In a legal battle, 78-year-old former President Donald Trump was convicted of 34 counts of doctoring business records to cover up hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Originally scheduled for sentencing on July 11, the US Supreme Court ruled that a former president has broad immunity from criminal prosecutions, causing a delay in the sentencing. Trump’s lawyers have requested a dismissal of his New York conviction, citing the Supreme Court ruling on immunity. Judge Merchan is set to rule on the dismissal motion on November 12. Trump had asked for the delay in sentencing to avoid the “politically prejudicial” impact it could have on him and his prospects in the upcoming election.
Trump made detailed remarks on the legal cases he is embroiled in, denying accusations of sexual harassment and assault by multiple women. Despite needing to win over groups like suburban women in his tight race against Kamala Harris, Trump spent an hour discussing these allegations. He was also in court in New York for the Carroll case, where he has been ordered to pay $5 million in damages for sexual assault and defamation. Trump described the case as “political interference” and denied ever meeting or touching Carroll. The legal drama unfolded on the same day that the first mail-in ballots of the election were set to be distributed.
Independent candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr. filed a last-minute lawsuit to have his name removed from ballots in North Carolina, where the distribution of absentee ballots was halted by a state appeals court. Kennedy Jr., who has dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump, is seeking to have his name removed from the ballots. Trump, who received the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police in North Carolina, pledged to bring back law and order to the country. He falsely claimed that US crime has skyrocketed and warned of the consequences of Kamala Harris and the “communist left” in power. Harris, on the other hand, aimed to turn the page on the Trump era and garnered endorsements from Republican figures like Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney.
Harris, who entered the presidential contest six weeks ago, received a boost in enthusiasm among Democrats who were previously disheartened about President Joe Biden’s chances against Trump. Her campaign announced that they raised $361 million in August, marking the largest monthly haul of the cycle and nearly tripling Trump’s fundraising figure. Harris emphasized the need to move on from the Trump era and presented herself as a unifying force against the chaotic and divisive policies of the Trump administration. Despite facing significant opposition and legal battles, both Trump and Harris are actively campaigning and rallying support for their respective presidential bids. The upcoming election promises to be a fiercely contested battle between the two candidates and their competing visions for the future of America.
