The commencement of opening statements in Donald Trump’s hush money trial sets the stage for weeks of testimony about the former president’s personal life and places his legal troubles …
Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump approaches the media at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, Friday, April 19, 2024.
and a longtime friend of Donald Trump, was the first witness to take the stand in the former president’s hush money trial on Monday. Blanche accused Cohen of being “obsessed with President Trump,” saying “his entirely financial livelihood depends on President Trump’s destruction.” “We will be very upfront about it,” he continued, adding that Cohen, “like other witnesses in this trial, has made mistakes.”TRUMP HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH PAYMENTS, DEFENSE SAYS
While prosecutors allege Trump reimbursed Michael Cohen $420,000 — more than double what Cohen paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels — because the cover-up was crucial to the campaign, Blanche said the excess payments are proof that Trump had nothing to do with the scheme. “I have a spoiler alert: There’s nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It’s called democracy,” Blanche said. “They put something sinister on this idea as if it’s a crime. You’ll learn it’s not.”Following the prosecution’s opening statements in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial, the defense called the former president “innocent” and said the Manhattan district attorney’s office “should never have brought this case.
“Neither Trump nor the Trump Organization could just write a check to Cohen with a memo line that said ‘reimbursement for porn star pay-off,’” Colangelo said. “So they agreed to cook the books and make it look like the payment was actually income, payment for services rendered.” Colangelo told jurors that prominent Trump allies withdrew their endorsements and condemned his language. The prosecutor said evidence would show the Republican National Committee even considered whether it was possible to replace Trump with another candidate.PROSECUTION HONES IN ON ‘CATCH-AND-KILL’ OPERATION
Colangelo, senior counsel to the district attorney, told jurors that though the payments to Michael Cohen were labeled as legal fees pursuant to a retainer agreement, there was no retainer and there were no legal services. “The defendant falsified those business records because he wanted to conceal his and others’ criminal conduct,” he said.
Trump shook his head Monday morning as Judge Juan M. Merchan ruled that prosecutors could ask him about the outcome of his recent civil business fraud trial, in which another judge found that Trump, along with his business and key executives, fraudulently inflated his wealth on paperwork used to secure loans and insurance.
Judge Juan M. Merchan had previously planned to adjourn the trial at 2 p.m. because of Passover, but will now adjourn the case at 12:30 p.m. He plans to end at 2 p.m. on Tuesday for the holiday.A juror who expressed reservations about continuing with Donald Trump’s hush money trial ahead of opening statements will remain on the jury, according to the judge.
Once in the courtroom, the former president filled his cheeks with air and exhaled before sitting down.The gallery was packed with reporters, and the temperature in the courtroom was slightly warmer than on previous days, where the chill was a subject of much discussion.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
David Pecker expected to first witness in hush money trialThis is additional taxonomy that helps us with analytics
Read more »
Opening statements and David Pecker as the first witness on tap for Trump hush money trialAdam Reiss is a reporter and producer for NBC and MSNBC.
Read more »
Trump 'hush money' trial begins Monday with opening statements, David Pecker testimonyFormer President Donald Trump's Former President Donald Trump's trial over potential violations of falsifying business records is set to formally begin...
Read more »
Who is David Pecker, key witness in Trump New York hush money caseA former National Enquirer publisher who helped burnish Donald Trump’s image is set to be among the prosecution’s first witnesses in Trump’s hush money trial.
Read more »
Trump trial: DA delivers opening statement, David Pecker set to testify: Live updatesProsecutors in the NY hush money trial of Donald Trump began opening statements and are set to call former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker to testify.
Read more »
Trump trial live updates: Opening statements to begin, David Pecker to be first witnessThis is additional taxonomy that helps us with analytics
Read more »