The question of whether or not the 2020 election was stolen has become a key point of contention in both job interviews within the Republican party and in various courtrooms. In a recent purge of the Republican National Committee, job applicants in several key states were questioned about their beliefs on the legitimacy of the election. This line of questioning is seen as a loyalty test to former President Donald Trump, and has been criticized as “insane” by some party insiders. Additionally, potential jurors in Manhattan courts have been asked about their views on the election results, with prosecutors using this question to determine if they can be fair and impartial in their judgment.
In Trump’s upcoming criminal trial, which centers around alleged “hush money” payments made to Stormy Daniels, prosecutors are using questions about the 2020 election results to gauge the potential jurors’ ability to follow the facts and remain impartial. Trump’s attorney has disputed the need for this question, citing that over half of the population believes the election was stolen, despite the lack of evidence to support this claim. Trump is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of an effort to cover up an alleged affair with Daniels before the 2016 election.
During jury selection in a previous trial involving Trump and writer E. Jean Carroll, jurors were asked about their views on the 2020 election results. Those who believed the election had been stolen were not selected for the jury. The Manhattan district attorney’s office defended these questions as a way for the judge to quickly narrow down potential jurors. Trump was ultimately ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million in damages, and he is currently appealing the verdict. The issue of jurors disclosing their political views is becoming a recurring theme in Trump’s legal cases.
Special counsel Jack Smith has also proposed asking potential jurors in another case involving classified documents in Florida about their beliefs regarding the legitimacy of the 2020 election. Trump’s attorney summarized that the ultimate goal for both sides is to determine whether potential jurors are favorable to Trump. The question of whether the election was stolen has become a divisive issue that is now being used as a tool to assess loyalty and impartiality in both political and legal settings. These questions are seen as a way to evaluate the biases of potential jurors and determine their ability to make fair judgments.
