Two prospective jurors in the “hush money” criminal trial of former President Donald Trump have expressed concerns about the courtroom demeanor of Trump’s lead attorney, Todd Blanche. The jurors, who were dismissed before the trial began, described Blanche as being “folksy” and “disingenuous,” and accused him of attempting to “root out” potential jurors who might be sympathetic to Democrats.
One of the prospective jurors, a man, said he was frustrated by Blanche’s questioning about his past social media posts, which he felt implied that he could not be fair and impartial. Both prospective jurors said they had hoped to serve on the jury and believed they could have been fair, but they were ultimately excused based on Blanche’s concerns.
The prospective jurors’ concerns about Blanche’s demeanor raise questions about the effectiveness of Trump’s defense strategy. Blanche is a well-known and experienced criminal defense attorney, but his courtroom style may not be well-suited for a high-profile trial such as this. Trump is facing 34 felony charges related to hush money payments made to two women during the 2016 presidential campaign. If convicted, Trump could face significant jail time.
The trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, May 15. It is expected to last several weeks and could be one of the most closely watched trials in recent history.
