Florida – Donald Trump is facing several criminal cases ranging from federal investigations related to the January 6 Capitol attack, hush-money payments, to the handling of classified documents.
As the former president of the United States navigates through these cases, former U.S. acting solicitor general Neal Katyal predicts a likely conviction in at least two significant cases, marking a pivotal moment in the legal proceedings against the former president.
Legal Strategies and Trial Delays
Trump’s legal troubles are intensifying with his hush-money criminal trial in New York. In a recent development, Trump called for Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan to step down due to alleged bias linked to his daughter, a Democratic political consultant. Despite these claims, Merchan has not immediately responded to the motion for recusal.
Neal Katyal, speaking on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki,” dismissed the likelihood of Merchan’s recusal, labeling Trump’s request as a mere delaying tactic unlikely to succeed. He confidently stated, “There is no basis for Merchan to recuse,” and expressed that the trial will likely start as planned, with Trump facing probable conviction.
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Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, to purportedly silence her about an alleged affair. Trump has pleaded not guilty, denied the affair, and has framed the charges as part of a political witch hunt. Amidst these denials, Trump has also launched attacks against Merchan’s daughter, prompting the judge to expand a gag order already in place in the case.
First Criminal Trial of a Former President
The hush money case is not only significant for being one of Trump’s ongoing legal battles but also as it represents the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Katyal remarked on the American criminal justice system’s robustness, emphasizing that “these kinds of nonsense arguments go nowhere” in a court governed by evidence and jury deliberation.
Additional Charges and Another Expected Conviction
In parallel, Trump faces serious accusations in a separate Florida case involving the illegal retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. This case includes 40 felony counts accusing him of willfully retaining classified documents after his presidency and obstructing government efforts to retrieve them. Trump denies any wrongdoing.
The case is under the supervision of Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, who has been criticized for decisions that seem to favor Trump, raising concerns about potential delays in the trial process. Despite these complications, Katyal expressed a strong conviction that, should this case reach trial, Trump is “going to be convicted almost certainly there as well.”
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Outlook and Implications
Trump’s legal strategies appear to be centered around delaying the proceedings as long as possible. Katyal suggests that the strength of the evidence might lead to his conviction in both the hush money and classified documents cases. This sequence of legal challenges underscores not only the gravity of the accusations against the former president but also the potential for significant shifts in public perception and legal precedent concerning the accountability of high-profile political figures. As these cases unfold, they will undoubtedly continue to attract significant media attention and public scrutiny.
