By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

On a cool Thursday afternoon, in a New York courtroom, history was made as a somber Donald Trump, former president of the United States, listened to a jury pronounce him guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He sat slack, becoming the first former president ever to be convicted of a crime. “Our whole country is being rigged right now,” Trump declared. “This is being done by the Biden administration to wound or hurt a political opponent.” That statement is unequivocally false. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is the local prosecutor in Trump’s New York trial, and the case had nothing to do with President Biden or his administration. Trump was convicted of falsifying business records as part of a scheme to cover up a sex scandal that threatened to erupt while he was running for president in 2016.

Prosecutors argued it was an unlawful effort to influence that election. But Trump has tried to turn that accusation on its head, calling it the “Biden trial,” “election interference,” and a “witch hunt.” His allies quickly echoed these sentiments. Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake described the verdict as “the most egregious example of election interference and an outright mockery of the rule of law in the 246-year history of our Republic.” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the trial a “purely political exercise, not a legal one,” accusing the Biden administration of weaponizing the justice system. That strategy aims to erode public faith in the system that convicted Trump, a move likely to worry Republicans and Democrats alike about the future of American democracy. “This was a conviction by a jury of Americans who listened to the evidence and made their decision,” Rachel Kleinfeld, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the New York Times. “When you undermine courts the way that elections have already been undermined, there is no peaceful way to settle differences.”

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For Trump and his campaign, the party line is clear: grievance, anger, and a call for revenge. Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican Senate candidate, faced immediate backlash from Trump’s senior advisor, Chris LaCivita, for urging Americans to respect the verdict and legal process. “You just ended your campaign,” LaCivita retorted. “I couldn’t help but think throughout this trial of Donald Trump sitting through days of testimony in Manhattan Criminal Court,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton. “This is the same building that Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise all passed into, day after day, as they endured a show trial for a crime they did not commit. These children had to hear vitriol from people whose anger was incited by a man who spent a small fortune on full-page ads calling for their execution. Now the shoe is on the other foot. Donald Trump is the criminal, and those five men are exonerated.”

Judge Merchan has scheduled Trump’s sentencing for July 11, allowing Trump to remain free until then. Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts, each carrying a potential sentence of up to four years. However, legal experts consider that he will unlikely receive a cumulative sentence exceeding four years. Merchan also has the option to impose probation instead of prison time. Before sentencing, Trump will meet with a psychologist or social worker to present his case for a more lenient punishment. Even if Merchan does impose a prison sentence, Trump might not have to serve it immediately. The judge could permit him to stay free while his appeals are processed, which could take months or even years. This could potentially extend beyond Election Day and reach the Supreme Court.

Despite his conviction, Trump can still run for president. The Constitution does not disqualify him from holding office due to a felony conviction. He could even campaign from prison. If elected while incarcerated, Trump would not have the power to pardon himself for state charges. However, he could argue that his imprisonment hindered his ability to fulfill presidential duties and that he might seek legal avenues for release. “I’m reminded of Dr. King’s proverb that the arc of history is long,” Sharpton concluded. “But it bends toward justice.”

The post Trump’s Conviction Sparks Accusations and Deepens Divisions first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Having already been convicted of 34 felony charges this year, facing nearly 60 other felonies, and found responsible for sexual assault, new details have emerged about the twice-impeached and four-times indicted former President Donald Trump’s extreme and violent rhetoric, and the retribution he will seek if elected again. Two former senior aides have revealed that Trump discussed executing Americans, including his staff, for disobedience. With Trump declaring that he’ll be a “dictator on Day 1,” the revelations provide more insight into the authoritarian wrath a second MAGA presidency would unleash on America.

Alyssa Farah Griffin, Trump’s former Communications Director, confirmed in an interview with Mediaite that Trump had explicitly talked about executing staff members who leaked stories. Griffin corroborated an account by former Attorney General Bill Barr about Trump’s alarming reactions. “Kaitlan Collins at CNN interviewed Bill Barr and asked about an anecdote I had shared about a meeting he and I were both in, in the Oval Office, where Trump straight-up said a staffer who leaked a story should be executed,” Griffin said on Mediaite’s “Press Club” podcast. “And Bill Barr kind of danced around it and said, ‘I don’t recall that specific instance,’ but there were others where he talked about executing people,” she continued. “How [do] you rationalize that that is a person fit in sound judgment to be president of the United States?”

