Donald Trump’s hush money trial begins Monday morning with jury selection in what will undoubtedly help shape the case’s outcome when the panel of peers delivers a verdict.
But the former president’s documented legacy of racism – not just on national and international levels but also and especially in his hometown of New York City, where the trial is set to take place in Manhattan Criminal Court – could come back to haunt him during jury selection from a pool of New Yorkers who are disproportionately racially diverse.
Those circumstances make it unclear whether any Black people will be selected as jurors in Trump’s hush money trial.
What is the trial about?
More than a year ago, a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Trump for his alleged role in paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels. In the indictment, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges that Trump committed business fraud, falsifying records while trying to hide the payment he made to Daniels.
The indictment made Trump the first former president to face criminal charges.
Prior to the indictment, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office had been investigating alleged hush money Trump’s former lawyer paid to Daniels to keep her quiet about a sexual encounter she had with the former president.
Specifically, attorney Micheal Cohen testified that he paid Daniels $130,000 not to speak publicly to influence the 2016 election cycle that featured numerous women accusing Trump of sexual misconduct, including rape.
What’s that got to do with Black people?
That’s got absolutely nothing to do with Black people. What does have to do with Black folks, though, is that they make up more than 23% of New York City’s population, making it increasingly likely at least one could be selected to serve on the hush money trial’s jury.
The topic of race – particularly the Black race – is important in part because of Trump’s legacy of anti-Black racism…
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