<p>Jurors returned a guilty verdict on Thursday in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a>&#8216;s hush-money trial in New York, marking the first time a former U.S. president has been convicted of a crime.</p>
<p>The decision is the culmination of a weeks-long courtroom battle in which Trump claimed he was the target of a &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michael-avenatti-claims-he-is-willing-to-testify-in-trump-hush-money-trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">political persecution</a>&#8221; as he runs another campaign for a second term in the White House. The former president was found guilty on all 34 charges brought in the trial.</p>
<p>Legal experts <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/29/trump-if-convicted-hush-money-trial-new-york/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">doubt</a> the 77-year-old Trump will end up being incarcerated, though the Secret Service <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/secret-service-prepares-for-possibility-of-trump-going-to-jail-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> coordinated with local jail officials just in case. Possible alternatives to imprisonment include probation or community service.</p>
<p>Sentencing has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-sets-trump-sentencing-date-four-days-before-gop-convention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scheduled</a> for July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention is set to be held in Milwaukee. Trump, who is the presumptive GOP nominee, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/06/trump-running-for-president-prison-00090931" target="_blank" rel="noopener">can still run</a> for the presidency if he ends up behind bars.</p>
<p>In response to the guilty verdict, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-responds-to-guilty-verdict-with-fiery-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delivered remarks</a> in which he called himself an &#8220;innocent man&#8221; and declared that the &#8220;real verdict&#8221; will happen on November 5, which is Election Day.</p>
<p>At the heart of the case brought by Manhattan District Attorney <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alvin-bragg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alvin Bragg</a> were <a href="https://manhattanda.org/district-attorney-bragg-announces-34-count-felony-indictment-of-former-president-donald-j-trump/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">34 felony counts</a> of falsifying business records to conceal damaging information around the 2016 election as part of a “catch-and-kill” scheme.</p>
<p>Prosecutors accused Trump of improperly masking reimbursements to repay his former lawyer, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/michael-cohen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Cohen</a>, for a $130,000 payment to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/stormy-daniels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stormy Daniels</a> in exchange for her silence on an alleged extramarital affair by classifying them as legal expenses.</p>
<p>Trump has denied that the affair with Stormy Daniels ever happened and pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyers <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ny-v-trump-defense-says-prosecutors-did-not-meet-burden-proof-former-president-innocent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> there was no intent to defraud or influence the 2016 election.</p>
<p>The trial began last month and featured nearly <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-trial-closing-arguments-ed9e28cd63502c0949e9fafcc6f0a991" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two dozen witnesses</a>, including Cohen and Stormy Daniels. Cohen <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michael-cohen-admits-to-stealing-while-on-stand-at-trumps-nyc-trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pleaded guilty</a> in 2018 to multiple crimes, including lying to Congress, and served prison time.</p>
<p>Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, former White House aide Hope Hicks, and former federal prosecutor Robert Costello also testified. Trump himself did not take the stand.</p>
<p>Closing arguments took place on Tuesday after both sides rested their case last week and jury deliberations began on Wednesday. The 12 jurors made a couple of requests for information, including to rehear some witness testimony and the judge&#8217;s jury instructions.</p>
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<p>At a news conference on Thursday, Bragg <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prEPxOIl8yg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thanked</a> the jurors for performing a service that he described as &#8220;literally the cornerstone of our judicial system.&#8221;</p>
<p>Commenting on the work of the prosecution, the district attorney said, &#8220;I did my job. Our job is to follow the facts and the law without fear or favor, and that’s exactly what we did here.”</p>
<p>Bragg and Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the trial, have faced intense blowback from Trump and his allies.</p>
<p>Republicans in the House opened an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-republicans-launch-probe-into-manhattan-das-unprecedented-abuse-of-office-to-target-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigation</a> and filed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stefanik-files-complaint-over-trump-hush-money-case-questions-whether-judge-selection-was-random" target="_blank" rel="noopener">complaints</a>, raising concerns about potential bias and misconduct tainting the case. With the judge, they set their focus on past donations to groups supporting Democrats and his daughter working as a political consultant for Democratic candidates.</p>
<p>Merchan <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/04/15/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial/no-merchan-recusal-00152227" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refused to recuse</a> himself and issued a gag order meant to stop Trump from commenting publicly on jurors, witnesses, and others linked to the case. Trump claimed the gag order <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blasts-hush-money-case-ahead-of-jury-selection-attack-on-america" target="_blank" rel="noopener">violated</a> his First Amendment rights and continued to speak out, resulting in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/06/trump-trial-takeaways-hush-money-gag-violations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thousands of dollars in fines</a>.</p>
<p>Three other criminal matters on the state and federal levels hang over Trump as he seeks re-election this year, prompting the former president to say he is the victim of a politically motivated <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-accuses-democrats-of-running-a-gestapo-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;witch hunt.&#8221;</a> It is not clear whether any of those will reach the trial stage before the November election.</p>
<p>Despite all the court battles, Trump <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remains competitive</a> in polling for the presidential race.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a>&#8216;s campaign held an event outside the Manhattan courthouse with actor Robert De Niro, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-responds-to-de-niros-perturbed-courthouse-presser-looked-so-pathetic-and-sad?topStoryPosition=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> American freedoms “will perish from the Earth” if Trump wins the election.</p>
<p>Trump shot back, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-responds-to-de-niros-perturbed-courthouse-presser-looked-so-pathetic-and-sad?topStoryPosition=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> the De Niro &#8220;looked so pathetic and sad out there.&#8221; His adviser, Jason Miller, said, &#8220;President Trump’s numbers continue to rise, and the best that Biden can do is roll out a washed up actor.&#8221;</p>

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VERDICT: Trump Found Guilty On All Charges In Hush-Money Case

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A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

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Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


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Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

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U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
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Ep. 2737
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Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

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VERDICT: Trump Found Guilty On All Charges In Hush-Money Case