Former Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., complained about the slow legal process for former President Trump’s trial in Manhattan Saturday, seemingly wishing it could be more like a lynching in the South.
Trump was formally charged for crimes related to hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels last week. His indictment by a Manhattan grand jury is historically unprecedented in American politics.
Franken spoke with lawyer Harry Litman about Trump’s numerous legal troubles on his podcast ‘The Al Franken Podcast’ and expressed shock that the next hearing in New York is currently scheduled for December.
"Why is it going to be December? That’s crazy to me," the host said.
Comedian Al Franken performs at Atlanta Symphony Hall on October 09, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by R. Diamond/Getty Images)
NEW YORKERS PAN MANHATTAN DA ALVIN BRAGG FOR NOT PROSECUTING 'REAL CRIMINALS' AS HE ARRESTS TRUMP
"It is crazy, isn’t it?" Litman replied. "But it is an important point that when everyone says ‘first out of the box,’ we should be thinking about this a few months down the line, including Trump, kind of wounded in the open field, as glowing and incensed as he was, multiply it – or geometrically - by three or four."
Litman added further that New York’s legal system is already crowded, but the priority of cases may change.
"So the New York calendar is very clogged generally. And the next motion, if it were just you and me in a lawsuit for a car accident — would be December," Litman said. "But a judge can set his own calendar and this guy did, it’s not lickety split, but the first motions are due in August with responses in September."
"Daily Show" guest host Al Franken spars with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., over his support for former President Trump. (Screenshot/Comedy Central)
"God, you know, in the South they used to, like, try someone in a day and then just hang them," Franken said.
"Exactly. If they tried them," Litman observed.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 04: Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his defense team in a Manhattan court on April 4, 2023 in New York City. Trump was arraigned during his first court appearance following an indictment by a grand jury that heard evidence about money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. With the indictment, Trump becomes the first former U.S. president in history to be charged with a criminal offense. (Photo by Seth Wenig-Pool/Getty Images)
Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday after being charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 4.