MIAMI — Former President Donald Trump is now the first former U.S. president to be charged with federal crimes and as he mounts a third bid for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, there are questions over how the charges could impact his campaign.
“Unprecedented is a word we use too often in our discourse now, but this actually fits the bill,” Louis Virelli, professor of law at Stetson University College of Law in Florida, said.
Virtually every poll right now shows Mr. Trump as the current frontrunner in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination, and legally speaking, criminal charges don’t change anything for his presidential hopes.
“The Constitution only sets very limited criteria," Virelli explained. "If you're 35 years old and a natural born citizen, both of which he still is. You know, ironically, you could be president from prison theoretically the Constitution wouldn't object."
That's written in proverbial stone and Virelli says the country’s founding document also puts it on voters to make the decision of who's electable.
“The voters are a check on the system from the point of view of the document,” Virelli said.
So while Trump’s campaign may not be legally impacted, it could be impacted politically. An arraignment is just the start of the court process and it will take many months and time away from campaigning for him and his defense to fight the allegations.
"I think if the trial ends up interfering electoral process, we need to remember that we're a country with criminal laws that need to be enforced and that this is a serious allegation if it's true,” Virelli.
Trump is up against a crowded and growing field Republican presidential hopefuls and experts like Florida State Political Science Professor Dr. Lonna Atkeson says his latest legal issues may not sit well with voters, especially persuadable or undecided ones.
"Maybe there's a short-term boost in support for among primary voters, but I mean, I think at this point, we might even see problems there," Atkeson said. "I mean, the voters are starting to think about electability."
Which is where other GOP hopefuls may start drawing a line, including his chief rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
"I would draw those threads together If I were a candidate and make that the story," Atkeson added.
DeSantis previously condemned the indictment of Trump, calling it a “weaponization” of the government.
Meantime it didn’t take long for Trump to get back to campaigning. After leaving his arraignment, he made a surprise stop at the famous Versailles Restaurant in Miami where he met and prayed with supporters.