CRS Reports – Week of 6-1-24 – Trump Conviction Implications

This week the Congressional Research Service (CRS) published a report on “Federal Legal Implications of Former President Donald Trump’s Conviction in New York State Court: Frequently Asked Questions”. Regardless of where you stand on the political spectrum, the reality is that Donald Trump has, once again, done something that no other politician of his standing has done. Understanding the legal implications of his conviction will be important going forward.

This report addresses the following frequently asked questions:

• Can former President Trump be a candidate for President as a convicted felon?

• Can former President Trump serve as President if he is incarcerated as of Inauguration Day?

• Could the Supreme Court’s pending decision on presidential immunity in Trump v. United States impact the New York conviction?

• Could former President Trump be pardoned, or pardon himself if reelected, for the state conviction?

• Is former President Trump still entitled to Secret Service protection as a convicted felon?

• Can former President Trump, as a convicted felon, vote in the 2024 federal elections?

• Are there any other criminal cases pending against former President Trump?

There is an interesting omission in the report. While these responses seem to reflect current statutes (remember, I am not a lawyer) this is a historically unique situation. There are likely to be a number of court cases designed to question or limit actions on a number of these topics. The law is not settled until it has been adjudicated in court.