Hush Money Trial: Prosecutors Seek To Question Trump On Previous Sexual Misconduct And Fraud Cases

Donald Trump's hush money case prosecutors are seeking permission to ask him about civil cases where the former president was found liable for sexual misconduct and fraud if he decides to testify.

The request, detailed in a document disclosed Wednesday, awaits a ruling from Justice Juan Merchan. The decision will determine if Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's team can ask Trump about these cases during cross-examination, or if they would be too prejudicial.

The notice issued to defense attorneys on March 10, says prosecutors plan to ask Trump about two civil cases where jurors determined that the former president sexually assaulted writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and subsequently defamed her by denying it, and another civil fraud suit against him and his company by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

The judgments in the three cases amount to nearly $550 million after courts found that Trump engaged in fraud in the AG's case, and was held liable for sexual abuse as well as defamation in the Carroll case.

The hush money trial started Monday, marking the first-ever instance of such a legal proceeding. Jury selection is currently underway.

Trump, who is the Republican presidential candidate in the Nov. 5 election, stands accused of orchestrating a cover-up of his former lawyer Michael Cohen's $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

The payment was allegedly made to secure her silence regarding an alleged sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier, just before the 2016 election.

Trump has entered a plea of not guilty, vehemently refuting any such encounter with Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford.

Cohen, formerly a staunch supporter of Donald Trump who famously declared he would take a bullet for the ex-president, is now set to play a central role as a key prosecution witness in the criminal trial.

The businessman-turned-attorney shifted allegiances during his tenure as Trump's attorney as federal authorities started investigating the payment made to Daniels.

Testifying before a congressional committee in 2019, Cohen publicly condemned Trump, expressing shame and labeling him as racist, a con artist, and a cheat.

Following Trump's indictment in 2023, Cohen said he is committed to cooperating with authorities, aiming to "confront power with truth."

Meanwhile, Trump expressed frustration over the limited number of strikes his legal team can use to veto potential jurors for the hush money trial.

In a post on his Truth Social platform Wednesday morning, Trump criticized the restriction, saying, "I thought STRIKES were supposed to be 'unlimited' when we were picking our jury? I was then told we only had 10, not nearly enough when we were purposely given the 2nd Worst Venue in the Country. Don't worry, we have the First Worst also, as the Witch Hunt continues! ELECTION INTERFERENCE!"

According to state law, both prosecutors and the defense are entitled to strike 10 potential jurors each due to the Class E felony charges Trump faces.

So far, both prosecutors and Trump's attorneys have exercised six of their 10 strikes.