Donald Trump indicted: Yes, Trump could run for president from prison if he's convicted
by Kaelan Deese, Supreme Court Reporter |
June 09, 2023 11:50 AM
Former President Donald Trump's federal indictment amid other criminal investigations raises the possibility that the leading Republican for the 2024 presidential nomination could face time in prison.
Trump faces a second indictment this year, this time on federal charges regarding his handling of classified documents, but there stands no barrier to running for president as a convicted felon or even behind a prison cell, as Eugene V. Debs did in 1920.
All eyes are on the former president and how he will move forward after what House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) called a "dark day" for the United States.
For legal purposes, the two key points are whether Trump is convicted and whether he wins the presidency.
Trump's legal counsel will likely aim to delay the trial for as long as possible, though it's almost certain that Trump will be tried criminally in the middle of his presidential bid. Trump would be able to make bail and won't be jailed in the interim, and he can keep running for office regardless of the charges against him.
While Debs is far from the only person who sought the Oval Office while in prison, he is considered the most successful. In 1920, he became the Socialist Party nominee while serving a 10-year federal sentence for urging people to avoid the World War I draft.
Debs only earned 3% of the popular vote, not nearly enough to raise a serious consideration of the complex matters of what happens if an imprisoned candidate wins the general election.
more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/yes-trump-could-run-for-president-from-prison
