ORLANDO, FL — May 30, 2024 — “The conviction of Former President Donald Trump has placed two broad issues that are close to us on a national platform and has highlighted the need for a much deeper and more intentional conversation about criminal justice reform and felon disenfranchisement that is more around common sense solutions and less about politics.

While this conviction will now create a deluge of political fodder, we should be soberly reminded that he now joins the ranks of millions upon millions of American citizens who have been experiencing life with a felony conviction. 

This country has been struggling with the question of whether or not a person convicted of a felony should have the right to vote or run for office.

For decades, Americans with a felony conviction have in many ways been forced to face tens of thousands of collateral consequences and have been relegated to second class citizenship status. 

To now have a Presidential candidate join the ranks of this growing community; to now have a person who once held the highest office in this country now be referred to as a “felon” forces a more sincere approach to addressing these issues.

We look forward to a serious discussion about these issues in upcoming days and months. Anything less than that would be pure political theater, divisive, and in total disregard to the millions of everyday citizens impacted by the criminal justice system.”

– Desmond Meade, Executive Director, FRRC