Trump's New York hush money trial kicks off with jury selection

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Ex-President Donald Trump's historic New York state trial on hush money charges began Monday with jury selection, marking the first time a former US president stands trial on criminal charges after leaving office.

The trial, which is centered on allegations of falsifying business records, was originally set to begin in March, but New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan granted Trump a 30-day delay. Merchan rejected another attempt to postpone the proceedings further, and an appeals court turned down three requests to do so last week.

Trump will be required to be present for the trial's duration, which could last roughly two months.

The presumptive Republican president nominee has sought to stall each of the cases against him, including the hush money case, ahead of November's general election where he is all but certain to compete against President Joe Biden in a 2020 rematch.

Prosecutors with District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office allege that Trump falsified his company’s records to conceal the true nature of hush money payments. They include a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels during the run-up to the 2016 presidential election meant to suppress her claims that they had an extramarital affair years earlier.

The $130,000 hush money payment was allegedly filtered through the former president's businesses to hide the true nature of the payment, and given to his then-attorney Michael Cohen who paid Daniels in October 2016. The election took place the following month.

Cohen also allegedly arranged for another payment to run through the National Enquirer tabloid magazine to claim the exclusive rights to former Playboy model Karen McDougal's story with the intention that it never be published in a questionable practice known as "catch and kill." Like Daniels, McDougal alleged an affair with Trump.

Another payment was allegedly made to a Trump Tower doorman who claimed Trump had a child out of wedlock.

Cohen pleaded guilty to charges related to the schemes in 2018. He is now expected to be the prosecution's star witness against Trump.

Speaking to reporters as he entered the Manhattan courtroom, Trump said the trial "is an assault on America."

"Nothing like this has ever happened before. There's never been anything like it," he said. "This is political persecution. This is a persecution like never before. Nobody's ever seen anything like it. Again, it's a case that never should have been brought. It's an assault on America."

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to the hush money payments. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.​​​​​​​

Falsifying business records is a felony that carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison under New York law.

They are part of dozens of state and federal criminal charges the former president faces, including trying to overturn the 2020 election results in the state of Georgia, his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots, and illegally taking and concealing classified documents after he left the White House.