NEW YORK  -  Donald Trump goes to court Monday as the first US ex-president ever to be criminally prosecuted, a seismic moment for the United States as the pre­sumptive Republican nom­inee campaigns to re-take the White House. The scan­dal-plagued 77-year-old is accused of falsifying busi­ness records in a scheme to cover up an alleged sexual encounter with adult film actress Stormy Daniels to shield his 2016 election campaign from adverse publicity.

The so-called hush mon­ey affair is only one of four criminal cases hanging over Trump and some le­gal observers suggest it is the least serious. But the real prospect of Trump becoming a convicted fel­on -- and potentially fac­ing jail time -- throws an unprecedented wild card into an already unpredict­able election.

The right-wing populist is running on dark vows of “vengeance” against Demo­cratic President Joe Biden, who beat him in 2020. Trump has said he will take the stand in the case, which gets underway from 1330 GMT, an unusual and often risky move for defendants. “I’ve been indicted more than Al Capone, the great gangster,” Trump said to cheering supporters at a rally Saturday in key swing state Pennsylvania.

“There is absolutely nothing here,” he insisted. “There is no misdemeanor, there is no felony, there’s no federal crime.”

But ahead of any testi­mony by Trump, the trial will start Monday with a likely lengthy and conten­tious process to select 12 jurors and their alternates. The pool of ordinary citi­zens convened by Judge Juan Merchan must answer a questionnaire including checks on whether they have been members of far-right groups.

The actual charges re­volve around highly tech­nical finance laws. Trump is accused of illegally cov­ering up remittances to his longtime attorney and fixer Michael Cohen, who was using the funds to pay Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about the alleged sexual encounter in the fi­nal weeks of the 2016 elec­tion campaign. A New York grand jury indicted Trump in March 2023 over the payments made to Daniels, whose real name is Steph­anie Clifford, with the ex-president charged with 34 counts of falsifying busi­ness records. He denies the charges and could use the trial, scheduled for up to two months, as a promi­nent platform to decry what he alleges is “lawfare” and election interference by his political opponents. Trump also claims he will not get a fair trial in heavily Democratic New York.

However, the real estate magnate and longtime re­ality TV show star is using the limelight as an unlikely campaign boost -- touting himself as a victim and us­ing supporter outrage to fundraise. Even if convicted, he would be able to appeal and would not be barred from continuing to run, or even being elected presi­dent on November 5.