The 2020 presidential election could determine whether Trump faces consequences for alleged crimes

Friday’s filings by federal prosecutors painted President Donald Trump as aiding in and conspiring to commit a federal crime.

In August, Michael Cohen, the president’s former personal lawyer, claimed Trump directed him to pay off adult-film star Stormy Daniels to silence stories of an extramarital affair. The hush money — which constituted a campaign finance violation — directly implicated the president in a slew of illegal activity.

The new court documents out of the Southern District of New York took things a step further, all but naming Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator who participated in deceiving American voters to impact the 2016 presidential election.

Legal experts alleged that the sentencing memo outlined several serious felonies, including tax fraud and public disclosure crimes, and that the president could be held criminally liable for them all.

The question of consequences raises two tricky issues: Can a sitting president be indicted, and will winning a second presidential term in 2020 protect Trump?

Although conventional wisdom holds that a president cannot be indicted while in office, former solicitor general Walter Dellinger said: Yes, when the facts demand it. “The White House should not be a sanctuary from justice.”

-more-

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/analysis-the-2020-presidential-election-could-determine-whether-trump-faces-consequences-for-alleged-crimes/ar-BBQNi3X?li=BBnbcA1