NEW: We’re done with day 1 of Trump’s first criminal trial, and while we’ve got a ways to go, the prospective jurors include a “bookseller,” an oncology nurse, an assistant Bronx County DA, and a woman from Fanduel, the sports betting site.
But after the potential jurors are gone, the fireworks start after Blanche asks Merchan to allow Trump to attend the SCOTUS argument on presidential immunity next Thursday, 4/25. This is the first time they have made that request, I believe.
The Manhattan DA’s office opposes the request, saying they have accommodated Trump’s schedule enough. Merchan acknowledges a Supreme Court argument is a “big deal,” but says that the jury’s time is a big deal too.
That’s when Blanche says they don’t think they should be here at all, meaning it’s their view the trial never should have been scheduled during campaign season.
That comment appeared to trigger Merchan, who asked, voice dripping with incredulity, “You don’t think you should be here at all?”
Merchan then softly asked Blanche to move along from that objection, on which he noted has already ruled. But then he got stern, ruling that Trump is not required to be at SCOTUS but is required, by law, to attend his criminal trial here in NY.
The bottom line? You might be a former president with a pending Supreme Court case, but when a state criminal trial beckons, federalism’s a knife.
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