This past month, former President Donald Trump has once again made headlines for another series of legal troubles. Despite facing 91 felony counts and attending court for a civil fraud case in New York regarding his business practices, none of Trump’s allegations ever appear to lead to serious repercussions; Trump’s reputation among his followers remains intact. Donald Trump’s myriad of court cases are proving difficult to keep track of, an issue that should never apply to a former president nevertheless a prominent candidate for this upcoming presidential election.
The lack of definitive resolutions and repercussions leaves Americans pondering if the law will ever catch up to Trump. Throughout October, the businessman turned politician has been engaged in a civil law case filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James against Trump, his sons, and his former aide, Allen Weisselberg. This case concerns Trump’s alleged incorrect reporting on the value of his namesake business and ownership in order to lower his tax bills and obtain better loans. The presiding judge, Justice Arthur Engoron, delivered a significant ruling on September 26th that Trump had indeed fraudulently inflated his assets. Trump now awaits the ruling on his financial consequences which casts uncertainty over whether he can continue to run his businesses in New York if anywhere.
Rewinding to June of this year, Trump was indicted for withholding classified United States documents in his Mar-A-Lago home. This trial to determine his guilt or innocence is set for May of 2024 and many are hopeful that the evidence will provide a straightforward case. Additionally, this past May, a jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming Elizabeth Jean Carroll, though this seemed to bear little weight on his supporters. Trump remains ahead of any other candidate in the Republican polls by 46%. Furthermore, Trump will be in court in March of 2024 for federal charges of election subversion which potentially hold great significance for American democracy.
It is easy to get lost in the jumble of legal proceedings, however, as the 2024 presidential election approaches, Donald Trump remains an imminent threat. There is hope that amongst these vast charges, some will come to fruition and hold Trump accountable, but what would this mean for his extensive support network?
History teachers at CRLS share similar concerns. Ms. Rachel Otty told the Register Forum, “I’m hopeful that Republicans will shift towards a different candidate because I believe, similar to the way many Democrats view Biden, that Trump is not their first choice but vote for him because he is there. However, it is unclear how likely this is.” Other teachers don’t express such optimism, “I believe that for Trump, any press is good press and if anything, Trump’s constant media attention will garner more political support and funds from his base,” said Ms. Rachel Williams-Giordano to the Register Forum. Will these unwavering supporters remain steadfast if any of these charges lead to a conviction, leaving Trump, in a sense, untouchable, or will there finally be an end to Trump’s looming presence on the political landscape? These questions may not be fully answered until the 2024 presidential election.
This article also appears in our October 2024 print edition.
