A seismic moment for US
Trump first ex-president to be criminally prosecuted as hush money trial starts
New York: Donald Trump goes to court as the first US ex-president ever to be criminally prosecuted, a seismic moment for the United States as the presumptive Republican nominee campaigns to re-take the White House.
The scandal-plagued 77-year-old is accused of falsifying business records in a scheme 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 Trump 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 has said he will take the stand in the case, 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 in Pennsylvania.
“There is absolutely nothing here,” he insisted. “There is no misdemeanour, there is no felony, there’s no federal crime.”
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 was using the funds to pay Stormy 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 2023 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 prominent 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 entirely fabricated in order to interfere in the election,” said the Trump campaign team statement.
Trump also claims he will not get a fair trial in heavily Democratic New York.
However, the real estate magnate and longtime reality TV show star is using the limelight as an unlikely campaign boost – touting himself as a victim and using supporter outrage to fundraise.
Even if convicted, he would be able to appeal and would not be barred from continuing to run, or even being elected president on Nov 5. —