Trump Verdict Is a Lose-Lose for Biden

Could a New York City jury issuing a guilty verdict help President Donald Trump’s popularity? Some in the media (e.g., Fox News’ Steve Doocy interview with former U.S. Representative Trey Gowdy) are theorizing that Trump’s poll numbers could soar even more regardless of the NYC jury’s decision – making the verdict a lose-lose for President Biden.

Jury deliberation in Trump’s New York City case began this morning, and we could see a verdict as soon as today. If the jury comes back that quickly, it’s usually not good for the defendant. If it takes longer, running through the weekend, that’s often a good sign for the defendant. If the jury were to find President Trump guilty, possible outcomes could include prison time, significant fines, house arrest, probation, or a mix of these.

Judge Juan Merchan instructed the jury not to take anything back for deliberation except their own personal notes. And Merchan explained that if the jury finds Trump guilty of a felony, the decision must be unanimous. However, the jury does not have to be unanimous in its reasons for determining said felony.

Many are wondering what it means for the future if President Trump gets convicted. Where would an appeal come into play? This depends on the timeline for sentencing, which could be complicated. Trump is running for office, and he has lifetime Secret Service protection, which could intervene to stop him from going to prison. If the sentencing process is drawn out, the appeal could take place prior to sentencing. But even if Trump appeals, he will still face New York judges.

The outcome of this case will give us a sense of how other Trump cases will move forward (e.g., the Georgia election interference case, the Florida classified documents case, and Jack Smith’s Jan. 6th case). This process could also encourage political leaders to seek political prosecution of their opponents, twisting everything into a crime.

ACLJ Senior Counsel CeCe Heil joined us with an update on a case we might be filing soon. In the past year we’ve seen an uptick in religious discrimination at senior living facilities across the country. One such facility just told a resident that she must stop putting religious tracts out in a community area and that the Bible tracts were “garbage.”

The client has lived in this senior living center since 2017 and has been sharing the tracts for years. Residents have never complained. But in two recent incidents, the leasing agent told our client she couldn’t distribute religious material.

Initially, the management company said it was okay but then recanted, stating that they’re trying to be more “inclusive.” The Fair Housing Act prohibits these centers from religious discrimination. We sent a demand letter to point out the law and that it’s our client’s right to share tracts.

If we don’t receive a response today with a change in the facility’s policy, we will pursue the matter in court. We have received at least seven cases like this in the past year and have been successful with demand letters. Thankfully, people are reaching out to us, and we can help our clients at no cost.

Because we’ve seen such an uptick in these types of cases (in Texas, Missouri, Colorado, and Minnesota), we have a legal memo on our website that you can provide to your residence. If you’ve had something like this happen to you? Go to ACLJ.org/help and complete the form.

We are grateful to do all this work for free because of our generous donors and ACLJ Champions, who make monthly commitments to support our work.

Today’s Sekulow broadcast included a discussion on the potential consequences of President Trump’s NYC felony trial, the 2024 presidential election, a recent ACLJ case defending religious liberty – and much more.

Watch the full broadcast below: