Should Donald Trump be Sentenced to Jail for 34 Felonies?

[F1fan]

Bet he reneges on doing the debates. His deterioration would be on display. Can't have that.

I agree. I was doubtful that he would debate in the first place. I've read reporting that Trump has been struggling to read prepared statements at rallies, and getting distracted, and preferring to off the cuff ranting. This is bad since the prepared texts are surely more policy statements, and as time goes on voters will want to know what he intends to do if elected. His ranting will look unhinged and disturbing to independents when comparing it to Biden's clear statements.

We still don't know what independents want. They may be more like disgruntled MAGAs who just want some guy to complain since neither candidate can make inflation go away. Independents have to answer Kennedy's question: "What can you do for your country?" Is the answer emotional, or rational?

FINALLY!
An actual reason.

Though a rather weak one IMO.

Can not help but wonder if the sentencing will be more harsh because of the SS...?

I doubt it, but one can always hope.

House arrest will solve that dilemma. Trump being off the nation's streets and not getting in the way of business as usual is a good community service in my view. It'll save the USA money, too. It'll save money for all the cities where Trump want's to pollute with his presence.

 

[PureX]

I expect that an appropriate result from this conviction would be that the court would appoint someone to oversee how Trump allocates money in the future, since the conviction is for the deliberate misappropriation of funds and the deliberate lying to authorities about it. Then if Trump continues to thwart this oversight, jail time would probably have to be the result.

I also see no logical reason to try and confine Trump to the state of New York, especially as he doesn't even live there.

 

[Wandering Monk]

I expect that an appropriate result from this conviction would be that the court would appoint someone to oversee how Trump allocates money in the future, since the conviction is for the deliberate misappropriation of funds and the deliberate lying to authorities about it. Then if Trump continues to thwart this oversight, jail time would probably have to be the result.

I also see no logical reason to try and confine Trump to the state of New York, as especially he doesn't even live there.

There is already an independent monitory of Trump finances as a result of his defamation trial in NY.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/14/-trump-org-gets-independent-monitor-to-oversee-financial-reporting.html

 

[McBell]

House arrest will solve that dilemma. Trump being off the nation's streets and not getting in the way of business as usual is a good community service in my view. It'll save the USA money, too. It'll save money for all the cities where Trump want's to pollute with his presence.

Has Trump ever paid the bills from his last two campaign trails?
I have not heard anything more since it was revealed he owes several cities for extra security, etc.

 

[PureX]

There is already an independent monitory of Trump finances as a result of his defamation trial in NY.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/14/-trump-org-gets-independent-monitor-to-oversee-financial-reporting.html

But this would be specifically related to campaign funds, I think. It would be good to see that campaign donations did not get used to pay for his defamation judgment.

 

[F1fan]

I expect that an appropriate result from this conviction would be that the court would appoint someone to oversee how Trump allocates money in the future, since the conviction is for the deliberate misappropriation of funds and the deliberate lying to authorities about it. Then if Trump continues to thwart this oversight, jail time would probably have to be the result.

I also see no logical reason to try and confine Trump to the state of New York, especially as he doesn't even live there.

There's always Cuba.

 

[McBell]

I also see no logical reason to try and confine Trump to the state of New York, especially as he doesn't even live there.

I agree.
And to be completely honest, I am not sure it is even an option in this case.

 

[PureX]

Has Trump ever paid the bills from his last two campaign trails?
I have not heard anything more since it was revealed he owes several cities for extra security, etc.

That's a whole other can of legal worms with Trump. He has routinely 'stiffed' vendors his whole adult life because he knows that they can't afford the exorbitant cost of litigating him for it. But that's really more of a failure of our legal system. These cities could sue him for those costs, but in all honesty, they should have known up front that they were never going to get paid for any services they rendered for him. So they're just stuck with the cost of their own foolishness.

 

[Stonetree]

Why would you feel concern, the judge has been very reasonable and given quite a bit of tolerance for Trump's actions. And what radical reaction are you referring to?

Remarks of the Speaker of the House and others kissing up to Trump trying to position themselves favorably to be his running mate along with an increase of inverted American flags and a sentence viewed as too harsh could fuel retaliation from radical Trump supporters. e.g. The attack on Mr. Pelosi or 'Jan.6' is my concern. This may also be a concern for Judge Merchan.

 

[McBell]

That's a whole other can of legal worms with Trump. He has routinely 'stiffed' vendors his whole adult life because he knows that they can't afford the exorbitant cost of litigating him for it. But that's really more of a failure of our legal system. These cities could sue him for those costs, but in all honesty, they should have known up front that they were never going to get paid for any services they rendered for him. So they're just stuck with the cost of their own foolishness.

I agree.

The only reason I brought it up was in agreement with:

"It'll save the USA money, too. It'll save money for all the cities where Trump want's to pollute with his presence." Post #61​

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Considering he’s a first time offender, jail time for these crimes would be excessive. He should get probation.

