Trump Lawyer Alina Habba Not Optimistic About Ex-President's Criminal Hush Money Trial: 'I Don't Have High Hopes'
April 25 2024, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
Donald Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba recently admitted that she was not optimistic about the embattled ex-president’s criminal hush money trial underway in New York, RadarOnline.com can report.
In a surprising development to come after ex-President Trump became the first former U.S. president to appear in court on criminal charges last week, Habba admitted that she does not “have high hopes” regarding the case.
Habba shared her feelings about the criminal hush money case on Wednesday night during an appearance on Newsmax.
“I don’t have hopes really that high at this moment that the New York courts will do the right thing, that the jury will do the right thing,” Habba told host Greg Kelly during the interview.
“We’re in a blue state,” she continued. “And I think everything’s by design.”
“We’re in a case that was eight years old, over the statute of limitations, was denied by [former Manhattan District Attorney] Cy Vance, then brought only after President Trump decided he was going to run for office.”
Meanwhile, Habba also criticized Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order against ex-President Trump. The gag order was imposed last month and prohibited Trump from targeting witnesses in the criminal hush money case as well as court staffers and members of the court staffers’ families.
“It’s very troubling,” Habba remarked. “We’re in the fight of our lives at this moment.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Habba’s Newsmax interview on Wednesday came just days after Trump became the first former U.S. president in history to appear in court on criminal charges when his criminal hush money trial kicked off in a Manhattan courtroom on April 15.
The embattled former president was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments intended to cover up two extramarital affairs he engaged in before the 2016 election.
Jury selection for the trial concluded on Friday, and opening arguments for the case began on Monday. The jury also heard testimony from the case’s first key witness – former National Enquirer published David Pecker – on Monday and Tuesday.
Trump’s current criminal trial is expected to continue through next month.
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As RadarOnline.com reported, Habba’s interview with Newsmax host Greg Kelly on Wednesday also came shortly after she was laughed at by reporters outside the Manhattan courtroom where the criminal hush money trial is underway.
Habba called Trump’s current criminal trial a “witch hunt.” She also raged about Trump’s recent civil fraud trial where the ex-president was ordered to pay the state of New York nearly $500 million.
"I just left in the Civil Division with the other witch hunt, Ms. James, to come here and see our client," Habba said outside the courtroom on Monday.
"The fact that we have two courts, not one, criminal and civil, being used against one man because they cannot beat him in the polls, is a disgrace to American judicial system,” she added.