Former president Donald Trump will be standing trial on criminal charges starting on Monday, making history as the first former president to do so. The charges involve a scheme to hide allegations of marital infidelity that arose during his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, which carries a sentence of up to 4 years in prison. The case will have significant political implications as it could reach a verdict before the November election where voters will decide if Trump will return to the White House.
The case against Trump revolves around accusations of falsifying internal Trump Organization records to bury damaging stories that could negatively impact his 2016 campaign. Payoffs to women who claimed to have had extramarital encounters with Trump, as well as to a doorman with a story about Trump fathering a child out of wedlock, are at the center of the allegations. Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid off the women in a practice known as “catch-and-kill” and was later reimbursed by the Trump Organization in a way that was falsely recorded as legal expenses. Cohen has pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance laws in connection with the payments.
Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, with prosecutors alleging that this was done to conceal violations of campaign finance laws. Jury selection will begin with Judge Merchan weeding out potential jurors for biases or other disqualifying factors. The process will involve questioning jurors on their affiliations with Trump and other related groups and activities. Those selected to serve on the jury will be asked to remain impartial and fair throughout the trial.
Key prosecution witnesses in the case are expected to include Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, and one of the women, Stormy Daniels, who alleges a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Trump has maintained his innocence in the case, denying any wrongdoing and dismissing it as an attempt to undermine his 2024 presidential campaign. His defense is likely to focus on discrediting prosecution witnesses and painting them as unreliable individuals. Trump’s lawyers are expected to challenge the credibility of Cohen and Daniels, portraying them as untrustworthy witnesses.
With three other criminal cases against him, Trump’s legal battles extend beyond the hush money case. These cases include charges related to election interference, the retention of classified documents, and conspiring to overturn the 2020 election loss in Georgia. Legal proceedings in these cases have been delayed due to appeals and legal fights, potentially sparing Trump from facing verdicts before the November election. Trump has pleaded not guilty in all three cases and maintains his innocence, claiming that he did nothing wrong.
