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Read the worst things Manhattanites said about Trump in jury selection for the Trump Org tax-fraud trial

Oct 30, 2022, 00:17 IST
Business Insider
Threats to federal judges increased significantly during Donald Trump's administration.Evan Vucci/AP
  • Some 60 Manhattanites were questioned for the Trump Organization's tax-fraud jury.
  • Just one expressed positive opinions about the former president; she did not make the jury.
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They called him "racist," "a liar," and "a scam artist"

And then there were the Manhattan residents who really got creative, including a cancer hospital nurse who said, "I struggle with the fact that I believe Mr. Trump's thoughts and actions are fundamentally guided by a diagnosable personality disorder."

Here are the worst things said about Donald Trump during jury selection this week, in the 15th floor courtroom where the Trump Organization — the former president's golf-resort and real-estate empire — is on trial for tax-fraud charges.

Three people who expressed dislike for Trump during jury selection, but who promised to be fair — a full quarter of the jury — were seated.

But not these other Manhattan residents. Their observations on all things Trump were so extremely negative that even prosecutors had to agree they should be excused.

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"Every day, he perpetuates the 'big lie,'" said an Upper East Side woman who is a city public school administrator and who joked she lives "with a ton of cats."

"That's a problem," she added.

"So I have an opinion. My opinion is based on that. What else would you like to know?"

"Yeah," said a workman's compensation lawyer who was among the strongest Trump detractors.

"I absolutely hate him. He's a liar and he's a scam artist. He's a danger to our society," he said. "I think his university is a scam. His charity is a scam. He has problems with the truth."

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A freelance contractor from Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood promised, "I can be fair."

Then he added this, his tone conciliatory: "He's a small man, but he's not on trial here."

When a defense lawyer asked this prospective juror to explain what was meant by "a small man," the freelance contractor obliged: "He is emotionally small."

One woman, an advertising executive, was booted after telling a fellow prospective juror, "there is no chance in hell" she could be impartial.

But the taker of the cake was a prospective juror who said Tuesday that he couldn't sleep the night before, after his first day of sitting in the courtroom for day one of jury selection.

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He'd had flashbacks overnight from when Trump was president, he explained, his voice apologetic. And it was making him literally sick to his stomach.

"Your honor, I have some strong feelings about Donald Trump that turned into a very visceral feeling in my gut that I haven't had in two years since he was president," the middle-aged man told the judge.

"I don't feel like it's a very healthy thing for me to be here."

State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan asked the defense and prosecution if they had any objections to the man being being let off the hook. They did not.

"Thank you, sir," the judge then told him. "You are excused."

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Outside the courtroom, several reporters asked the relieved-looking man if he wished to say anything further.

"No, I'm sorry," he said, rushing for the exit.

Opening statements are set for Monday.

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