Dear MoveOn member,
Last night, Trump was convicted on a staggering 34 felony counts—making him the first former president in history to be convicted of a felony. Twelve ordinary Americans did their civic duty, weighed the evidence, and concluded that Trump is guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a conspiracy to deceive voters ahead of the 2016 election.1 This is an important step toward holding Trump accountable for the many crimes he's committed, but it's just the beginning.
His sentencing is scheduled for July 11, just a few days before the Republican National Convention, and Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case, has discretion in deciding the sentencing. Trump could face up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $170,000—or he could only be charged a fine, or sentenced just to probation or home confinement.2 The entire country is watching to see how Judge Merchan will proceed—and if he will deliver a fair and just sentence that reflects the seriousness of Trump's felonies.
We have two systems of justice in America—one for the wealthy and privileged, and another for everyone else. Time and time again we've seen bias and injustice play out in our criminal justice system. The wealthy and privileged are able to buy their way out of accountability, while poor and working-class people, LGBTQ+ communities, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian American and Pacific Islander people, and other marginalized groups are overpoliced, criminalized, and harshly sentenced.
Our elected leaders should be held to the highest standards. With all eyes watching, it's important for Judge Merchan to deliver on the promise of the American legal system, and make sure the will of the people is reflected fairly and justly in the sentencing. Sentencing in America can often be overly punitive and our justice system is far from perfect. But in this case, it's critical that the judge take a balanced and serious approach and, in respect of the jury's decision, clearly hold Trump accountable.
Trump's three other trials have been frustratingly stalled and delayed, a tactic that Trump is intentionally weaponizing in order to block accountability and avoid going to trial before November's election. But this verdict confirms what we already know: that we, the people, have the power to hold Trump accountable—through the courts and at the ballot box.
For months Trump has been lying, bullying, and trying to intimidate his way out of accountability. He has made it clear that he believes he is above the law. The American people have reminded him that he's not. And now it's up to Judge Merchan to make it clear in Trump's sentencing that his attempts to deceive voters and undermine our democracy are not just unacceptable, they are illegal, and that he will be held responsible.
Thanks for all you do.
–Aliya, Kelsey, Amy, Noor, and the rest of the team
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