WATCH: Stephen A. Smith SHREDS Democrats’ Lawfare Against Trump: ‘You’re Scared!’

The second day of jury selection in Donald Trump’s hush money criminal trial unfolded in a Manhattan courtroom, where prosecutors and the former president’s attorneys scrutinized 18 potential jurors to ensure their impartiality in a case that could have profound political implications.

The proceedings come as part of a controversial case accusing Trump of participating in an illegal conspiracy to affect the integrity of the 2016 election by orchestrating payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The trial is just one of four criminal cases the former president faces; he has maintained his innocence across all charges.

As the legal drama ensues, commentators like ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith have vocally criticized the Democrats’ approach to the legal battles against Trump. In a fiery tirade, Smith accused the Democrats of pursuing a strategy of “lawfare” out of fear rather than focusing on policy. “To my liberal friends out there, all you’re doing is showing that you’re scared you can’t beat [Trump] on the issues and the merits,” Smith argued on his show. “That’s why he keeps saying it’s a political campaign against me. This is the only way they could do it.”

Smith’s comments reflect a broader sentiment among some observers that the continuous legal challenges are less about justice and more about politics.

“If you don’t put him in jail and he still goes from being a presumptive GOP nominee, to the official GOP nominee and he goes to the polls, even though he was going to whine about winning and being rigged again, you have given more fodder to that argument, which means we’ll never have peace in this country,” Smith continued.

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The selection of a jury, which will eventually consist of 12 New Yorkers and six alternates, is critical in ensuring a fair trial. The attorneys’ primary challenge is to find jurors who can evaluate the case without prejudice, a task complicated by the extensive media coverage and the charged political context. The case centers on alleged payments that were made to silence claims that could have damaged Trump’s electoral prospects in 2016. Prosecutors argue that these actions were part of a deliberate effort to manipulate electoral outcomes by suppressing damaging news.

Smith summed up the frustration felt by many, stating, “When all you got to do is figure out a way to beat [Trump] on the issues, but you haven’t been able to do it.” His pointed critique underscores the skepticism surrounding the motivations behind the prosecution and whether they stem from electoral fear rather than a straightforward pursuit of justice. This isn’t the first time Smith has slammed Democrats.

In February, Smith took aim at the Party’s handling of migrant policies, expressing his frustration over a gross misallocation of resources.

“I see homeless folks in the streets of New York all the time that are American citizens. I damn sure see them in California.”

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Smith, continued, “What about poor and desolate citizens here? How the hell do you print money for foreign countries but don’t print that money to help eradicate folks that are starving right here in the streets of America?”

“That’s why Trump is on the verge of getting elected, re-elected. Because when he was in office there was a flourishing economy.”