Manhattan DA's Office Poised to Grill Trump in Unprecedented Criminal Trial

Grayson Larkspur

Updated Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 11:20 AM CDT

Manhattan DA's Office Poised to Grill Trump in Unprecedented Criminal Trial

In a historic move, the Manhattan district attorney's office is gearing up to question former U.S. President Donald Trump as part of a criminal trial, should he decide to testify. The legal team, led by District Attorney Alvin Bragg, is set to probe a myriad of Trump's legal entanglements, including the civil fraud suit brought forth by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump's company is accused of inflating property values to mislead lenders and insurers, with a judgment ordering him to pay a staggering $454.2 million in fines.

The prosecutors are not shying away from delving into more personal allegations against Trump either. They plan to tackle claims made by writer E. Jean Carroll, who accuses Trump of sexual abuse in the 1990s and subsequent defamation. Overall judgments against Trump currently total approximately $550 million, with Trump appealing $88.3 million from two verdicts.

The district attorney's office intends to impeach Trump's credibility by bringing up past instances where he violated a gag order and testified untruthfully under oath. Despite Trump's public declaration of his intent to testify, he is not legally bound to do so. The prosecutors may further explore the $2 million settlement from the criminal tax fraud case against the Trump Organization and the Trump Foundation's alleged misuse of funds.

Adding to Trump's legal woes, he and his lawyer were fined nearly $938,000 for misusing the court system against political rivals like Hillary Clinton, with a judge branding Trump a "prolific and sophisticated litigant" skilled in judicial process abuse.

A pivotal Sandoval hearing will decide the scope of cross-examination allowed during Trump's trial, with his attorneys fighting to exclude certain damaging topics. This trial is the first criminal proceeding against a former U.S. president, with jury selection resuming on a recent Thursday.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records concerning the alleged $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, linked to a claimed sexual encounter before the 2016 election. If convicted, Trump could face up to four years in prison.

The decision to allow questioning about Trump's history of civil sexual abuse and fraud cases rests with Justice Juan Merchan. The criminal trial commenced with jury selection on a Monday, and Trump vehemently denies the sexual encounter with Daniels.

Prosecutors are keen to question Trump about the civil case involving the fraudulent valuation of properties and are awaiting a potential Friday hearing regarding their request to do so. The hush money case is merely the first of four criminal indictments against Trump to go to trial, with the former president also pleading not guilty to charges related to the 2020 election and the mishandling of classified documents. As the legal saga continues, experts like former federal prosecutor Justin Danilewitz have raised concerns about the introduction of prejudicial material in an appeal, underscoring the high stakes of the trial.

Conservative Bias:

Once again, the liberal witch hunt is in full swing, folks. The Manhattan DA's office, driven by radical leftist Alvin Bragg, is on a baseless crusade to take down former President Trump. They're dredging up every conceivable charge, from inflated property values—a standard business practice—to ludicrous allegations of sexual abuse from decades ago. They're trying to punish Trump for being a successful businessman and a conservative icon who threatens their socialist agenda. They've even got the audacity to fine him for supposedly misusing the courts when it's clear he's the one being harassed by the legal system. And now, they're salivating at the chance to grill him in a criminal trial, something unheard of for a former U.S. president. This is nothing but a desperate attempt by the Democrats to eliminate Trump from the political landscape because they know they can't beat him at the ballot box.

Liberal Bias:

The walls are finally closing in on the former "Commander-in-Thief," as the Manhattan DA's office takes the long-overdue step of holding Trump accountable for his litany of crimes. For too long, this man has skirted the law, inflated his wealth, and abused his power with no consequences. Now, DA Alvin Bragg is courageously pursuing justice, tackling Trump's brazen fraud and his vile behavior towards women. The right-wing's poster boy for corruption is also facing the music for his flagrant abuse of the legal system, weaponizing it against political opponents like Hillary Clinton. It's high time Trump faces a reckoning for the hush money payments and the myriad of other crimes he's committed. This isn't political—it's about preserving the rule of law. Trump's legal troubles are a testament to his disregard for decency and democracy, and it's imperative that he's held to the same standards as any other citizen.

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