Politics

Lawyer: Trump will be convicted before 2024 election, regardless of delays

By Jake Beardslee · March 2, 2024

Former President Donald Trump could still be convicted in his federal classified documents case before the 2024 election, according to legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner. Despite delays in setting a trial date, Kirschner believes the strength of the evidence against Trump will lead to a resolution well in advance of the November polls.

Trump faces 40 felony counts related to his handling of classified materials retrieved from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida by the FBI in August 2022. While federal prosecutors have requested a July 8 trial date, Trump’s legal team has pushed for a post-election start. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, appointed by Trump in 2020, has yet to rule on the schedule but hinted that the prosecutors’ request may be unrealistic.

In a YouTube video on Friday, Kirschner stated, “The evidence is strong. So, at least, Donald Trump, it looks like he’ll be tried, will be convicted, will be sentenced, given the strength and the quality of the evidence. That case will be resolved well in advance of the 2024 presidential election and then the American voters will at least have some sense of who they’re casting their ballot for. Likely, a convicted felon.”

Trump also faces federal charges connected to alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, which he claims was stolen from him due to widespread voter fraud, despite the lack of supporting evidence. Additionally, Georgia prosecutors have charged Trump and 18 others in an unlawful conspiracy to overturn the state’s 2020 election results. Both cases are currently on hold pending court rulings.

Meanwhile, a New York trial regarding charges that Trump falsified records associated with alleged “hush money” payments to Stormy Daniels is set to begin on March 25. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges in the three criminal indictments.