Former President Donald Trump arrived at a Manhattan court to face trial for 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. He has denounced the case as political persecution, stating that it should have never been brought. This marks the first time a former president will stand trial over criminal charges, making it a unique and historic event. The trial focuses on payments made by Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, to Stormy Daniels to keep her claims of an alleged extramarital affair with Trump quiet.
Prosecutors allege that the Trump Organization reimbursed Cohen for the payment to Daniels and fraudulently logged the payments as legal expenses. Falsifying business records is a misdemeanor, but prosecutors are working to prove that Trump falsified records with an intent to commit or conceal a second crime, which would be a felony. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has accused Trump of using a “catch and kill” scheme to hide negative information about him during the election. Trump has denied the affair and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the trial as a witch hunt and claims the presiding Judge Juan Merchan has unfairly placed a gag order on him. He has demanded his “VOICE back” and called the judge “crooked.” The trial began with jury selection, where potential jurors were asked to confirm their ability to serve in a fair and impartial manner. Those who could not be impartial were dismissed, while the remaining were asked a series of 42 questions, including inquiries about any beliefs that might prevent them from following the court’s instructions.
The trial is expected to last at least six weeks and will likely have an impact on the upcoming presidential campaign. Trump has declared that he would testify at the trial and called it an attack on his political opponent. The trial marks an unprecedented moment in American history as a former president faces criminal charges in court. The case is known as the “hush money” case, stemming from payments made to Daniels to keep her quiet about the alleged affair. Trump has maintained his innocence and continues to assert that the trial is politically motivated.
As the trial progresses, Trump and his legal team will be defending against the charges of falsifying business records, with the prosecution arguing that the payments were part of a scheme to hide criminal activities. The outcome of the trial will have significant implications for both Trump and the American political landscape. As the trial moves forward, it will be closely monitored by the public and experts alike to see how it impacts Trump’s future and the wider implications for former presidents facing criminal charges.
