Now that former President Donald Trump is a convicted felon, he could lose some of his rights, including his ability to vote and own firearms. A New York jury on Thursday found Trump guilty of all 34 felony charges for falsifying business records, making him the first ex-U.S. president to be convicted of a crime.
The bombshell verdict against Trump was announced in Manhattan Supreme Court shortly after 5 p.m., on Thursday after nearly 12 hours of deliberations over two days. The verdict came after a seven-week trial that featured explicit testimony from porn star Stormy Daniels and Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen. He will be sentenced on July 11.
A Lot at Stake
What happens at that hearing will be crucial in determining which rights Trump will retain and which he may lose.
In Florida, where Trump lives, it is notoriously challenging for felons to regain their voting rights. However, Florida defers to the disenfranchisement rules of the state where the conviction occurred, in this case, New York.
So, if Trump avoids jail time during his sentencing, he would likely be able to vote, possibly for himself, in the November election.
Blair Bowie, an attorney with the Campaign Legal Center, explained to NBC News that "the only way he wouldn't be able to vote is if he is in prison on Election Day."
Nevertheless, Trump faces a potential maximum of four years in prison on each count, which could see him losing his voting rights if he is sentenced to prison.
Trump could appeal any decision to send him to prison until after the election, ensuring he would not be incarcerated during his presumed rematch with Biden and enabling him to vote.
Overall, the chances that Trump will be unable to vote in November are extremely low, perhaps close to zero.
Could Lose Several Rights
Also, Trump could potentially lose his right to own firearms. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), individuals convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year lose their ability to possess guns.
If Trump spends more than a year behind bars, he would forfeit his Second Amendment rights.
The former president could also be disqualified from serving on a jury, although it would be highly unusual for him to be selected as a juror in the first place.
Under Florida law, individuals convicted of a felony are prohibited from serving as jurors until their civil rights are restored.
Civil rights can be restored "upon completion of all terms of sentence including parole or probation," which means Trump could regain his eligibility to sit on a jury if he completes his sentence terms.
Felony convictions also prevent individuals from obtaining security clearances, including top secret authorization. However, if Trump were elected president in November, he would automatically receive the highest level of clearance, despite his criminal record.
Alyssa Farah Griffin, former White House Director of Strategic Communications, described this as "wild" in a post on X Thursday.
