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Donald Trump appeared in court on Monday in the first criminal trial against a former U.S. president with two intriguing lawyers by his side.
Attorneys Todd Blanche and Susan Necheles are shooting into the spotlight as they face the near-impossible task to secure an impartial jury in the former president’s hush money case.
Trump currently faces 34 felony charges of falsifying business records linked to an alleged hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
The former president has denied the allegations, as well as ever having a relationship with the actress.
He faces up to four years in prison if found guilty.
Both of the lawyers he has brought on may not be as universally known as Trump, however they bring unique backgrounds to the challenge of representing a former president.
WHO IS TODD BLANCHE?
Before representing Trump, Blanche was working as a defense attorney for Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, the oldest law firm in New York, according to the Washington Post.
With his departure, Blanche launched his own firm – Blanche Law.
Previously, Blanche had been described as a centrist and Democrat and had a history of working alongside Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
He graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 2003.
Friends of Blanche told the New York Times that it was “jarring” when the attorney began to vote as a Republican.
He reportedly was drawn into the Trump circle after representing the former president’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, according to the Washington Post.
At the time, Blanche helped Manfort avoid state charges of mortgage fraud.
He has also represented former Trump aide Boris Epshteyn.
Trump reportedly contacted Blanche to track down the best lawyer in the hush money case.
However, he ultimately put himself up for the job.
Blanche serves as Trump’s lead defense in the New York case, and is also serving as his attorney in separate criminal cases in Florida and Washington D.C. where he has been accused of mishandling classified documents and illegally subverting election results respectively.
Trump’s Hush Money Case
On Monday, Donald Trump appeared in court for the first criminal case against a former U.S. president.
What is he accused of?
Trump faces 34 criminal charges for falsifying business records connected to a $130,000 alleged payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
The alleged payment was allegedly made one month before the 2016 presidential election by Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen.
Daniels was allegedly paid to stay quiet about her alleged affair with Trump.
Trump is accused of repaying Cohen for the payment in installments, and marking the payments as legal fees in records.
What does he face?
As falsifying business records is a low-level felony, the former president could face up to four years in prison if convicted.
What has he pleaded?
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
He has denied the hush money payment and any relationship with Daniels.
WHO IS SUSAN NECHELES?
Necheles is not a stranger when it comes to representing Trump.
In 2022, she served as the defense attorney for the Trump Organization, which was later found guilty of criminal tax fraud.
After graduating from Yale Law School in 1983, Necheles started out her law career as an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn.
She then quickly became known as one of the top white collar criminal defense lawyers in New York, according to USA Today.
She has represented several high profile clients, including mobster Benny Eggs and former state Sen. Pedro Espada, a Democrat.
‘ASSAULT ON AMERICA’
Like claims brought against him in the past, the former president has come out denying the allegations with full force.
It’s an assault on America, and that’s why I’m very proud to be here. This is an assault on our country, and it’s a country that’s failing.
Donald Trump
On his way to Manhattan court on Monday, Trump told reporters that the trial was an “assault on America.”
“This is an assault on America. Nothing like this has ever happened before, there’s never been anything like it,” Trump said.
“Every legal scholar said this case is nonsense. It should never have been brought, it doesn’t deserve anything like this.
“There is no case, and they’ve said it. People that don’t necessarily follow or, like Donald Trump said, this is an outrage that this case was brought.”
He went on claim that the charges were “political persecution,” saying they should never have been brought against him.
“It’s an assault on America, and that’s why I’m very proud to be here. This is an assault on our country, and it’s a country that’s failing.
“It’s a country that’s run by an incompetent man who’s very much involved in this case,” he added, hitting at President Joe Biden and his expected opponent in the 2024 Presidential Election.
“This is really an attack on a political opponent that’s all it is.”
Trump was arraigned in the hush money case in April 2023.
He has been ordered to be present in court throughout the trial, which may last as long as eight weeks.
However, Blanche warned there may be times that the former president would be absent.
Judge Juan Merchan told Trump’s attorney’s that if he failed to appear in court without an explanation, a warrant will be issued for Trump’s arrest.
