Donald Trump will make history when he arrives in lower Manhattan Monday morning as the first former president to go on trial for criminal charges.
Despite a blitz of last-minute attempts to derail the trial, jury selection is expected to get underway and will continue until a panel of 12 New Yorkers and alternates are seated, a process that could take at least a week.
The historic trial centers on a potential sex scandal coverup that took place just days before the 2016 presidential election. Prosecutors allege Trump falsified business records to hide the reimbursement of hush money payments that were made to influence the election outcome. Trump has pleaded not guilty and has denied having an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels.
The case will be a major test for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, as it may be the only one of Trump’s four criminal cases to face a jury before Election Day. Trump will trade the campaign trail for the courtroom, where the presumptive Republican presidential nominee is expected to be four days a week for the next two months.
The former president has used his court appearances to rally supporters for his campaign but, despite his showmanship, the stakes for Trump are high. Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. If convicted, Judge Juan Merchan, the no-nonsense judge overseeing the trial, could sentence Trump to probation or a maximum sentence of 1 1/3 to 4 years on each count in state prison. A president has no authority to pardon state crimes.
