TRUMP’S 1ST CRIMINAL TRIAL BEGINS
Observers say this is the least serious of four criminal cases hanging over him
DONALD Trump, 77, was set to go to court yesterday as the first former United States (US) president ever to be criminally prosecuted, a seismic moment for the US as the presumptive Republican nominee campaigns to re-take the White House.
The is accused of falsifying business records to cover up an alleged sexual encounter with adult film actress Stormy Daniels to shield his 2016 election campaign from adverse publicity.
The so-called hush money affair is only one of four criminal cases hanging over Trump and some legal observers suggest it is the least serious.
But the real prospect of him becoming a convicted felon — and potentially facing jail time — throws an unprecedented wild card into an already unpredictable election.
The right-wing populist is running on dark vows of “vengeance” against Democratic President Joe Biden, who beat him in 2020.
Trump had said he would take the stand in the case, which gets underway from 1330 GMT, an unusual and often risky move for defendants.
“I’ve been indicted more than Al Capone, the great gangster,” Trump said to cheering supporters at a rally on Saturday in key swing state Pennsylvania.
“There is absolutely nothing here,” he insisted. “There is no misdemeanour, there is no felony, there’s no federal crime.”
But ahead of any testimony by Trump, the trial was set to start yesterday with a likely lengthy and contentious process to select 12 jurors and their alternates.
The pool of ordinary citizens convened by judge Juan Merchan must answer a questionnaire, including checks on whether they have been members of far-right groups. The actual charges revolve around highly technical finance laws.
Trump is accused of illegally covering up remittances to his longtime attorney and fixer Michael Cohen, who used the funds to pay Daniels to keep quiet about the alleged sexual encounter in the final weeks of the 2016 election campaign.
A New York grand jury indicted Trump in March last year over the payments made to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, with the ex-president charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records.
He denies the charges and could use the trial, scheduled for up to two months, as a platform to decry what he alleges is “lawfare” and election interference by his political opponents.
His campaign team characterised the trial as “a full-frontal assault on American democracy”.
“These charges are fabricated to interfere in the election,” said the Trump campaign team.
Trump claims he will not get a fair trial in heavily Democratic New York.
Even if convicted, he would appeal and would not be barred from continuing to run, or even being elected president on Nov 5.
Trump’s other three criminal cases — centred on his alleged hoarding of top-secret documents in Florida after he left the White House and his involvement in attempts to overturn the 2020 election — all face multiple delays.