If Trump Lost He Would Be In Prison Right Now

[VBNMW_Realist]

From Trump's perspective, the 2024 election was life or death from the standpoint of not going to prison because it wouldn't only be painful to be locked in a cell, but for someone like him, it could cause an ego death out of finally feeling undeniably hated and alone after a lifetime seeing himself the opposite. Even though he won in 2024 and will likely never see the inside of a prison cell as a result, the truth is, that he was not only on track to go to prison for the hush money case or the other charges against him, but also for all the other charges against him.

There were 92 counts against him if I recall correctly. Reporters and legal experts were saying that if he had lost in 2024, he would be facing hundreds of criminal counts, possibly including sexual assault charges if the statute of limitations hadn't expired and there was enough evidence to potentially get convictions there. That would have been a brutal way to lose. However, I think history will still condemn him to the worst president ever, whether or not he is ever put in the inside of a prison cell.

If the courts moved as quickly as they do in the UK, or many other countries, where criminals receive trials within weeks or even days of arrest or arraignment, he would have been sent to prison in late 2023. Yes he would have likely won the nomination, but there is a huge difference between one series of convictions seen as the least serious and having 3 separate trials resulting in all or almost all charges as guilty. The convictions were perhaps surprisingly a non-issue on the 2024 vote. But if he had been fully convicted, he would have lost, even if it was close.

[Buckeyeblue]

1. He would be buried in a sea of felonies but i don't think he would have been jailed

He'd have a mountain of fines. No Republican would dare say his name.

[Xavier Breath]

8. I don't believe he would have ever seen the inside of a jail either, no matter the number of convictions.

[Fiendish Thingy]

2. Highly unlikely he would be in prison by now

It’s only been 18 months, and you may have forgotten a number of things:

1) The immunity ruling meant that, before a trial for January 6 could occur, every charge Trump was indicted for would have to be adjudicated on whether the alleged acts fell within “official acts”. Every ruling on every charge would be subject to appeal, all the way to SCOTUS.

Then, once each charge was adjudicated, all the pre-trial motions, discovery, jury selection would begin, and that would take months. It’s conceivable that, at this date, a trial might just be beginning, but also quite believable that the process would still be mired in Trumpian delays and appeals.

2) in the documents case, Judge Cannon excluded all evidence and testimony gathered/presented by Jack Smith, ruling he had been appointed inappropriately/unlawfully, leaving only the evidence obtained by Garland, which was substantial (he executed the original search warrant at Mar a Lago), but would likely require a return to the grand jury to see if the would return indictments based on the evidence alone, or waiting out the appeal process on Cannon’s ruling against Smith. Once a trial was able to commence, then all the delays from pre-trial motions and appeals would unfold. Either way, it’s unlikely a trial on the documents charges would be concluded at this point.

And, in any case, if a conviction was ever obtained, Trump could remain free pending his appeal (less likely for the January 6 case, but almost certain for any charges in front of Cannon.)

I think the only thing one could say with certainty is, if he had lost in 2024, by this date Trump would still be facing serious felony charges rather than having all charges dropped or dismissed.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. trump belongs in prison

I really wished that McConnell voted to convict in the impeachment trial or that the Biden DOJ/Garland moved faster on trump. Early in the Biden administration the emphasis was on the rioters and all of the work was erased by trump's pardons

[flvegan]

4. No he wouldn't.

There's no appetite for putting a presidential candidate through a "political" trial. If Trump had lost, he'd have immediately started campaigning for a 2028 run.

"They" will also never attempt to jail a former official such as a former president, especially not a very wealthy one, and who has kompromat on members of congress, both current, former, and potentially future. Combined with a shitshow of a three tiered judicial system, and he's long gone before there are any charges that stick.

Blah blah, big club and you ain't in it a/k/a America.

[AZProgressive]

6. I don't think the charges or trial was political

I believe Jack Smith when he says he had evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that a jury would have convicted. I do think Trump would have eventually been convicted on most of the charges but I have no idea what the sentence would be. I think a jury convicting Trump on the more serious charges would have led to less support especially from swing voters.

[republianmushroom]

5. Maybe, remember Merrick the Meer dropped the ball.

Could be he would still be the AG.

[bluestarone]

7. My thought is, out of all the shit he has done to our country, ONE judge could have ended it all.

Florida Judge CANNON! Jack had TSF by the nuts, but CANNON stopped the whole fucking deal! So, HERE WE ARE!!

[kentuck]

9. He betrayed the country.

Treason. Punishment by death. That is what he was afraid of.