Overview
Donald Trump was convicted of 34 counts of Falsifying Business Records in the first degree due to covering hush money his lawyer paid for him during the 2016 United States presidential election to keep certain stories about him from leaking.(Forbes, Dorn)
Background
Michael Cohen’s campaign felonies
During the 2016 United States presidential election, Donald Trump and his lawyer at the time, Michael Cohen was paying off women that Trump allegedly slept with while he was married. The reason they did this was not only to make sure they didn’t go public, but more specifically, they paid them off so that he could secure the 2016 United States presidential election. Since Cohen paid the women off for political purposes and coordinated with the political candidate in question, this counted as a campaign contribution. Since the maximum amount for a campaign contribution by an individual is 130,000, that meant that Cohen broke the law, specifically The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.(DoJ) He was also charged with lying to congress during his testimony.(Politico) (PBS News) (AP News)
Trump’s connection to the Cohen case
After Cohen paid off the women, Trump repaid Cohen for the hush money through 34 payments, which is why Trump was convicted of 34 charges of Falsifying Business Records. Ordinarily, Falsifying Business Records is a misdemeanor, however, because Trump did it to cover up another crime, it raises the misdemeanor to a felony.(Forbes, Dorn) (New York § 175.05) (New York § 175.10)
Quote
§ 175.10 Falsifying business records in the first degree.
A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree
when he commits the crime of falsifying business records in the second
degree, and when his intent to defraud includes an intent to commit
another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof.Falsifying business records in the first degree is a class E felony.(New York § 175.10)
Judge potential bias
The judge overseeing the case, Judge Juan Merchan, donated 15 for Biden and $10 each for the Progressive Turnout Project and Stop Republicans. His daughter also participated in works to benefit Democrats.(Reuters, Freifeld) (Reuters, Freifeld)Despite these donations, however, they were made over two years prior to the case starting and the donations were small enough to not affect any legality with impartially in the courts, according to the New York’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics.(ABA Journal, Weiss) (SEC)
Juror shitposter
There was a juror who has been claimed to be biased against Trump in a Facebook message made to their cousin. The post was later found to be made by someone named Michael Anderson,.(Forbes, Bushard) A message from the page reads ”““intentionally designed to derail discussions or cause the biggest reaction with the least effort,” along with “Take it easy… I’m a professional shitposter,” so it’s likely fake.(INDEPENDENT, Marcus)