1. Trump will be required to take courses in U.S. history, constitutional law and civics over a period consistent with the recommended sentencing guidelines.
2. After completing the course, Trump will be required to take the naturalization test, which is required of all immigrants who want to become US citizens.
3. If Trump doesn’t pass the test, he will have to continue taking classes until he does.
4. While Trump meets the above requirements, he should also be assigned at least one community service day per week until he receives a passing grade. This should be low-key work, such as clerical work for a nonpartisan charity or providing a voice for donations to a food bank. Answering phones or creating social media ads would also work.
Dan Rita, Mount Holly, New Jersey
New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Marchan has great discretion in sentencing white-collar criminals, and criminal sentencing guidelines include considering the type of restitution appropriate to the crime and any expressions of remorse or contrition.
The crimes for which Donald Trump was convicted involved concealing information for political gain, which may have influenced the outcome of the 2016 election. Appropriate reparations would therefore include Trump immediately issuing a statement clearly and completely denying his past statements denying the results of the 2020 election, acknowledging that he lost the 2020 election, and recognizing Joe Biden as the legitimate president. Reparations could also include six months of community service with a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, such as the League of Women Voters. These options could be offered in lieu of a prison sentence.
As for expressions of remorse, I do not expect them to express it, and I trust that Judge Marchan will take into consideration Mr. Trump’s actions and statements at the sentencing hearing.
Keith Kozlov, Takoma Park
In sentencing Donald Trump on July 11, New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Marchan will need to show proper respect. He can do so by confining Mr. Trump to “house arrest” in a room filled with the usual luxuries, including a gold toilet. But the room must be devoid of televisions, computers, cell phones, letter paper, writing implements, envelopes, stamps, or any other means of communication. Secret Service agents can guard the locked doors to prevent unauthorized persons from entering or exiting.
The judge should recognize that Trump will need some mental stimulation, given that he is forbidden from communicating with the outside world. Judge Marchan could follow the example of the Louisiana state legislature, which just passed a bill requiring that poster-sized versions of the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom from kindergarten through college. The poster could be hung on a wall for Trump to meditate on daily how he relates to himself, with the Seventh Commandment “Thou shalt not commit adultery” highlighted in red.
On the opposite wall there might be a similar poster listing the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth.
Kenneth Yanowsky, Florence, Oregon
Like millions of Americans, I have long wished for Donald Trump to disappear from politics, the media, and the public conversation. No criminal law can save the country from the damage he has caused. Above all, Trump has destroyed the Republican Party. He has constantly insulted and abused people, and told countless lies. He has wasted the country’s time and resources on impeachment and trial. And most importantly, he has attempted to destroy democracy by denying that he lost a free and fair election. The essence of democracy is to accept the will of the people after they have voted.
Trump could have avoided the New York convictions and the trials in Washington, Florida and Georgia by choosing not to run for office and living as a private citizen. His ego and thirst for power prevented him from taking this path. That’s why he refused to leave politics like President Richard M. Nixon had.
As a lawyer, I understand that it is unlikely that Trump will receive a prison sentence. However, given the unprecedented damage Trump has caused to our country, it is not enough to simply fine someone who collects money from the public. Therefore, I hope that Judge Juan Marchan of the New York State Supreme Court will consider imposing a minimum of six months of house arrest on Trump (with the exception of the two Trump-Biden debates) immediately after his sentencing.
“This type of punishment would send a real message to Trump that he will endure more than the stigma of wearing the words “CONVICTED FELVER” in red around his neck. Rather, it would temporarily restrict his freedom to travel and speak at public campaign events. I believe that would be a fair and sufficient measure to ensure that he does not repeat in the future any conduct similar to that for which he was convicted.”
Bruce N. Shulman, Silver Spring
If a prison sentence for Donald Trump is inappropriate, how about a four-year ban on golf?
Frank N. Willner, Fredericksburg
Most legal experts consulted on the case seem to believe that Donald Trump’s sentence for falsifying business records would be light, taking into account various mitigating factors, and that any incarceration would be surprising.
But why don’t these legal authorities consider that Trump has shown no remorse and, even worse, has not admitted his guilt and claims the trial was completely rigged? That’s why New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Marchan must send Trump to prison to give him time to examine his conscience, even if that seems impossible.
Can you imagine a criminal like this in the White House? If so, this election will be a shameful turning point for the United States. A criminal who doesn’t believe in democracy should not become president of the most powerful democracy in the world.
Silvio Le Brun, Montreal
The Washington Post’s May 31 editorial, “The jury’s in. Now the voters say,” was right on all counts, but it didn’t offer sufficient guidance on what should be done about the former president.
By pardoning former President Trump, New York Governor Kathy Hockle (D) could help thwart his continued efforts to use the lawsuits against him to make politically advantageous claims. Because the 34 felony charges are state, not federal, violations, only the New York Governor can pardon him, not the current or next president. If Hockle pardons Trump, she would spare us all a likely appeal and the inevitable retrial. A guilty verdict would not legally disqualify Trump from being president. And because the jury’s decision to convict Trump clarified the issue and made history, there is nothing to lose. Either way, it is unlikely that Trump will receive a prison sentence. And from a New York political perspective, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has fulfilled a campaign promise by securing the first conviction.
A pardon would also likely infuriate Trump. If Democrats were to issue one, it would erase his biggest campaign argument: that the system is rigged against him, eliminating what has been a major source of media attention and a fundraising boon. Moreover, a pardon would be the right thing to do at the right time. It would inject some decency into a political system and a presidential campaign that have been dominated by malice and bad faith.
Joseph P. Petitot, Bethesda
I am 83 years old and a convicted felon who received a full and unconditional pardon from President Ronald Reagan. Donald Trump’s conviction of 34 felony counts has led me to reflect on my own experiences and what Mr. Trump might learn from my example.
In 1967, I and three other men poured blood on our draft records at the Selective Service Office in Baltimore in protest of the Vietnam War. When my sentence was handed down in 1968, I declared that I would abide by the higher moral law and continue to protest. To which Judge Edward S. Northrop told me, “In that case, I sentence you to incarceration in a facility of the Attorney General’s choosing.”
I naively wondered what he meant, which meant 21 months in Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary, followed by a career in the criminal justice system helping inmates at the Baltimore City Jail. As the poet Rainer Maria Rilke said, “Life has to change.” Prison did just that.
What positives can Trump take from this upcoming ruling? I recommend reading “Ministry of Risk: Writings on Peace and Nonviolence,” a book by my mentor, Father Philip Berrigan, edited by Brad Wolf. Martin Sheen said of Father Berrigan, “Philip took the Gospel personally.”
David Eberhart, Baltimore
