Donald Trump became the first former president to be a convicted felon on Thursday.
The 45th president, and presumed Republican nominee this year, was found guilty of all 34 counts he faced in his hush money trial.
Despite the guilty verdict, Trump and his supporters remain strong, but that may lead to discourse in the country, says ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
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The media mogul reacted to the verdict on his YouTube show, with his immediate feeling that he was “scared as hell.”
“It all points to civil war in this country . . . .” Smith said. We’re all pawns. We’re all subject to the mercy of politicians who find a way to manipulate the system and ultimately manipulate us. . . . That’s a concern I had before January 6, when the U.S. Capitol was stormed by a bunch of Trump supporters. I’ve had it ever since, I have it now, because Trump is not going to go away quietly.”
Smith has said in the past that Biden should not be president for a second term, but that does not mean Trump will be getting his vote. In fact, the verdict has nothing to do with Smith’s feelings toward the former president anyway, he says.
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“It ain’t about Trump being in jail, it ain’t about him being a convicted felon. I don’t want him to be the President of the United States, period,” Smith quipped. “Because I think he’s divisive, and I think he will serve to divide America.”
Smith backed up his reasoning by referencing Trump saying the trial was “rigged” with a “crooked” judge.
“The man is a problem. He’s not about galvanizing and bringing people together who don’t support him, only those who do. I think he puts himself above America.”
Prosecutors needed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump had falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, a former porn star, in the lead-up to the 2016 election, in an effort to silence her about an alleged affair with Trump in 2006. They were ultimately successful. Trump has denied the affair throughout the trial.
Sentencing is slated for July 11, just four days before the Republican National Convention. Each count carries a maximum prison sentence of four years. In total, Trump faces a maximum sentence of 136 years behind bars.
Fox News’ Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.
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