Kerry Washington has suggested that job applicants shouldn't have to disclose if they're a convicted felon if Donald Trump can run for president as one.
In an interview with Bustle to promote the upcoming second season of UnPrisoned, the actress said that her feelings on "the so-called justice system" have changed after Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records. "We’re in such an interesting moment when it comes to [the question of], 'What is a felon?'" she said. "I love what people have been sharing on social media, [saying that] if a person who is a convicted felon can still run for president, then we should be removing that box from job applications."
As Washington pointed out, convicted felons also can't vote in many states, including the state where Trump resides, Florida. "The irony is that [Gov.] Ron DeSantis has been trying to make it impossible in Trump’s home state," she added. "A bill was passed in Florida to allow formerly incarcerated folks to vote, and DeSantis has been trying to do everything he can to [undercut] that. Donald Trump may not be able to vote in his home state."
She added that felon status is "just another box that we put people in ... in the same way we do with gender or race."
The former president was found guilty after five weeks of court proceedings back in May. The 12-person jury found him guilty of all 34 counts in his hush money trail, which were in connection to his alleged affair with pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors accused him of making his former lawyer Michael Cohen pay her $130,000 in hush money during the 2016 election, which Trump reimbursed as "legal expenses."
"This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who is corrupt. It's a rigged trial, a disgrace. This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people," said Trump in a reaction to the verdict. "We didn't do a thing wrong. I am a very innocent man. It's okay, I am fighting for our country, I'm fighting for our constitution. Our whole country is being rigged right now. This was done by the Biden Administration in order to wound or hurt a political opponent. I think it is a disgrace."
