Former US President, Donald Trump, stands to face a high chance of conviction in at least one of the four criminal trials scheduled, according to long-time US attorney, Glenn Kirschner.
What Happened: Kirschner, an experienced attorney of 30 years, declared the odds of Trump’s conviction in 2024 to be “extremely high”. Trump is slated to face 91 charges across four trials, with the first case, tied to his alleged role in the January 6 insurrection, to commence on March 4th, reported Sky News.
Kirschner, an NBC/MSNBC News legal analyst, believes that the judge and prosecution realize the importance of penalizing such alleged infractions with jail time.
In one of the trials, Trump is charged with several criminal counts connected to his supposed attempts to hold onto power after the 2020 election. Kirschner highlighted that the witnesses against Trump are chiefly Republicans, including his ex-cabinet members, making it tough for him to allege a partisan witch hunt.
“I think the odds of a conviction are extremely high. It’s important to recognise who the witnesses are against Donald Trump. These are not Donald Trump’s enemies or opponents, these are not angry Democrats,” said Kirschner, according to the report.
See Also: Trump Privately Worries Over Ballot Eligibility As Supreme Court Decision Looms
If convicted, the 2024 election dynamics could face significant changes. As per a New York Times/Siena College survey, about 6% of Trump’s swing state supporters would switch their vote to Biden if Trump is convicted.
The presiding judge over the January 6 case has rejected Trump’s presidential immunity claim and an appeal is underway. Special counsel on the case, Jack Smith, has also appealed to the Supreme Court for clarity on presidential immunity.
Why It Matters: As reported in an earlier Benzinga article, ex-prosecutor Kirschner warned that Trump testifying in his election subversion case could potentially harm his own case.
Seemingly, even a conviction wouldn’t prevent Trump from running for president, as indicated by another Benzinga report, that highlights how the recent indictments against Trump might sway the election outcome, but they won’t hinder his potential to run or serve in office.
In a provocative scenario put forth on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Bill Maher speculated that even if Trump faced legal consequences, he could still win the presidency and govern from behind bars.
Photo via Shutterstock.
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