Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Now we wait

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Today's Opinions

Wed May 29 2024

Will Republicans vote for Donald Trump even if he's found guilty?

This could be the quandary for Republicans if the former president is convicted in the hush money trial. It could raise important legal, ethical and political questions – or at least it should – about Trump's candidacy and our willingness to vote for him. A verdict could come this week after Tuesday's closing arguments.

Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump sits in court during his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, on May 28, 2024. Donald Trump arrived Tuesday for closing arguments in his New York hush money trial ahead of the jury deciding whether to make him the first criminally convicted former president and current White House hopeful in history.

Pool photo by Andrew Kelly via Getty Images

A guilty verdict could push Republicans like me into a corner to reckon with our conscience. Do we choose someone who acts unethically and illegally but is a "conservative" because even that is better than a Democrat?

As of now, I don't think I could justify voting for Biden. - Read the full column.