the best of it but this is election interference from the democrats, trying to win this by hook or crook. >> tote trial -- back to the trial, there is op-ed in "new york post," michael goodwin that reads in part: >> i -- we're talking about contrast, looking at "new york times." will a mountain of evidence be enough to convict trump, the sub headline. monday we'll see opening statements. state's case seems strong but a convection is far from assured. if you read to that article there is a lot about the
that's an example of what we could hear this week, go up. joining me now is former federal prosecutor, doug kershner, host of the "justice matters" podcast and, mark stern, writer for this late. so, you were skeptical of the manhattan district attorney case, but have come around. what changed your mind about the importance of this trial? >> over the past year, manhattan district attorney, alvin bragg, and his team, had made a strong case that this really was a felony offense under new york law. it was not just a misdemeanor involving low local -- low- level record-keeping, but was fundamentally tied to federal and state laws involving campaign-finance and election interference. that is why district attorney bragg made such an effort to say, this is not just about hush money, this is election interference. i think that's really important, because we
ever seen before. the criminal prosecution of a former american president. for the first time, donald trump will face a jury of his peers in a case that could carry prison time. trump's hush money and election interference trial could be the ultimate test of the rule of law and the nature of accountability in this country. in less than 24 hours, the prosecution and the defense will deliver opening statements in front of 12 members of the jury and six alternates, laying out the evidence for and against trump's guilt. that is in spite of multiple last-ditch efforts by trump's team to delay the start of his trial. as a reminder, trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying records. the manhattan district attorney accuses trump of interfering in the 2016 election by disguising payments to adult film star, stormy daniels, to quiet her allegation of a past sexual encounter with trump, as legal expenses. trump has pleaded not guilty
the best of it but this is election interference from the democrats, trying to win this by hook or crook. >> tote trial -- back to the trial, there is op-ed in "new york post," michael goodwin that reads in part: >> i -- we're talking about contrast, looking at "new york times." will a mountain of evidence be enough to convict trump, the sub headline. monday we'll see opening statements. state's case seems strong but a convection is far from assured. if you read to that article there is a lot about the
the government of rwanda for their work in strengthening their asylum svstem, _ work in strengthening their asylum system, passing legislation and setting — system, passing legislation and setting up a new appeals tribunal. the next — setting up a new appeals tribunal. the next few weeks will be about action, _ the next few weeks will be about action, whilst i'm conscious want deeds. _ action, whilst i'm conscious want deeds. not— action, whilst i'm conscious want deeds, not words, i not going to outline _ deeds, not words, i not going to outline now exactly what will happen when _ outline now exactly what will happen when. there are good operational reasons— when. there are good operational reasons for— when. there are good operational reasons for this. there is a loud minority— reasons for this. there is a loud minority who will do anything to disrupt— minority who will do anything to disrupt our plan so we will not be giving _ disrupt our plan so we will not be giving away sensitive operational detail— giving away sensitive operational detail which could hinder all the progress — detail which could hinder all the progress made to date. teams across government— progress made to date. teams across government need to be able to get on and deliver— government need to be able to get on and deliver without a interference. thev're _ and deliver without a interference. they're working flat out to deliver this genuine game changer. the first fli-ht this genuine game changer. the first ftight will_ this genuine game changer. the first flight will leave in 10—12 weeks. flight will leave in10—12 weeks. that is— flight will leave in 10—12 weeks. that is later than we wanted but we have always been clear, processing will take _ have always been clear, processing will take time and if labour peers had not _ will take time and if labour peers had not spent weeks holding up the bill had not spent weeks holding up the hill in _ had not spent weeks holding up the hill in the _ had not spent weeks holding up the bill in the house of lords to try to block— bill in the house of lords to try to block these flights altogether, we would _ block these flights altogether, we would have begun this process weeks
interference and it is so unfair to the public and to our country to let -- to have this happening. >> martha: interesting to see whether the supreme court weighs in on the immunity issue and whether it has an impact on some of the other situations. i want to ask you about the third party issue. dana mentioned the latest polling. let's put up the headline poll here trump versus biden. new nbc poll has trump up two in a head-to-head. in a five-way race that includes kennedy, stein and west, biden is ahead by two points. a lot of discussion over who kennedy helps or hurts. we're seeing mixed bag in the swing state polls with regard to that. what do you think about him in this race as a factor? >> well, i think if you have a kennedy on the ballot, america is going to understand a kennedy on the ballot is a democrat and this is a green new deal loving candidate in terms of kennedy and also in terms of he likes
and colangelo promising that the jurors will see evidence of just how concerned trump's campaign was about this story getting out there before the election. in fact, it sounded like davidson and pecker were in communications, a couple of the key players involved in this hush money scheme as alleged by the prosecution that davidson texted pecker on election night, quote, what have we done. what's your reaction to that? >> you know, i think it's interesting. i would have expected it almost working in reverse order here. what's odd about this crime -- well, not odd, but kind of the core crime we're going to be focused on happens first, which is the election interference, and it's months later where we kind of get to the boring documents here. i think what's interesting is that they're basically proving up this core election interference claim which has to do with '15 and '16 and the
we've heard the opening statements from the defence, we are now heading into hearing from the first witness into hearing from the first witness in donald trump's trial in new york, a crucial moment in the trial. let's speak to ankush khardori, in washington — a senior staff writer and columnist for politico magazine and a former federal prosecutor. thanks very much for coming on the programme. thanks very much for coming on the programme-— programme. thanks for having me. we've heard _ programme. thanks for having me. we've heard the _ programme. thanks for having me. we've heard the opening _ programme. thanks for having me. we've heard the opening from - programme. thanks for having me. we've heard the opening from both sides, what have you made of it? i thought it was a fairly conventional opening from both sides, not much of a surprise to those of us who've been following this closely. the prosecution has framed this as an election interference case, an effort by trump to bury a story that could have influenced the 2016 election, and the defence is basically saying, "look, this case is all about the prosecution's key witness, michael cohen, a serial liar and convicted felon," and trump is like lawyers got up and said it keys the key witness who is a liar,