Agree. Whatever else we may think, let's now hope that the justice system treats him as it would any other American. And first offenders, for what are technically minor felonies, very seldom get jail time. Judge Merchan has been bending over backwards to treat Trump fairly, despite Trump's bizarre efforts not to deserve it. I think if he gave Trump jail time now, that would just be fodder the Trump martyr-mill.

 

[We Never Know]

FINALLY!
An actual reason.

Though a rather weak one IMO.

Can not help but wonder if the sentencing will be more harsh because of the SS...?

I doubt it, but one can always hope.

I didn't think it was that hard to think about and figure out. Its not like its rocket science.
Maybe I give to much credit when I shouldn't.

 

[F1fan]

Remarks of the Speaker of the House and others kissing up to Trump trying to position themselves favorably to be his running mate along with an increase of inverted American flags and a sentence viewed as too harsh could fuel retaliation from radical Trump supporters. e.g. The attack on Mr. Pelosi or 'Jan.6' is my concern. This may also be a concern for Judge Merchan.

I think after Jan 6 MAGAs are hesitant to organize any violence, expecially since the FBI is doing a superb job monitoring extremists. It's the lone wolf actor that can't be predicted or defended against. The dilemma for MAGAs is that any violent act will have a negative impact on Trump given his calls for violence, so they are in a sort of dilemma. Of course, this assumes the MAGA lone wolf is rational at any level and can ponder consequences.

I would have concern for Merchan's daughter who has been a massive target by not only Trump and online nutcases, but also republicans in congress. They should know better. They involving themselves against a citizen is a huge breach of ethics and trust. Totally unacceptable. If anything happens to her they should all face some legal, or at least ethical, consequence for their MAGA rhetoric. She had nothing to do with the judge's role in the trial. They should denouce Trump's comments and protect her right to privacy.

 

[Stonetree]

Yeah, but these are generally low traffic areas that shouldn't be hard to control access to, especially if they are not announced beforehand.

Just a reference to your election work: I received a postcard indicating my ballot was received. I don't recall if that happened in the past but it is a good idea. IMO

 

[McBell]

I didn't think it was that hard to think about and figure out. Its not like its rocket science.
Maybe I give to much credit when I shouldn't.

Interesting.
I did not think it should have been so difficult to simply present an example....

 

[Revoltingest]

Lock him up.
His behavior during the trial shows denial,
contempt, & no remorse. Punishment
should have some significant effect on him.
Any fine would be de minimis. And his
acolytes would cover it. Community service
would even be a campaign venue for him.
He's gotta suffer.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

Bet he reneges on doing the debates.

This is the same problem as with whether he would testify. Did/does Trump understand that these are bad ideas for him? He thinks that he's the smartest person in any room he's in, and loves to hear himself talk, but Trump said that the reason he did not testify is that his lawyers wouldn't let him. As I understand things, they couldn't stop him if he had insisted, so they must have convinced him not to.

Will his handlers be able to talk him out of debating if that's what he wants to do, or does he already understand what a bad choice that would be? He didn't understand what a bad decision appearing at the Libertarian convention was.

I'm guessing like you that there will be no debates, whether that's because Trump appreciates the danger to him or if not, that he can be talked into not debating. If so, it will be interesting to see how he frames weaseling out of it. It's been speculated that that's what the drug testing demand was all about, but that shouldn't be an obstacle for Biden. He can agree to that with or without Trump having to be tested as well.

Trump's place of residency is Florida, not New York. Assuming he gets probation, I'm curious if they will let him transfer his probation to his home state.

Maybe, but he would still have the same problem of needing permission to leave Florida. It's just a technicality, as I'm sure that it would be granted automatically in every case, but it's a constant reminder to him like an ankle bracelet and house arrest would be if the judge goes that route that he's on a short leash now and that his rights have been truncated.

 

[Alien826]

I'm not an expert on how judges determine these things, but I think he should get exactly the same sentence as an ordinary person would in the same circumstances. No allowance for the fact he's a running for election, no fear of civil unrest, just apply the guidelines.

I think we've all become too scared of this guy. Stand up to him and let the consequences be what they will. And, it's about time we all woke up to the fact that this country is in danger of going over a metaphorical cliff, which will benefit nobody.

 

[Alien826]

One thing you need to remember... Where ever you want him to go, the SS goes with him.

No! That was Hitler.

Oh, OK Secret Service. Interesting thought though. I can't see them going to jail with him. Perhaps they would decide that he was safe in jail, with reasonable precautions.

 

[Pogo]

Agree. Whatever else we may think, let's now hope that the justice system treats him as it would any other American. And first offenders, for what are technically minor felonies, very seldom get jail time. Judge Merchan has been bending over backwards to treat Trump fairly, despite Trump's bizarre efforts not to deserve it. I think if he gave Trump jail time now, that would just be fodder the Trump martyr-mill.

Agreed, jail is excessive, fines are pointless since we don't fine proportional to income like some European speeding fines, probation for something it would be hard for him to do again isn't much of anything. That said the idea that he does have a debt to society for his infraction of societies rules and should get something beyond a slap on the wrist, I think community service of some kind is appropriate.

My idea of trash picking in a swamp may not be feasible, but it is poetic.