Trump attorney calls hush money case a '6-week-long media extravaganza'
An attorney for former President Trump brushed off the significance of his first criminal trial, which is scheduled to begin Monday, saying the case is merely a “six-week-long media extravaganza.”
Trump’s criminal hush money trial will start jury selection on Monday in Manhattan, where prosecutors claim the former president illegally covered up payments made to hide a previous affair during the closing days of the 2016 presidential campaign.
“Jury selection is going to be difficult,” attorney Will Scharf said in a “Fox News Sunday” interview with Shannon Bream. “I have a lot of faith in our team up there, that they’re going to be able to get the best possible jury.”
“At the end of the day, what we're talking about here is a show trial,” he continued. “It’s a six-week-long media extravaganza in the media capital of the world where the only realistic consequence, even if President Trump were convicted, is frankly a talking point for the Biden campaign.”
Scharf also gave no indication as to whether Trump will take the stand himself after Bream noted his history of speaking out of turn in courtrooms in his previous civil cases. The former president has already clashed with Judge Juan Merchan in this case, going after the judge’s daughter and being hit with a gag order.
“I think that’s going to be a decision for President Trump and the trial team depending on how the trial progresses,” he said. “I would say that I think if he does take the stand, President Trump will be a compelling witness.”
“He did nothing wrong here. The truth is absolutely on his side,” he continued. “So, that’s a decision that’s going to have to be made down the road. But one way or the other, I have full confidence in both President Trump and the team that he has around him.”
The trial is expected to last around six weeks and marks the first of four criminal cases against the former president.