Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has indicated that if former President Donald Trump chooses to testify in his New York criminal trial, prosecutors plan to question him about a series of recent legal defeats to undermine his credibility. These include a civil fraud judgment, defamation verdicts, gag order violations, and a lawsuit against Hillary Clinton that was deemed frivolous. The purpose of this questioning is to establish the permissible scope of cross-examination and determine whether Trump’s prior bad acts can be raised if he decides to testify. Trump’s attorneys have argued that these topics should be off-limits, but the judge in the case will ultimately decide which ones are allowed.
Trump is facing 34 felony counts of falsification of business records related to reimbursements made to his former lawyer for a payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denies any wrongdoing. Jury selection is currently underway for the trial, and Bragg intends to bring up Trump’s previous untruthful testimony under oath in a civil fraud case. Trump has been accused of falsifying business records, issuing fake financial statements, and conspiring to commit insurance fraud in that case, which he is appealing.
In response to the prosecutors’ plans to question him about his legal defeats, Trump has stated that he would have no problem testifying at the trial. He believes that doing so could potentially make him more popular as people would see it as a scam. However, Trump also has the option not to testify, and under the Fifth Amendment, the jury cannot draw any adverse inference from his decision not to take the stand. Trump has consistently denied all allegations against him in the various legal cases and has accused attorneys and prosecutors of targeting him for political reasons.
The judge in the case has not yet scheduled a Sandoval hearing to determine the permissible scope of cross-examination if Trump chooses to testify. Trump’s attorneys have argued that the topics of his legal defeats should be off-limits, but it will be up to the judge to make the final decision. Trump’s legal troubles stem from various legal battles, including a civil fraud case and defamation verdicts, which Bragg plans to bring up during the trial. Trump has maintained his innocence and continues to fight the charges against him, claiming that the cases are politically motivated.
As the trial progresses, the focus will likely be on whether Trump decides to testify and how prosecutors plan to question him about his legal defeats. The outcome of the trial will depend on the judge’s rulings on the permissible scope of cross-examination and whether Trump’s prior bad acts can be raised during his testimony. Trump’s legal team will continue to defend him against the charges, while prosecutors will seek to undermine his credibility by highlighting his legal defeats in recent cases.
