Former President Donald Trump is facing a potentially rocky road ahead as prosecutors plan to ask him about a slew of past legal issues if he testifies at his ongoing criminal trial. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which brought the charges against Trump, listed six cases of “misconduct and criminal acts” that they plan to question him about in order to impeach his credibility. Some of the cases listed include a civil fraud case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, two cases brought against Trump by writer E. Jean Carroll, and a failed lawsuit against Hillary Clinton. The only criminal case listed is a recent tax fraud case brought against the Trump Organization.
Trump has indicated that he plans to take the stand, stating that he will tell the truth and that there is no case against him. However, whether he will actually testify remains to be seen, as his lawyers are likely to wait until the scope of prosecutors’ questioning is determined by the judge before making a final decision. Jury selection is currently underway in the criminal trial, with opening arguments expected to begin once the full jury is chosen. The proceedings are anticipated to last approximately six weeks once they get underway.
The cases listed in prosecutors’ filing have resulted in Trump and his company being ordered to pay a total of $557 million. This includes judgments in the civil fraud case, the trials against writer E. Jean Carroll, the tax fraud case, sanctions from the Clinton lawsuit, and penalties related to the use of the Trump Foundation for his 2016 campaign. Trump’s spokesperson has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter. It is still up to Judge Juan Merchan to determine what the prosecution can ask about at trial.
Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records in the Manhattan case, which is the first of four criminal cases against him to go to trial. The charges stem from allegedly misleading reimbursement payments made to his ex-attorney Michael Cohen after he paid Stormy Daniels $130,000 to cover up allegations of an affair before the 2016 election. Trump paid Cohen $420,000 through a series of incremental payments throughout 2017, which prosecutors allege were falsely labeled as legal payments. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges, maintaining that they are part of a “witch hunt” against him.
Overall, the upcoming trial for former President Donald Trump is expected to be a high-profile legal battle that could shed light on his past legal issues. Prosecutors are gearing up to question Trump about a range of cases that have resulted in significant financial penalties. Whether Trump will actually testify during the trial remains uncertain, but his potential testimony could have a significant impact on the outcome of the case. With jury selection currently underway, the trial is set to begin in the coming days and is expected to last for several weeks.
