IT'S A 'DISGRACE': Americans deliver blunt assessment of Trump trial
Residents across the country, from Fresno, California to Washington, D.C. to Nashville, Tennessee and elsewhere, bashed the ongoing Donald Trump trial in interviews with Fox News Digital this week.
"It's a sham and a disgrace that they would take our former president who will be our president in November and try him like that," Nashville resident Ginger told Fox News Digital.
"I think it's the most corruption I've seen in my lifetime," Gabe, a resident of Washington D.C., said. "I'm flabbergasted by the blatant corruption that's going on and political targeting."
NEW YORKERS DIVIDED ON TRUMP TRIAL, RIP 'POLITICAL' NATURE OF CASE: 'PATHETIC TO EVEN WATCH'
"It sounds like it's a kangaroo court, actually," Brad, who lives in Fresno, California, added. "I think it's a total farce. If it's not thrown out, I'd be shocked."
Voters have been inundated with news coverage of former President Trump's historic trial in New York City after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged him with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree.
Trump has pleaded not guilty in the case, which stems from a hush money payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen paid to Stormy Daniels in 2016 about an alleged affair she had with the future president in 2006. Trump has denied any encounter with Daniels.
Multiple residents of major American cities told Fox News Digital that they were largely skeptical of the case against Trump.
"He's completely innocent," Steve, who lives in Washington, D.C., said. "The feds looked at this case years ago and said 'we weren't going to charge him', and now it's being done in the state completely for political reasons. Their star witness is falling apart. There's no evidence. It's completely politically motivated."
Steve said that while he believed Trump would not be found guilty once the trial concluded, he expressed doubts in the fairness of some New York jurors.
"People don't always listen to the facts if they don't like Trump," he said.
Cohen, one of the prosecution's star witnesses against Trump, testified against his former boss and said the payment to Daniels was done with his knowledge to protect his reputation during the 2016 election. However, Cohen, a convicted perjurer, has come under fire from Republican members of Congress and even from liberal media personalities over his credibility issues.
When asked if the case against Trump in New York was politically motivated, one resident in Fresno shot back, "Is the Pope Catholic?"
"Major political warfare," Robert said. "Lawfare," he added, using a term that means the abuse of the legal system to punish political opponents.
Other voters were more sympathetic to the case against Trump in New York.
"If you break the law, you should be held accountable," Bellingham, Washington resident Wayne said. "He's broken the law many, many times and he's never been held accountable."
"Absolutely," a local Nashville voter named Tina said when asked if Trump was guilty of the charges brought in New York. "Criminally guilty," Cindy, another Tennessee resident, agreed.
"Anybody else would have already been in jail," Cindy continued. "So it's his power that's keeping him ongoing. And I hope he doesn't get in [office] again."
Prosecutors need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump falsified records to conceal the $130,000 payment to Daniels in furtherance of another felony: conspiracy to promote or prevent election. It's the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president in history.
The defense in New York v. Trump rested its case Tuesday morning without calling the former president to testify. The jury was dismissed until next Tuesday, when closing arguments will be made.
Some voters are still left with doubts over the fairness of the trial.
"Well I think it's against the law in this country to investigate someone to find a crime, which is what they're trying to do," Gary, a voter in Nashville, told Fox News Digital.
Fox News' Hannah Lambert reported from Bellingham, Wash., Megan Myers reported from Washington, D.C., Gabriel Hays reported from Fairfax, Va., Teny Sahakian reported from Nashville, Tenn., Diego-Christopher Lopez reported from Fresno, Calif., Kira Mautone reported from Milwaukee, Wis., Joshua Nelson reported from Detroit, Mich., and Lindsay Kornick reported from Metairie, La.