VOA新闻杂志2024--特朗普被判犯有34项重罪

Trump¹ Found Guilty of 34 Felony Charges

A New York City jury on Thursday found former U.S. president Donald Trump guilty of falsifying business records to influence the outcome of the 2016 election.

The jury found Trump guilty on all 34 felony charges. A felony is considered a serious crime that could result in stronger punishment. The trial marked the first time a former U.S. president has faced a criminal trial.

In the New York case, government lawyers presented evidence against Trump. In an audio recording³ made in September 2016, Trump can be heard saying, "So what do we got to pay for this?" as he and his lawyer discussed how to suppress stories about his reported affair.

Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, said that he made the payment to adult film performer Stormy Daniels to keep her from telling the public about a sexual relationship she said she had with Trump years earlier. Cohen also said Trump’s business, called the Trump Organization, repaid the money with Trump’s knowledge and claimed them as legal costs.

The jury also heard from former National Enquirer⁴ newspaper publisher David Pecker about a “catch and kill” plan to suppress a story from another adult magazine model, Karen McDougal. He said that payments were made to suppress stories that could hurt Trump’s 2016 campaign.

What’s next?

Trump now faces the possibility of being placed on probation⁵ or imprisoned⁶ for up to four years for the conviction.

Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the legal case, has set a sentencing hearing for July 11. That is days before the opening of the Republican National Convention on July 15 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Trump is expected to be named the 2024 Republican presidential nominee⁷ for the November election against President Joe Biden.

Coming out of the courtroom, Trump called the verdict a “disgrace.” He added, “The real verdict is going to be November 5, by the people.” November 5 is Election Day in the United States this year.

Biden did not comment on Trump’s guilty verdict. But his presidential campaign said in a statement: “Today's verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot⁸ box…”

Trump is certain to appeal his conviction and can continue to run for the presidency⁹. There is also no measure in the U.S. Constitution to prevent Trump from becoming president as a convicted felon².

As a president, if he wins the November election, Trump will have the power to pardon, or cancel, federal convictions. But he could not pardon himself in a state case like the New York trial in which he was convicted.

Trump is facing three other indictments¹¹, including two accusing him of illegally trying to overturn his 2020 election loss. The third says he illegally took hundreds of highly secret national security documents to his Florida home when his presidential term ended, and then refused to return them.

But all three cases are being delayed.

Words in This Story

probation –n. (legal) a condition in which a person who has been found guilty of a crime is permitted to stay out of jail but must follow court rules and do nothing wrong

conviction –n. (legal) being found guilty in a court of law

preside –v. to oversee¹² and have responsibility for; to be in charge

verdict –n. (legal) the decision of innocence¹³ or guilty in a legal case

disgrace –n. something that brings shame or condemnation¹⁴

Oval Office –n. the official workplace of the U.S. president in the West Wing of the White House

indictment¹⁰ –n. (legal) officially bringing charges against a person or party in a legal case

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 felon   

n.重罪犯；adj.残忍的

参考例句：

• He's a convicted felon.他是个已定罪的重犯。
• Hitler's early "successes" were only the startling depredations of a resolute felon.希特勒的早期“胜利 ”，只不过是一个死心塌地的恶棍出人意料地抢掠得手而已。

3 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

4 enquirer   

寻问者，追究者

参考例句：

• The "National Enquirer" blazoned forth that we astronomers had really discovered another civilization. 《国民询问者》甚至宣称，我们天文学家已真正发现了其它星球上的文明。
• Should we believe a publication like the national enquirer? 我们要相信像《国家探秘者》之类的出版物吗？

5 probation   

n.缓刑(期)，(以观后效的)察看；试用(期)

参考例句：

• The judge did not jail the young man,but put him on probation for a year.法官没有把那个年轻人关进监狱，而且将他缓刑察看一年。
• His salary was raised by 800 yuan after his probation.试用期满以后，他的工资增加了800元。

6 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

7 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

8 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

9 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

10 indictment   

n.起诉；诉状

参考例句：

• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
• They issued an indictment against them.他们起诉了他们。

11 indictments   

n.（制度、社会等的）衰败迹象( indictment的名词复数 )；刑事起诉书；公诉书；控告

参考例句：

• A New York jury brought criminal indictments against the founder of the organization. 纽约的一个陪审团对这个组织的创始人提起了多项刑事诉讼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These two indictments are self-evident and require no elaboration. 这两条意义自明，无须多说。 来自互联网

12 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

13 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

14 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。