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Under an old policy, the incumbent president cannot be prosecuted, writes Reuters.
This means that Trump has been relatively protected from legal trouble during the four years that he has been president.
However, if you lose the election, the charges seem to come like a letter in the mail …
Scenario one: federal prosecution
If a high-ranking government official is suspected of a crime in the performance of his duties, he will be prosecuted at the federal level.
And yes, Trump is a suspect in several of those crimes. According to New York Magazine, there is evidence that Trump:
- He impeded the course of justice
- Lied to investigators
- Conspiracy with Russian intelligence
That way, Trump can avoid federal prosecution.
Federal prosecutors could prosecute Trump in early 2021. However, it can be difficult to get the 74-year-old convicted.
Trump could prematurely forgive himself before resigning as president. However, it is unclear if this is even legal.
– The power of forgiveness is very, very broad. But there’s no way to really know, he says. Jack Goldsmith, who teaches at Harvard Law School.
Another recourse is for Trump to claim that any crime he has committed is included in “executive privilege.”
This is a law that will protect confidential conversations between the president and advisers from reaching outsiders.
There is a possibility that Trump will be convicted anyway, but the process would be very lengthy, writes New York Magazine.
Scenario two: processing in a state
Trump cannot forgive himself for alleged crimes in individual states, so he is free to prosecute the 74-year-old after he resigns as president.
And yes, a dozen such investigations are already underway. Among other things, Trump is suspected of faking accounting and tax fraud.
These crimes must have been committed before Trump became president, so “executive privilege” cannot save him.
Trump’s lawyers will likely try to delay the process. However, many legal experts believe that he could be brought to justice around 2023, writes New York Magazine.
In the event of a verdict, he will be immediately imprisoned.
READ MORE:
The grim picture: this is what life will be like for Donald Trump if he loses the election
US presidential election: then we know who will win
What if Trump goes to the Supreme Court?
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