04/15/2024

In Hush-money Trial, Trump’s Election is at Stake

The trial represents an unprecedented test of the American system

Donald Trump has a way of ducking trouble. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation found Russia helped Trump defeat Hillary Clinton, but Trump dodged a criminal charge for publicly encouraging Russia to do so. He was impeached, twice—once for allegedly using the presidency to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rival Joe Biden, and again for whether he was culpable for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss and inciting a deadly riot. Senate Republicans acquitted him both times. He's faced civil lawsuits over the violent attack on Jan. 6, 2021 and has appealed $88.3 million in judgements awarded to author E. Jean Carroll in two defamation verdicts against him.

But starting Monday, things will be different for the former President. For the first time, Donald Trump will be on trial in a criminal court.

With jury selection getting underway in Manhattan this week, Trump faces 34 felony counts of allegedly falsifying business records to hide hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels weeks before the 2016 election. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 4 years in prison, or a total of 136 years. 

Please select this link to read the complete article from TIME.