and

64:44

say you know what this is this was

64:46

rigged I'm really angry I want to change

64:48

the country and they decide to come back

64:50

or do some of those Independents in

64:51

these key seven Battleground States say

64:54

you know what I kind of like Trump I

64:55

like some of the things he did on the

64:56

economy or an immigration but this just

64:58

can't go on I will cast my vote for Joe

65:01

Biden or I'll stay home I mean that's

65:02

the question that we are that confronts

65:04

us now in terms of the political Arena

65:06

correct exactly and there's polling data

65:08

in let's just say three of those

65:09

Battleground States Pennsylvania

65:11

Michigan and Wisconsin that show

65:13

anywhere from 10 to 15% believe if

65:15

there's a guilty ver verdict it might

65:17

influence how they approach their

65:19

vote well that's not a sizable total in

65:23

the 100% context but in States like

65:25

Wisconsin decided by 20,000 Michigan

65:28

decided by 180,000 Pennsylvania decided

65:31

in 2020 by 880,000

65:33

suddenly that number that percentage of

65:36

people whose votes actually they thought

65:39

beforehand could be influenced and

65:41

possibly negatively about Trump if he's

65:42

found guilty well suddenly that becomes

65:46

very very important for the former

65:48

president and for President Biden but I

65:50

would say this about that polling data

65:52

it's instructive Nora but it is not

65:54

reliable because until this moment

65:56

happens until this history lands before

65:59

all of us we don't know what our

66:01

attitude is going to be now we're

66:02

beginning that process I'm interested

66:04

what happens to the polls after this

66:06

remarkable three or four weeks we're

66:08

about to experience in America where

66:09

there's a presidential debate between

66:11

two men who've had the job before a

66:14

president of the United States now out

66:15

of office being sentenced for a felony

66:18

and then a Republican National

66:20

Convention and somewhere in between we

66:22

also can find out what the Supreme Court

66:24

is going to let happen here ining

66:25

Wasington on the 2020 election

66:27

conspiracy case and whether that trial

66:29

will go forward whether even goes

66:31

forward all of that happening in this

66:33

finite period of J you cover the court

66:35

so closely what do you think happens

66:38

with the Supreme Court that there they

66:39

will say that he's not completely immune

66:41

from there I mean because you know

66:44

Donald Trump is saying he's absolutely

66:46

IM immune from prosecution in the

66:47

January 6 stuff um they're not going to

66:49

go along with that but the the appeals

66:52

court kind of said well you know no

66:55

Donald Trump you're you can be

66:56

prosecuted for pretty much anything I

66:58

think they're going to find some Middle

66:59

Ground where there's some immunity what

67:02

is it and what does that mean that means

67:04

that we're going to get a decision

67:05

potentially at the end of June um is the

67:07

court going to send it back to a lower

67:09

court and then is that going to further

67:10

delay this trial but practically

67:12

speaking what does that mean so if there

67:13

is some limited immunity that would be

67:15

things that he did while he was presing

67:17

so would that cover then these

67:19

classified documents or January 6th

67:21

those trials could then go forward yes

67:23

yes potentially absolutely I I do not

67:26

see the Supreme Court in this case

67:27

shutting off those Federal trials there

67:30

may limit some of the charges but

67:32

they're not going to say Donald Trump

67:34

cannot be prosecuted in federal court

67:36

but I that will again convulse the

67:38

nation don't you think no I don't I

67:40

think yes it'll be a big headline and

67:42

it's going to be a big story but this is

67:44

the earthquake this is the trial this is

67:47

the conviction that Donald Trump's

67:49

opponents wanted and they got there's

67:51

going to be tremendous validation many

67:53

people believe the system would work as

67:55

it intended I think the the big headline

67:58

that we just heard a few moments ago

68:00

though was from Alvin Bragg's

68:01

predecessor when you asked him is Donald

68:04

Trump going to jail I mean he's facing

68:07

multiple years in prison as a result of

68:09

this conviction and he said he can't see

68:12

a scenario that he would go to jail for

68:14

this so now we have a situation where

68:16

he's been convicted of falsifying

68:18

business records with intent to cover up

68:21

a crime that voters really didn't

68:23

wouldn't have cared about in 2016

68:25

um and are people actually going to care

68:28

and is that going to affect those polls

68:30

well it's an excellent question and

68:31

fortunately we have Nicole Killian who

68:33

is out on the campaign Trail she's in

68:35

the Battleground state of Pennsylvania

68:38

she's been talking to voters and Nicole

68:40

I'm dying to know what you've been

68:42

learning as you have been out there

68:43

speaking with

68:45

people yeah well Nora unsurprisingly

68:48

some of the reaction has largely fallen

68:50

on party lines as you mentioned this is

68:52

a critical Battleground state but this

68:54

area of Allentown in the Lehigh Valley

68:56

is really a bellweather uh for the state

68:59

of Pennsylvania so we did talk to some

69:01

democratic voters some Republican voters

69:03

of course many Democrats tell us that

69:05

they believe the former president should

69:07

have been convicted but many Republican

69:09

voters that we talk to feel that the

69:11

system is broken that this was just a

69:13

political trial and a political decision

69:16

that being said one Republican voter I

69:18

spoke to in particular is still wavering

69:21

to a certain extent in terms of his vote

69:23

this is somebody who supported the

69:24

former president back in 2016 and 2020

69:28

but is not sure whether he will support

69:30

the former president going forward Nora

69:33

that is really interesting Nicole thank

69:35

you so much uh for your reporting there

69:38

it has been a historic day here in

69:40

America the first ever criminal trial of

69:42

a president ends in conviction former

69:45

president Donald J Trump convicted on 34

69:49

felony counts of falsifying business

69:51

records in the first degree related to

69:54

those hush money payments each of the 34

69:57

felony counts is punishable by up to 4

70:01

years in prison but it is up to the

70:03

judge to sentence Trump to jail prison

70:07

home confinement probation or a fine and

70:10

we will learn the former president's

70:12

sentence on July 11th that is just 4

70:15

days before the Republican National

70:18

Convention the former president is a

70:20

convicted felon but that does not

70:22

prevent him from running from running

70:24

for office for another term in the White

70:26

House and it is important also to note

70:28

that he can't pardon himself if he does

70:31

become president again because this is a

70:33

State Crime once again the breaking news

70:36

former president Donald Trump has been

70:38

found guilty by a jury of 12 unanimous

70:42

on all 34 counts of falsifying business

70:45

records our coverage will continue on

70:47

CBS News 247 local news and tonight

70:49

we'll have a full wrap up on the CBS

70:52

evening news thank you to everyone that

70:54

joined us this has been a CBS News

70:55

special report

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العلامات ذات الصلة
Donald TrumpCriminal TrialGuilty VerdictHush MoneyPresidential ElectionLegal PrecedentPolitical ImpactNew York CourtRepublican PartyAppeal Process
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