OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former President Donald Trump had to smile a bit during jury selection for his hush money trial earlier this week after one potential juror responded to a question.
During the second day of jury selection, one juror elicited a smile from the former president when he said he had read some of Trump’s books, including “The Art of the Deal” and “How to Get Rich,” according to Newsweek.
Trump’s reaction came after he asked if the title of How to Get Rich was right, leading Trump to smile and nod, the outlet noted further, adding:
The prospective juror is a Battery Park City resident originally from Boston who enjoys learning about politics and current events. He is also on the board of his synagogue, and he and his wife are members of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
He noted he has relatives who are Republican lobbyists, and that he followed the former president on X (then Twitter) while he was serving as president. He also said he has a generally favorable view of the justice system, pointing to several experiences he and his family have had with it, including when his daughter was a victim of assault.
The case revolves around a 34-count indictment brought forth by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg last year, accusing Trump of falsifying business documents in connection with a payment. Bragg’s office claims that the payment was aimed at silencing adult film star Stormy Daniels from disclosing her allegations of an affair with the former president.
Trump has consistently denied any involvement in an affair with Daniels and has pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges brought against him. He has vocally accused Bragg of pursuing the trial for political reasons, characterizing it as a form of election interference.
On Friday, the full jury and six alternates were selected. Opening arguments in the trial are scheduled for Monday. According to most reports, the trial is expected to take 4-6 weeks.
According to CNN, “Juror No. 2” is an investment banker who is married with no children but who apparently follows the former president on his Truth Social Platform and has read Trump’s books.
The juror also follows Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal “fixer” attorney, who has since turned state’s witness against his former boss after serving jail time when he pleaded guilty to five counts of willful tax evasion; one count of making false statements to a bank; one count of causing an unlawful campaign contribution; and one count of making an excessive campaign contribution.
Woah. Could either be really good or really bad. pic.twitter.com/JLaAVSZ6hG
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) April 18, 2024
Earlier this week, Bragg filed a document listing previous “misconducts and criminal acts” as part of his trial plan in the criminal hush-money case related to payments made through Cohen to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
“On Wednesday, prosecutors gave a glimpse into their trial plan as they filed their ‘Sandoval’ notice, which discloses all ‘misconduct and criminal acts of the defendant’ which they intend to use at trial to impeach Trump’s credibility,” Newsweek reported separately.
The court documents state that “people will intend to inquire” about the listed criminal acts and misconducts by Trump if he chooses to testify.
The civil fraud case of New York Attorney General Letitia James and the civil defamation case of E. Jean Carroll are on the list.
Judge Arthur Engoron granted James’ lawsuit against Trump, his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., and the Trump Organization a favorable ruling in February. The allegations were that the former president falsified financial statements given to banks and insurers to close deals and obtain loans, inflating the value of his properties and his net worth by billions of dollars.
