To the editor: Reading the coverage of the Trump verdict has been dispiriting. As a subscriber to multiple newspapers, I feel that once again the media are off base. (“Trump is officially a convicted felon, but that may not stand in his way,” column, May 30)
So many of the analyses are about the polls showing whether former President Trump’s guilty verdict in New York will shift voters. Others wonder if he will win on appeal or whether the case should have been brought to trial at all. Some articles put him on an equal footing with President Biden.
Instead it should be clearly and repeatedly stated that it’s really serious for a former president and presumptive major party nominee to have been convicted of falsifying documents in a scheme to pay out hush money and influence the outcome of the 2016 election.
Trump is now a felon, but is still being treated as a celebrity. This type of coverage is lazy, and when people wonder how he keeps getting away with everything, part of the reason is that the media have been blinded by his persona.
That would be fine if they were writing about a reality TV personality, not a felon running to be president again.
Bonnie Voland, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Trump “has shown that felony convictions need not stand in the way of success,” writes columnist Doyle McManus.
Not so fast. The Teflon Don has yet to face the electorate as a felon. Most polls show that right now the election is close. Even a modest shift in sentiment could be significant.
Trump’s conviction on 34 counts is unlikely to shift the election in his favor.
Ivan Goldman, Redondo Beach
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To the editor: OK, Trump got convicted. But these are minor bookkeeping felonies. Just read the list of felonies — falsifying checks, invoices and ledger entries. Plenty of businessmen in New York do stuff like this and get away with it. Trump was indeed the subject of selective prosecution.
First-time offenders on these charges usually get a fine and probation, so I’m not impressed. And Trump probably considers this a win-win for him, or at least he will when the sting of the conviction wears off. For him that should take about a week.
More important, though, to me, Trump and his minions are enraged and will campaign harder. I wouldn’t be surprised if Trump pulls way ahead in the polls and wins.
Democrats are laughing today. But when Trump gets fined and is given probation, they’ll discover that once again they have formed a circular firing squad.
Mike Barrett, Ashburn, Va.
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To the editor: If you’re boggled by the fact that MAGA is still behind Trump after his conviction in New York on 34 felony counts, a quote most often attributed to Mark Twain explains it best:
“It is easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.”
Patty Shenker, Woodland Hills
