NY Case Regarding Interference in the 2016 Election Likely To Be First Criminal Trial Trump Faces

The Manhattan hush-money election interference case is set to be the first criminal trial former President Donald Trump faces, making it the first criminal case in American history where a jury would weigh criminal allegations against a former president. 

The trial was scheduled to start March 25th, 2024 with jury selection, but it is likely the trial will be delayed by a month, due to the production of new documents that impact the case. Trials in the other 3 criminal cases against Trump are unlikely to happen before the  summer of 2024. 

(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

The charges in the New York State case  allege that Donald Trump authorized a hush money payment of $130,000 to Stormy Daniels – with whom he had an extramarital affair – on the eve of the 2016 election, and then falsified business and campaign records in an effort to cover up the pay-off. Trump allegedly failed to report campaign-related expenditures and illegally falsified financial records to keep relevant information from voters as they prepared to cast their votes. 

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s indictment of Donald Trump includes 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The case will be decided by a jury of everyday U.S. citizens. As is commonly true in criminal trials, the DA’s office will first get to present its case – including witnesses and evidence – against Donald Trump. After that, Trump’s lawyers will be able to present their defense to the allegations. To convict Trump, a jury must unanimously decide that he is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the crimes alleged. 

If convicted, the felony charges Trump faces in the New York case could be punishable by up to four years in prison. Because this is a state case, Trump would be unable to pardon himself if he were to become President again – Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes. 

Read more about the indictments Trump is facing here.