As Donald Trump’s legal situation becomes increasingly troublesome, it is also becoming more complex. Currently, the former president is facing multiple criminal indictments, with the possibility of more to come, as well as various ongoing and potential civil suits. The civil cases involve New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit over the Trump Organization’s finances and writer E. Jean Carroll’s defamation lawsuit against Trump personally. However, these cases should come as no surprise, as Trump has accumulated numerous lawsuits throughout his life.
The real interest lies in the criminal cases. In March 2023, Trump became the first former president to be criminally indicted when he was charged with falsifying business records in New York. Since then, he has faced two federal indictments and is awaiting another indictment at the state level. These investigations have some overlap, with two of them focusing on Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, albeit from different prosecutors in different jurisdictions. Additionally, the Justice Department’s special counsel, Jack Smith, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, is bringing two separate indictments on different subjects related to Trump.
Things become even more convoluted when considering the possibility of Trump attempting to pardon himself if he were to win the presidency in 2024. The extent of his ability to pardon himself remains unclear, but even if he could, he would not be exempt from state crimes.
Here is a chronological rundown of Trump’s criminal indictments:
1. Stormy Daniels Case: New York
– Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, including a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
– This is a state-level case with a potential prison sentence of up to four years for each charge.
– The indictment was issued on March 30, 2023, and the trial is set for March 2024.
2. Mar-A-Lago Documents Case: Federal
– Trump was charged with 37 felony counts related to mishandling classified documents he took from the White House.
– This is a federal case with potential prison sentences ranging from five to 10 years.
– The indictment was issued on June 9, 2023, and the trial is set for May 2024.
3. Jan. 6 Coup Conspiracy: Federal
– Trump was charged with four counts of conspiracy for his role in perpetuating the lie of election fraud, leading to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
– This is a federal case with maximum prison sentences ranging from five to 20 years.
– The indictment was issued on Aug. 1, 2023, and the arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 3.
These criminal indictments demonstrate the legal challenges that Trump currently faces. The outcomes of these cases will undoubtedly have significant implications for his future.