President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced yesterday to an unconditional discharge for falsifying business records to cover up an alleged 2006 sexual encounter with adult film star Stormy Daniels. The ruling means Trump won't face prison time, fines, or any other penalties; however, the sentencing does mean he will take office as the first US president with a felony conviction.
The sentencing officially caps off a historic criminal trial and comes after a New York jury in May convicted the now-78-year-old Trump on 34 felony charges. The charges relate to a $130K payment Michael Cohen, Trump's one-time personal attorney, made to Daniels to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump to protect his chances of election in 2016. Trump then reimbursed Cohen for the payment as legal fees. See timeline of events here.