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Griffin, who resigned days before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and later demanded Trump’s resignation, also noted that Trump made such statements in front of “a dozen other” people. While not explicitly confirming the specific incident, Barr did not dispute the possibility, telling Collins in April, “I remember him being very mad. … I actually don’t remember him saying ‘executing,’ but I wouldn’t dispute it.” The accounts contribute to a disturbing pattern of behavior by Trump, who has a history of using violent rhetoric and expressing admiration for violent acts. He has praised the rioters who attacked the Capitol on January 6 as “warriors” and “hostages” and warned of a “bloodbath” if he loses the 2024 election.

Trump has suggested the execution of Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley. During his 2016 campaign, he encouraged supporters to “knock the crap out” of protestors, promising to pay their legal bills. He also infamously commented that there was “blame on both sides” after violent clashes in Charlottesville involving white nationalists and neo-Nazis and praised a Republican who attacked a reporter, saying, “Any guy that can do a body slam, he is my type!”. At a debate, Trump refused to condemn white supremacist violence, telling the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.” Before the Capitol riot on January 6, he told his supporters, “You’ll never take back our country with weakness … If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”

He has also suggested violence could erupt if court cases against him do not go his way, repeatedly expressed a desire to be a dictator, and dehumanized political opponents and migrants. Biden-Harris 2024 spokesperson James Singer released a statement condemning Trump’s rhetoric and behavior in response to these revelations. “Donald Trump has been convicted of 34 felonies, was found liable for sexual assault, committed financial fraud, and is only out for himself,” Singer noted. “His own former senior staff, including his former vice president, believe he is too unhinged and dangerous to be our commander in chief. He openly mused about committing murder on Fifth Avenue eight years ago and, since then, has repeatedly embraced and encouraged violence to get what he wants. After losing the last election by over 7 million votes and becoming a convicted felon, Donald has only gotten worse, promising to be a dictator and encouraging violence while completely consumed by his  revenge and retribution.”

The post Ex-Trump Officials Confirm Talk of Executions, Potential Bloodbath if He Beats Biden in November first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

In 2020, then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden sparked controversy with his remarks to African American voters, saying, “You ain’t Black if you don’t vote for me.” Without context and with specific individuals seeking to take issue with Biden, these comments appeared to denigrate African Americans. However, a candidate has probably never said anything more accurate when used in the context that Biden undoubtedly intended. The twice impeached, convicted felon former president Donald Trump continues to push lies and policies that are not only dangerous for Black America but also for other minorities and seniors. Biden, reflecting on Trump’s record, emphasized his unwavering commitment to protecting Social Security and Medicare from severe cuts proposed by Trump.

“I’m reaching out to you today not just as a former president but as a fellow citizen who’s deeply invested in our country’s future,” Biden declared. “Trump wants to cut Social Security and Medicare. I will stop anyone who tries to cut these essential programs.” Trump’s stance on entitlements has been unambiguous. When asked if he had changed his outlook on handling Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid due to rising debt, Trump responded, “So first of all, there is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting.” Previously, he remarked, “Oh, we’ll be cutting” and “they will be.” Throughout his presidency, Trump’s budget proposals consistently included cuts to these critical programs.

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James Singer, spokesperson for the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign, sharply criticized Trump’s intentions. “Donald Trump and his Project 2025 goons will steal the hard-earned Social Security and Medicare that Americans have been paying into their entire careers and use it to fund tax cuts for billionaires and corporations,” Singer asserted. “Trump’s record is clear: Every single year he was in the White House, he proposed cutting Social Security and Medicare, and he has said he will target them for cutting if reelected. Seniors can trust Joe Biden, who will never cut Social Security and Medicare.”

Former President Barack Obama also voiced strong support for Biden’s re-election. “When I think back to the day Joe was elected president, I remember feeling a profound sense of hope, pride, and a great amount of relief,” Obama said in a statement. “He’s dedicated his first term as president to rebuilding and healing our nation and working to strengthen our democracy. But the journey doesn’t end there.”

For most, the upcoming election remains pivotal. Biden’s campaign continues its pledge to stand firm as a defender of crucial social programs and a leader committed to equity and justice for all Americans. “The fight for our democracy, our rights, and our freedoms is happening right now – and winning starts with electing Democrats at every level, especially in our state legislatures,” Obama declared.

The post Biden Slams Trump’s Dangerous Policies, Defends Social Security and Medicare first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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