The trial of former President Trump, arising from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into alleged hush-money payments before the 2016 election, is scheduled to commence Monday with jury selection.
This New York City trial marks the first legal challenge of the election year for Trump, who maintains his innocence on all charges.
In response to Trump’s legal team’s motion for the recusal of Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan due to alleged bias and his daughter’s Democratic affiliations, Merchan will preside over the proceedings.
Last April, Bragg charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to purported hush-money payments during the 2016 campaign.
Bragg claims Trump manipulated records to hide damaging information and violated election laws.
The trial was postponed from March due to additional evidence provided by the Department of Justice.
Trump’s team sought to delay the trial indefinitely pending a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity, but Merchan denied this request.
Despite legal challenges and ongoing scrutiny, Trump maintains his stance of innocence against charges brought by multiple jurisdictions, including Manhattan and Fulton County, Georgia.
