Jury selection began Monday in the corruption trial of a former top aide and longtime friend of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Joe Percoco is charged with taking more than $315,000-worth of bribes from two companies working with the state.

Prosecutors say he used his relationship with Cuomo to win those companies favorable treatment.

Cuomo is not accused of any wrongdoing, but experts say his name will likely come up during the trial.

"You certainly have to explain to the jurors what Percoco's role is, and how he was in a position to exert any influence over official acts. And you can't do that without talking about his role and possibly even his relationship with the governor," said Attorney Josh Liston.

Percoco's case could create political headaches for the governor, who has been mentioned as a potential presidential candidate in 2020.

The trial is expected to last several weeks.

Monday, protesters outside court tried to tie Cuomo to a Hudson Valley power plant that played a role in the alleged corruption scheme. Energy executives behind the project are charged with bribing Percoco in order to win valuable agreements with the state.

"The CPV power plant in Orange County was built on bribes, and it's Gov. Cuomo's obligation — if he is a true climate leader, if he is a true climate leader, he must shut this dirty power plant down,"' said Eric Weltman of non-profit group Food & Water Watch.

The protest came up repeatedly in court Monday, as the judge asked each potential juror whether they had seen the commotion and whether it could affect their judgment.

As to whether the trial could damage Cuomo as he seeks re-election, his political opponents are already pushing a storyline.

"These bribery and extortion indictment of Joe Percoco, the closest confidant of the governor, could not have happened without the enabling actions of the governor himself," Republican State Chairman Ed Cox said outside the courthouse. "So the governor is on trial here."

When asked about the trial on Sunday, Cuomo was tight-lipped:

Reporter: Governor, do you expect to testify in the Percoco trial, and are you concerned at all about anything that might emerge about your administration during that trial?

Cuomo: No.

Reporter: No to both?

Cuomo: No to both.

Percoco is being tried alongside the three executives charged with paying him bribes. He faces six felony counts, including bribery and extortion, and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.