Conservative pundit George Conway predicted former President Trump will not be unanimously acquitted in the Manhattan hush money trial.
Conway told MSNBC’s Katie Phang on Saturday that testimony over the past few weeks showed that Trump is “neck-deep” in the case, where he faces 34 counts of falsifying business records. Conway added that it is “going to be hard for the jury not to conclude that [Trump] didn’t cause all of this.”
All 12 of the jurors must agree to the same decision on each of the 34 counts against Trump, or the case ends up as a mistrial. Conway said that Trump’s defense is just hoping for one juror to not agree to convict the former president.
“So, the defense has its work cut out for it. But all the defense has to do is convince one juror to hang the group. I don’t think they can get an acquittal. I don’t think they’re going to get 12 votes unanimously to acquit him,” he said. “I think their best shot, and that’s what they’re gonna do, is hope that there’s just some person on the jury who just refuses to convict.”
He also said that the defense needs to put together an “alternative explanation” during closing arguments “that raises reasonable doubt.” He noted that he is not sure what that alternative theory of the case would be.
Trump’s defense last week rested their case without calling the former president to the stand. The judge said last week that closing statements will begin Tuesday, with jury deliberations to follow shortly afterward.
The former president is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to a reimbursement made to Trump’s ex-fixer, Michael Cohen, for a payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to stay quiet about an alleged affair she had with Trump. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all counts and has denied the affair.