Michael Zander on what the ‘hush money’ case is actually about
- Sets out the background to Trump’s upcoming trial, in which the former president is accused of attempting to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election by preventing two women going public about their affairs with him.
- Conviction could mean several years’ imprisonment. This would not, however, be a bar to standing for re-election.
Despite all his delaying tactics, jury selection is scheduled to begin on Monday (15 April) in the first of the four criminal cases against Donald J Trump.
The case, brought by Manhattan district attorney (DA) Alvin Bragg, arises from payments to porn star Stormy Daniels ($130,000) and former Playboy model Karen McDougal ($150,00) to prevent them going public about their affairs with Trump. It may lack the obvious high political and constitutional import of the January 6 insurrection case (Washington DC), the classified documents Mar-a-Lago case (Florida) or the election interference case (Georgia). But it too is about election fraud. Both payments were made just before the 2016 presidential election, the prosecution say, in order
