Speculation that defense attorneys for Donald Trump are pushing for a venue change in the wake of their client’s impending arraignment could backfire on the Trumpworld camp.
According to Bloomberg, Trump’s legal team seeks to pull a move similar to that of former NFL star, O.J. Simpson, and move the trial to a less diverse location than Manhattan, perhaps to the more heavily Republican borough of Staten Island or to the city’s Long Island suburbs.
Those close to the former President are worried that Trump won’t get a fair trial in the primarily liberal and Democratic city and are seeking to hedge their bets.
“The only reason he would try to move venue to Staten Island is that he thinks – based on voter registration – that that’s a friendlier potential jury pool for him,” former federal prosecutor, Jennifer Rodgers, said.
“That’s not going to fly,” Rodgers added.
In a nearly unprecedented move, a Manhattan federal judge ordered the jury in a separate case against Trump to remain anonymous — citing Trump’s affinity for using his social media bully pulpit to doxx American citizens doing their civic duty.
“Trump has a right to a jury of his peers,” University of Pennsylvania philosophy and law professor Claire Finkelstein said. “That does not mean a jury of Trump supporters.”
While Manhattan went for President Biden in 2020, more than 50% of Staten Island voters turned out for Trump.
Donald Trump’s attacks on the Manhattan District Attorney’s office have fallen flat as legal experts point out that the ex-President’s own behavior has played a role in public perception.
“I’ve represented a bunch of celebrities,” former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Michael Bachner said. “The hardest part of representing them is convincing them to just stop talking.
Trump didn’t get that memo.
The ex-President’s insistence on using social media to criticize his detractors and push misinformation will undoubtedly bring karma full circle as the American people wait anxiously to see Trump held accountable.
Legal analyst and former federal prosecutor, Barbara McQuade noted that the high-profile nature of the Trump case could prejudice potential jurors, but the possibility of finding 12 impartial jurors is likely given the low-information populous.
“You’d be surprised how many people out there pay little attention to the news and lack strong feelings about politics,” McQuade said.
Calls for a change of venue appear to be little more than another stalling tactic from Trump’s attorneys.
Reeking of O.J. Simpson, Simi Valley, deja-vu all over again. Lets’s hope the verdict goes in the other direction.
If the accusations fit, you can’t acquit.
Original reporting by Erik Larson at Bloomberg.
Follow Ty Ross on Twitter @cooltxchick
