Reality Check

Let’s get this straight, because you’ll hear numerous outright lies on the issue. Donald Trump was not convicted, (as Elon Musk recently implied) for his adulterous affair with Stormy Daniels. He was convicted because, in his efforts to make sure the rest of the world didn’t find out what a cheating con artist he is, he paid her not to talk about it. Still not what he was convicted of.

        Trump has a long history of being a tax cheat, especially in the area of claiming business expenses which either aren’t or are grossly inflated. This has even been as blatant as claiming that his Trump Tower apartment was ten times as large as it actually is. Still not a felony offense. On the other hand, paying the hush money, which he could have done in personal cash or check with no penalty, is a crime if you document it as a tax deductible business expenditure. In New York State this is a felony known as falsifying business records. Each of the documented more than 30 checks which included money which was rerouted to Ms. Daniels, but was recorded as a business expense, constitutes an individual felony.

While Trump screams “Scam” and his other favorite excuse, “Rigged”, the fact remains that a trial was held, evidence was produced, backed by testimony, and the jurors, after three days deliberation unanimously agreed that a crime had been committed and that Trump himself was complicit. Period.