Poll: Americans say DOJ was right to indict, Trump is guilty and should go to prison if convicted

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25 August 2023

Decisions by the U.S. Dept. of Justice to indict Donald Trump, the ex-president, on federal felony charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and his alleged refusal to return classified documents, were “based on a fair evaluation of the evidence and the law,” say strong majorities of Americans including majorities of independents and Democrats, according to new Politico Magazine/Ipsos polling released Friday.

Donald Trump is guilty of the federal crimes he has been charged with, the majority of Americans also believe. In the DOJ’s case alleging the ex-president attempted to overturn the election, 50% – including a majority of independents and Democrats – say if convicted Trump should be sent to prison. (The poll does not show that question being asked in any other cases.)

The majority of Americans also believe Trump is guilty of the charges he was booked for in Georgia Thursday evening, which include alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and racketeering. A strong plurality, 48%, also believe he is guilty in the New York case alleging falsification of business records surrounding his alleged hush money payoff to a porn star.

The majority of Americans also say Donald Trump should stand trial in both federal cases before the 2024 November election.

Republicans are the only group where a majority say they do not believe Trump is guilty in the four indictments he is facing, do not believe DOJ’s actions were fair and based on law, do not believe he should stand trial before the 2024 election, and if convicted, do not believe he should face prison time.

In the federal case alleging election subversion, nearly one-third (32%) of Republicans say if Trump is convicted, they would be more likely “to support him for president.” An additional 39% of Republicans say a conviction in that case would have no impact on the likelihood they would support the ex-president.

Politico reports that “public sentiment in certain areas — including how quickly to hold a trial and whether to incarcerate Trump if he’s convicted — is moving against the former president when compared to a previous POLITICO Magazine/Ipsos poll conducted in June.”

“The survey results suggest Americans are taking the cases seriously — particularly the Justice Department’s 2020 election case — and that most people are skeptical of Trump’s claim to be the victim of a legally baseless witch hunt or an elaborate, multi-jurisdictional effort to ‘weaponize’ law enforcement authorities against him.”

“A conviction in DOJ’s 2020 election case would hurt Trump in the general election,” Politico adds. “Our latest poll also makes clear that it would be unhelpful for Trump’s presidential bid if he is federally convicted of a criminal scheme to steal the last election at the same time that he is asking the American people to send him back to the White House.”

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