New polling indicates a divided public opinion on Donald Trump's involvement in allegedly illegal activities, which are under the microscope in his ongoing criminal trial.
Former President Donald Trump faces 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records, linked to a controversial hush money payment, igniting claims of political persecution from his supporters, but a recent survey reveals skepticism from the public, as Breitbart reports.
The detailed findings from an AP/NORC survey conducted between April 4-8, 2024, show that only 35% of Americans believe Trump did something illegal. In contrast, 31% think he acted unethically but not illegally, 14% believe he did nothing wrong, and the remaining 20% are undecided.
Perceptions of Trump's guilt or innocence sharply split along partisan lines. A significant 62% of Democrats believe Trump's actions were illegal, compared to a mere 6% of Republicans and 32% of independents sharing this belief.
At the heart of the charges against Trump is the alleged falsification of business records concerning a payment to Stormy Daniels, aiming to conceal not a sex scandal but financial discrepancies. The case's lead, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, has been accused by Trump's team of engaging in a politically motivated prosecution.
Trump's lawyer, Jesse Binnall, has repeatedly highlighted potential biases in the judicial process, pointing to the political affiliations of those involved.
"Let’s remember that Judge Merchan is a Biden donor. Let’s remember that his family has a vested financial interest in this case or … the fact that the case is ongoing," Binnall stated.
Binnall argues that the prosecution's case rests on unreliable testimony: "Their entire case is built on a house of cards because these are the words of somebody who’s an admitted perjurer," he said.
He also criticizes the legal strategy to upgrade the charges: "The idea is in New York, if you have false business records, then that can be a misdemeanor. And at this point, they’re trying to connect to the campaign finance law in order to upgrade that to a felony," explained Binnall.
The defense points to a broader context of campaign finance law, where former federal election commissioners and the Department of Justice have traditionally not pursued criminal charges in similar situations.
"You’ve actually had a lot of former federal election commissioners come out and say, ‘What President Trump has been accused of here is not criminal.’ And these are the people that are actually experts in campaign finance law," Binnall noted.
"So instead, you got Alvin Bragg, who, of course, campaigned on going after Donald Trump, has tried to do some number of gymnastics in order to bring this particular criminal lawsuit based on this very, very odd theory that having a nondisclosure agreement is a violation of campaign finance law, which is simply not true," Binnall added.
The divergent views on Trump's legal troubles highlight how deeply political loyalty influences perceptions of legality and ethics. As the trial continues, the divide in public opinion serves as a reflection of the broader polarization affecting the United States.
