The first-ever criminal prosecution of an ex-president picked up speed Tuesday, with seven jurors seated in Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial. Opening arguments could begin within days.
Tuesday’s proceedings saw the presumptive Republican presidential nominee warned by Judge Juan Merchan over potential juror intimidation, while several possible jurors were confronted with social media posts that Trump’s lawyers said showed bias against the onetime reality TV star.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has hit Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a six-figure hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
Trump says he’s not guilty and has denied Daniels’ claim they had sex in 2006, shortly after the birth of Trump’s youngest child.