Trump’s Trial: Jury Selection Continues Amidst Falsified Business Records Charges
The trial of former President Donald Trump commenced on Monday in a courtroom located in lower Manhattan, marking an unprecedented event in U.S. history as the first criminal trial of an ex-president. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, appeared in court in the state of New York, where he faces charges of falsifying business records to conceal a sex scandal involving a porn star.
The case has been brought forward by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and is one of four state and federal indictments that the former president is currently facing. Due to delays in the other cases, this trial may be the only one to proceed before the November election, making its potential political impact significant.
Trump wants to be excused from his current trial cuz he wants to attend Barron’s high school graduation. Trump NEVER went to the HS graduation for Don Jr. Eric Ivanka or Tiffany. Give me a f’in break. #morningjoe #deadlinewh #maddow #theview #TrumpTrial pic.twitter.com/hjVDTJLLdC
— Dan "I Stand With Ukraine" P (@ddanpereira) April 16, 2024
The process of jury selection began on Monday afternoon and is expected to take approximately two weeks. Prior to bringing potential jurors into the courtroom, Justice Juan Merchan addressed several motions. Merchan announced his decision to reject a motion from Trump’s defense team that cited alleged conflicts of interest involving the judge’s family and requested his recusal from the case. Merchan stated that there was no agenda at play and emphasized the importance of following the law and ensuring justice is served.
What’s great about this is that potential jurors saw this. They saw the defendant sleeping as the Judge gave instructions. #SleepyDon #TrumpTrial #DonSnoreleone
— Barstool Dark Brandon 🇺🇸 (@TheeThomasB) April 16, 2024
However, Merchan also ruled against the prosecution’s request to introduce evidence related to allegations of sexual assaults committed by Trump, deeming them as mere rumors. The prosecution intended to present these claims, made during the 2016 election, to bolster their argument that Trump engaged in a scheme to conceal evidence of an affair in order to maintain support from women voters.
Regarding the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape, Merchan decided not to allow it to be presented to the jury but permitted prosecutors to introduce comments made by Trump and captured on the tape. In the recording, released shortly before the 2016 election, Trump boasted about engaging in inappropriate behavior towards women, stating, “When you’re a star, they let you do it.”
On Monday, prosecutors also requested that Merchan fine Trump for violating a gag order imposed by the judge on April 1. Trump had made social media posts attacking his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, and the porn star Stormy Daniels. Merchan scheduled a hearing for April 23 to hear arguments on this matter.
Cohen, who is expected to be a key witness in the case, and Daniels may both testify. Whether Trump will testify in his own defense has not yet been confirmed by his legal team.
The case revolves around payments totaling $130,000 made by Cohen to Daniels in the final weeks of the 2016 election campaign. Cohen admitted in his plea deal that the payments were intended to secure Daniels’ silence about an alleged affair she had with Trump a decade earlier.
Trump faces 34 felony counts, with a maximum potential sentence of four years in prison if convicted. However, Merchan has the discretion to sentence him to probation without prison time.
Stand strong, sir, and thank simpleton Bragg for handing you the WH in November 😎
You're gagged, but we ain't 👏@realDonaldTrump #TrumpTrial pic.twitter.com/mFAtxrQcfq
— 🇺🇲Salty Texan (@texan_maga) April 15, 2024
Legal experts have noted a significant challenge facing Bragg: in New York state, falsifying business records is considered a misdemeanor unless it is done to conceal another crime, at which point it becomes a felony. Bragg alleges that Trump intended to conceal state and federal campaign finance violations and a tax crime related to how Cohen was reimbursed for the payments to Daniels. Prosecutors do not need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump committed these underlying crimes, but they do need to demonstrate that he had the intention to conceal them. This is expected to be strongly contested by the defense.
Apart from the legal implications, any potential conviction of Trump could have a significant political impact. Currently, most polling averages show Trump with a narrow lead over President Joe Biden. However, evidence suggests that a small but noteworthy portion of the electorate would be less likely to support Trump if he were to be convicted of a felony.
While the charges in this case may appear both salacious and technical, involving the presentation of numerous corporate documents, democracy advocates argue that it carries important principles and centers around a scheme to undermine a fair election. Norm Eisen, a legal analyst and prominent Trump critic, stated that the case is not solely about hush money payments but also focuses on Trump’s alleged actions to withhold information from voters and cover up election interference.
Outside the Manhattan Criminal Court, a group of Trump supporters gathered to express their loyalty to the former president and criticize the trial as a politically motivated witch hunt—a sentiment frequently echoed by Trump himself. However, there were also individuals who demonstrated against Trump, emphasizing the importance of the rule of law and viewing the trial as a positive development for America.
