Dear Commons Community,

Former President Donald Trump was found guilty on all counts in his New York criminal hush money trial, which centered on allegations that he falsified business records to hide a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trump is the first former U.S. president convicted of a crime.

Prosecutors initially charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. They alleged Trump falsified the records to conceal unlawfully interfering in the 2016 presidential election through the $130,000 hush money payment, making the falsification charges felonies.

The more-than six weeks-long trial against the presumptive Republican presidential nominee was the first criminal trial in United States history against a former president. Trump’s conviction marks another historic moment, with an uncertain impact on the 2024 presidential election.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said he did not have any response to Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on the prosecutor and his staff, but he praised his office.

“I did my job. Our job is to follow the facts and the law without fear or favor. That’s exactly what we did here,” Bragg said. “I did my job. We did our job. Many voices out there. The only voice that matters is the voice of the jury and the jury has spoken.”

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg dodged a question about whether he would seek jail time when Trump is sentenced July 11.

“We will speak at that time,” Bragg said.

Bragg also declined to say whether he would oppose a request from Trump to remain free while he appeals the verdict. Bragg said prosecutors would respond formally at sentencing July 11.

“I’m going to let our words in court speak for themselves,” Bragg said.

Justice served!

Tony