On Monday, Donald Trump, the first US ex-president ever to face criminal prosecution, will appear in court. This historic moment marks a seismic shift for the United States, especially as he campaigns to reclaim the White House as the presumptive Republican nominee.
The 77-year-old embroiled in scandal faces accusations of falsifying business records. His alleged motive was to conceal an encounter with adult film actress Stormy Daniels, all in an effort to protect his 2016 election campaign from unfavorable publicity.
Jury selection will begin Monday in Donald Trump’s upcoming criminal trial over allegedly falsified business records around an alleged six-figure hush money payment to pornstar Stormy Daniels. pic.twitter.com/FHb2VDQiJa
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) April 15, 2024
The so-called hush money affair represents just one of the four criminal cases looming over Donald Trump. Some legal experts even argue that it is the least serious among these legal challenges.
However, the genuine possibility of Donald Trump being convicted as a felon, with the potential of facing imprisonment, introduces an unprecedented wildcard into an already unpredictable election.
The right-wing populist campaigns on ominous promises of vengeance directed at Democratic President Joe Biden, who defeated him in the 2020 election.
Donald Trump, has announced his intention to testify in court, a move that is both unusual and risky for defendants. The trial is scheduled to commence at 13:30 GMT.
Addressing a fervent crowd at a rally in the pivotal swing state of Pennsylvania, Donald Trump boldly declared, “I’ve been indicted more times than Al Capone, the notorious gangster.” His words resonated with the cheering supporters, underscoring the high stakes of his ongoing legal battles.
“There is absolutely nothing here,” he insisted. “There is no misdemeanor, there is no felony, there’s no federal crime.”
Before Trump takes the stand, the trial is set to commence on Monday. The initial proceedings will involve a lengthy and potentially contentious jury selection process, aiming to choose 12 jurors along with their alternates.
As the trial begins, the pool of potential jurors, randomly selected by Judge Juan Merchan, will undergo a comprehensive questionnaire. This questionnaire aims to assess various aspects, including whether any of the prospective jurors have affiliations with far-right groups. The charges against Trump primarily center on intricate finance laws, making this a highly technical case.
During the 2016 election, Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former lawyer, orchestrated hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. These payments were intended to prevent her from publicly disclosing an alleged affair with Trump.
In March 2023, a New York grand jury indicted former President Donald Trump. The charges stemmed from payments made to adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels. Trump faced 34 counts related to falsifying business records.
Trump vehemently denies the charges and views the upcoming trial, which is expected to last up to two months, as a significant platform. He intends to use it to criticize what he alleges is a combination of “lawfare” and election interference orchestrated by his political adversaries.
Trump asserts that he will not receive a fair trial in heavily Democratic New York.
Despite being a real estate magnate and a longtime reality TV show star, Trump is leveraging the current limelight as an unconventional campaign boost. He portrays himself as a victim and capitalizes on supporter outrage to raise funds for his cause.
Even if found guilty, he would retain the right to appeal, and there would be no automatic disqualification from pursuing further political office, including the possibility of being elected president on November 5.
ALSO READ | Donald Trump visits family of slain NYPD detective Jonathan Diller and prays with them