Setbacks for Trump in Hush-Money Case Begin Early
Former President Donald Trump suffered two legal blows even before the jury selection process started in his Manhattan hush money payment trial on Monday. This marks the inaugural criminal trial against the former president, who is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records. The case relates to a purported payment of hush money to adult movie star Stormy Daniels.
Unsuccessful Attempts from Trump's Legal Team
Judge Juan Merchan, who presides over the Manhattan case of four criminal indictments against Trump, kicked things off with a firm stand against Trump's legal team. He rejected two attempts from Trump's team. First, he denied the former president's motion for recusal. Then, he granted the prosecutors' request to show jurors headlines and stories from the National Enquirer, adding a degree of complexity to the trial process.
Trump's Motion for Recusal Denied
On the issue of recusal, Judge Merchan said that there was "no basis for recusal." Therefore, he denied the motion. Trump had repeatedly accused Merchan of being biased against him, leading him to request the judge's removal from the case. At the center of these accusations, Trump also targeted Merchan's daughter, highlighting her political consulting work, which includes her employment at a Democratic firm that collaborated with Joe Biden's 2020 campaign.
An Unexpected Approval for the Prosecution
Judge Merchan then addressed a motion from the prosecutors, who sought to introduce evidence using National Enquirer headlines circulating during the 2016 election. These stories contained negative narratives about Trump's political rivals and had reportedly received the former president's approval before publication. This unexpected approval from Judge Merchan for the prosecutors will allow them to incorporate this evidence into their argument.
Hints at a 'Catch and Kill Scheme'
The prosecutors aim to strengthen their claim linking the 'catch and kill scheme' with these headlines. The scheme surrounds the hush money payment made to ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed to have had an affair with Trump. McDougal indirectly received this payment through Trump's ex-aid, Michael Cohen. This allowed the National Enquirer to buy the rights to her story, preventing her from sharing it with other outlets.
Judge Merchan has permitted testimony about McDougal to be admissible in court but has restricted witnesses from discussing details of whether the alleged affair occurred while Trump's wife, Melania Trump, was pregnant or had just given birth. Additionally, the infamous Access Hollywood tape will not play during the trial as it was deemed prejudicial, marking another critical point in this trial.
These early setbacks for Donald Trump signal a challenging kick-off to the Manhattan hush money payment trial. It sets the stage for a rigorous contest between the prosecution and defense as they lock horns to present their respective stands.
