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New York court sentences Trump to unconditional discharge in falsified documents case

The US Constitution does not disqualify individuals convicted of crimes from running for or serving as president

NEW YORK, January 10. /TASS/. A court in New York has sentenced US President-elect Donald Trump to unconditional discharge in the case of falsifying the Trump Organization’s business records to cover up a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, a TASS correspondent reports.

Thus, on January 20, Trump will become the first US president to take office as a convicted felon. The US Constitution does not disqualify individuals convicted of crimes from running for or serving as president.

Fox News points out that the sentence will in no way affect Trump’s abilities and responsibilities as president. The New York Times writes that an unconditional discharge is different from a conditional one, which would have required the convict to meet certain conditions such as maintaining employment or paying restitution. However, in Trump’s case, there will be no such requirements, which highlights the uniqueness of the sentence. The judge said the decision stemmed from the need "to ensure finality."

Trump originally faced probation or up to four years in prison for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The newspaper notes that since 2014, a third of defendants sentenced on similar charges in Manhattan had received prison terms of less than a year, more serious sentences or conditional discharges.

Apart from the falsified documents case, Donald Trump also faces other legal challenges. An investigation into attempts by Trump and his team to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia is underway in the state. Even though the district attorney has been removed from the case, questions about Trump’s actions in Georgia remain relevant. Still, despite all his legal troubles, Trump continues to insist that he is a victim of politically motivated persecution, taking advantage of it to mobilize his political base.

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