EXPERTS ADVISORY

University of Michigan experts are available to comment on the verdict in Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York.

Ken Kollman is a professor of political science and director of the Center for Political Studies at the Institute for Social Research.

“This monumental event in American history, the guilty verdicts that make him a convicted felon, can only hurt Donald Trump’s campaign to win the White House,” he said. “It will embolden his supporters and loyalists. The Trump campaign and his media allies will try their best to frame this in ways that will make the trial look rigged and corrupt. But the fact of the verdicts will surely affect some voters who might be conflicted between the two main candidates. And it won’t be in Trump’s favor.”

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Vincent Hutchings is a professor of political science and research professor at the Center for Political Studies at the Institute for Social Research.

“It’s troubling because this is a shocking outcome that wasn’t an unforeseen outcome,” he said. “And we have known that for some time that the former president was facing these charges in multiple jurisdictions. Republican primary voters decided to discount that information—and that’s what’s troubling.”

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Barbara McQuade is a professor from practice of law and former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.

“This verdict demonstrates that even the most powerful people in our country are subject to the rule of law,” she said. “Despite the defense’s focus on Michael Cohen, this case was largely based on documents, which make for strong cases because documents don’t forget and documents don’t lie.”

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Michael Traugott is a professor emeritus of political science and communication studies, and research professor emeritus at the Center for Political Studies at the Institute for Social Research.

“This decision is vindication of our legal system and the rule of law. No one is above the law in the United States,” he said.

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