Fact Check: Trump has been convicted 34 times and held liable for sexual abuse.

Fact Check: "Trump has been convicted 34 times and held liable for sexual abuse."

What We Know

The claim that Donald Trump has been "convicted 34 times" is misleading. As of May 9, 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll in a civil case, awarding her $5 million. However, the jury did not find him liable for rape, which was a significant aspect of Carroll's allegations (AP News). This verdict indicates liability for sexual abuse but does not equate to a criminal conviction.

In a separate context, Trump was indicted on 34 felony counts related to business practices in a different case, but this is distinct from a conviction. The legal proceedings regarding these counts are ongoing, and as of now, he has not been convicted on these charges (Manhattan DA).

Analysis

The assertion that Trump has been convicted 34 times conflates different legal contexts. The jury's decision in the Carroll case, while significant, is a civil verdict and not a criminal conviction. Civil cases typically involve a lower burden of proof than criminal cases, and the findings of liability do not carry the same weight as a criminal conviction.

The mention of "34 times" appears to stem from the number of felony counts in a separate indictment related to financial misconduct, which has not yet resulted in a conviction (Manhattan DA). Therefore, it is critical to differentiate between being indicted and being convicted.

The sources used in this analysis are credible, with the AP News article providing a detailed account of the Carroll case and the New York Times reporting on the legal proceedings surrounding the 34 counts (AP News, NY Times). However, the Wikipedia page on Trump’s sexual misconduct allegations, while informative, may contain biases due to its nature as a user-edited platform (Wikipedia).

Conclusion

The claim that Trump has been "convicted 34 times and held liable for sexual abuse" is False. While he has been found liable for sexual abuse in a civil case, he has not been convicted of any crimes related to this or any other allegations. The 34 counts refer to an indictment, not a conviction, and thus do not support the claim as stated.

Fact Check: Trump has been convicted 34 times and held liable for sexual abuse.