George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley expressed disbelief at the opening statements of the trial led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Turley, along with many others, were stunned that the trial was even taking place, let alone the serious accusations brought forth against former President Donald Trump. The trial revolves around a 34-count indictment accusing Trump of falsifying business records in an effort to cover up an alleged hush money payment to former porn actress Stormy Daniels. Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, is accused of paying Daniels $130,000 to keep an alleged extramarital affair with Trump secret just before the 2016 presidential election.
Turley pointed out that Trump may have a valid point in this case. He remarked that the fact that this case is being presented in a New York courtroom is an embarrassment. He also brought attention to the fact that the case involves a misdemeanor that has long since expired, but has been resurrected with a new campaign finance violation allegation that does not hold up under Federal Law. Turley also mentioned that the Department of Justice does not see this as a valid case. Turley went on to compare these allegations to those against former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Clinton’s campaign had funded the Steele Dossier, which accused the Trump campaign of colluding with Russia to win the 2016 election. Turley questioned the objectivity of those who supported this case, given their previous support for a similar questionable theory.
Commentator Fox News’ John Roberts noted that Michael Colangelo, a former U.S. Associate Attorney General under President Joe Biden, is a prosecutor in Bragg’s office. Turley saw this as further evidence that the case against Trump is coordinated and biased. He noted that any other court would have raised concerns about having a former Biden Justice Department attorney lead this case, but in New York, the only thing that seems to matter is the name of the defendant, Donald Trump.
During his opening statement, Colangelo called Trump’s actions a “long-running conspiracy” to influence the 2016 election. He accused Trump of orchestrating a criminal scheme and then covering it up by falsifying New York business records. This was followed by statements from defense attorney Todd Blanche, who maintained that Trump is innocent of all charges and that the case should not have been brought forth by the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
Trump’s legal team plans to portray Cohen and Daniels as unreliable and motivated by financial gain and personal vendettas, CNN reported. On the other hand, the prosecution intends to investigate whether Trump violated federal and state election laws, as well as state tax laws, in his handling of Cohen’s payment.
During his court appearance on April 4, 2023, Trump pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts. This trial has garnered significant media attention and controversy due to the high-profile defendant and the political climate surrounding the case. Many are questioning the validity and motives of the charges brought against Trump, while others see this as a necessary step in holding a powerful figure accountable for his actions. As the trial progresses, the world will be watching to see how justice is served in this highly contentious case.