Trump lawyer Tacopina says ‘I feel we’re not going to get to a jury’ in New York case

He said that after “seeing that indictment and knowing what the law is regarding federal election campaigns, I don’t think we’re getting close to a jury.”

But, Tacopina added, “If we get to a jury, I think any person on the right or politically opposed to Trump or in favor of him is going to see this for what it is: It’s a weaponization of the legal system, and it’s something this country has never seen before and hopefully will never do again.”

Trump, who is seeking the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, argues that he is being prosecuted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, as part of a broader effort to harm Trump politically. Trump, meanwhile, has raised millions in campaign funds off the indictment.

Tacopina and the rest of Trump’s legal team plan to attack the Manhattan indictment in pretrial motions on several grounds, including arguing that the business records charges are, at best, misdemeanors, because they do not relate to other crimes.

Under New York law, falsifying business records is a felony only if the records were misstated to cover up another crime.

Bragg said Tuesday that the alleged crimes Trump covered up by claiming the reimbursements to Cohen were for legal expenses included violations of election law and tax law.

Trump is next due to appear in court in early December.

That is two months before the Republican Party is set to hold the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary for presidential candidates, including Trump.

The timeline means that if Trump cannot get the Manhattan case dismissed by his next scheduled hearing, a trial in the case could occur in the middle of the primary season or after the GOP selects its 2024 nominee.

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/05/trump-new-york-trial-not-likely-lawyer-joseph-tacopina-says.html