DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Democrats and Republicans are showing strong reactions to the indictment against former President Donald Trump. A key question is whether Trump can receive a fair trial.
FOX31 legal analyst George Brauchler, a former Republican district attorney and attorney general candidate, said the charges hinge on “where the money came from.”
“It’s not about paying money to some porn star to keep her from saying things about an alleged affair that took place in advance of the presidency — that’s completely legal — but where that money comes from, how it’s reported,” Brauchler said.
The Colorado Republican Party issued a response saying the indictment has “weaponized the legal system to attack and politically persecute President Donald J. Trump.”
Karin Asensio, executive director of the Colorado Democratic Party, issued a statement to FOX31, stating, “We welcome the news of Trump’s indictment. We believe it is important that Donald Trump be treated the same as any other American citizen — no better and no worse.”
In Trump case, finding impartial jury will pose challenge
FOX31 legal analyst Chris Decker said finding an impartial jury will be crucial.
“The major challenge here is going to be picking a set of jurors that can keep an open mind and not pre-judge or pre-form opinions that are so strong that they are going to disregard instructions of law,” Decker said.
Another question centers on how the former president will be treated during the booking process and how much of it will be seen by the nation and the world.
“We’d be drug out in front of the courtroom and we’d have the cuffs on. But when you’re talking about a former president on charges that are unique, never before in history have we done it, and he’s also a candidate for office right now, I think the district attorney and the courts are probably going to look for ways to deemphasize the circus-like nature of this event,” Brauchler said.