Speaking during an interview with Piers Morgan on the British journalist’s show, “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” legal scholar and Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz sounded off on the verdict delivered in the “hush money” case brought against former President Donald Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
As background, the former president was found guilty by the jury of 12 New Yorkers on all 34 counts brought against him by the Manhattan DA. Many on the right sounded off on the trial itself and the jury’s verdict, alleging both that the trial was blatantly political and meant to “get Trump” rather than serve justice, and that the prosecutorial team had not proven the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Dershowitz then appeared on Piers Morgan’s show to discuss what he aw as being the worst verdict he had seen in six decades of legal practice. When Morgan asked him about how “sound” the verdict was, Dershowitz said, “From one to 10, it was a below 20.” Continuing, Dershowitz said, “It’s the worst legal verdict I’ve seen in 60 years of practicing, writing, litigating . . .”
Then, explaining why it was so bad, he noted that he didn’t even know what crime Trump had been convicted of, saying, “I still don’t know what he was convicted of.” He then asked, rhetorically, “Was he convicted of intent to cheat on his taxes two years later, although he didn’t take it as a deduction? Was he convicted of defrauding voters, who obviously knew that he was a sexual scoundrel?”
Continuing with that point, he noted that even the campaign contribution aspect of the case seemed off given the timing that DA Bragg was alleging and went mostly undiscussed in the case, saying, “Was he convicted of seeking to make an illegal campaign contribution, although the contribution didn’t have to be listed until after the election?”
Dershowitz next explained that this is the first time ever he has seen a case like this where the crime wasn’t even clear and the defendant was found guilty, or where someone was convicted for a “hush money” payment disclosure. He said, “I have never seen a case where, even after the verdict came down, we don’t know what he was convicted of. No one in history — in history — has ever been convicted of failing to disclose hush money payments paid to somebody.”
Dershowitz then explained that the idea that a hush money payment should be disclosed is beyond ridiculous and that he sees this case as being about DA Bragg wanting to “get Trump.” He said, “Why would anybody pay hush money if they had to disclose it? This is a case where the prosecutor simply decided to get Trump.”
The legal scholar then added that he is a Democrat, not a Trump supporter, but his shock and abhorrence at how the legal system is being manipulated and weaponized to get Trump is motivating him to speak out. He said, “I am not a Trump supporter. I voted against him. I’m a liberal Democrat, but I care more about the weaponization of the criminal justice system.”
Watch him here:
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