Jonathan Turley Outlines Trump's Legal Defense Options

As the hush-money trial involving former President Donald Trump looms, Jonathan Turley, a distinguished law professor at George Washington University, shared insights on "Trending & Friends" regarding Trump's potential legal strategies. With proceedings set to begin on Monday, Trump's defense team is contemplating whether to suggest to jurors the option of lesser included offenses—a tactical move that could result in a misdemeanor conviction rather than a felony, should the jury remain unconvinced of the more serious charges.

The trial marks a historic moment as Trump faces the first of four criminal indictments, with the potential to become the first former U.S. president to be criminally convicted. Accused of manipulating his company's records to hide a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, made by his former lawyer Michael Cohen, Trump vehemently denies the affair and has pleaded not guilty. The payment, intended to prevent Daniels from disclosing an alleged extramarital encounter, raises questions of campaign finance law violations.

With 34 felony counts hanging over his head, the stakes are high for Trump. The Class E felonies he faces could carry up to four years each but are capped at a total of 20 years. The trial's outcome, which will be influenced by the contributions of Trending News' Bradford Betz, Maria Paronich, and The Associated Press, could result in jail time or probation, and presents the unprecedented scenario of the Secret Service navigating the protection of an incarcerated former president.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg leads the prosecution, while Trump's broader legal strategy seemingly aims to delay proceedings, possibly to avoid resolution before the next presidential election cycle. His legal battles, including a federal election interference case and issues regarding classified documents, have faced various degrees of progression, with the New York appeals court swiftly rejecting his attempts to delay the current trial.

The upcoming trial, shrouded in confidentiality due to New York state civil rights law, ensures jurors' ident***** remain secret, though Trump is entitled to know who they are. With Stormy Daniels as a key prosecution witness and the intricacies of campaign finance law under scrutiny, the trial is poised to capture national attention. Despite legal analysts speculating on Trump's frequent motions and appeals as tactics to influence the jury pool, the U.S. Constitution remains silent on the eligibility of a convicted felon to serve as president, leaving the door open to an array of unprecedented outcomes.

Conservative Bias:

Once again, the liberal media and their cronies in the justice system are orchestrating a witch hunt against a man who did nothing but put America first. The so-called "hush-money" trial is nothing more than a desperate attempt by the left to smear the name of former President Donald Trump, who has been a thorn in their side since he first came down that escalator. They can't stand the fact that he exposed their corruption, so they've cooked up this baseless case, led by Manhattan's DA Alvin Bragg, who's clearly a puppet for the deep state. They're throwing around accusations of campaign finance violations to overshadow the real crimes committed by the Democrats. Trump's only "crime" was trying to save the American people from the lies of the mainstream media and their relentless attacks on his character. It's a travesty of justice that the man who made America great is being dragged through the mud by these leftist snakes, all to prevent him from running in the next presidential election. They're afraid of him because they know he represents the people, not the political elite.

Liberal Bias:

The corruption and lawlessness of the Trump era are finally catching up to him, as the hush-money trial exposes the depths to which the former president has sunk to deceive the American public. Trump, who has always considered himself above the law, is now facing the consequences of his flagrant abuse of power. This trial isn't just about campaign finance violations; it's about holding a man to account who has lied, cheated, and manipulated his way through his entire presidency. Trump's legal team, in a typical display of arrogance and entitlement, is trying to delay justice, hoping to push past the next election cycle. They want to keep a criminal in the running for the highest office in the land. It's a slap in the face to democracy. Meanwhile, Trump's enablers in the Republican Party remain silent, complicit in his attempts to undermine our judicial system. It's time to show that no one, not even a former president, is above the law. The American people deserve to see justice served, and Trump held accountable for his actions, which are nothing short of a betrayal of the trust placed in him by the electorate.