(MENAFN- Live Mint) "Donald Trump, former US president and Republican candidate, was found guilty in the first criminal trial of a former US president in the nation's history. The latest guilty verdict in Donald Trump's Manhattan criminal trial could reshape the political landscape five months before Election Day.
The leading candidates in the US presidential race, President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, have set in for an atypical situation this time ahead of the general election scheduled for November this year. Since one of the leading candidates is a convicted felon, this underscoring an unprecedented scenario in US political history read: Donald Trump convicted in hush money criminal case. Here's what happens nextIt is noteworthy that Donald Trump leads Joe Biden in most polls after surviving two impeachments and numerous other scandals. On May 30, he was found guilty of falsifying business records as part of a scheme to unlawfully affect the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actress who claimed they had an encounter read: Donald Trump convicted: Shares in Trump Media slump after former president found guilty in hush money trialAs per the US Constitution, the presidential candidate must be at least 35 years old and a US citizen to run for elections who should have lived in the country for 14 years. Thus, a criminal conviction will have no impact on his ability to become president. Even if the former US President were sentenced to prison before the election, he could continue with his campaign. Considering opinion polls, a conviction could cost Trump votes in the upcoming elections read: Trump Guilty Verdict Adds Twist to 2024 Race: A Convicted FelonIs Donald Trump eligible to cast a vote?Donald Trump can cast a vote for himself in Florida in November's election as long as he stays out of prison in New York state. Donald Trump resides in Florida, and as per laws of this particular state, the voting rights of people with felony convictions are restricted.A University of Florida political scientist, Michael McDonald, in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), stated,“His rights depend on his sentencing.” He is known to have tracked his state's felony disenfranchisement rules which are different from other states' rules for residents convicted of out-of-state felonies Bowie of the Campaign Legal Center, in a post, stated,“If a Floridian's voting rights are restored in the state of conviction, they are restored under Florida law,” reported AP. He highlighted that Florida's complex rules often confuse people without Donald Trump's legal resources read: Donald Trump convicted: Biden campaign echoes White House words, 'no one is above law'; Trump calls himself 'innocent'In the case of
Donald Trump, New York law stipulates that the right to vote is only revoked for individuals convicted of felonies during their incarceration. Upon release, their voting rights are automatically reinstated, even on parole, according to a law enacted by New York's Democratic legislature in 2021 Trump will not be able to pardon himself of state charges in New York even after being elected as president again since the president's pardon power applies only to federal crimes.(With inputs from AP Bloomberg)

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