Key Takeaways: Prosecutors Claiming Trump Conducted “Criminal Conspiracy,” Ex-President’s Attorneys Responding “That’s Democracy”

Days before the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump paid hush money to a porn actress, committing “election fraud,” according to the prosecution on Monday during the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo said, “Criminal conspiracy and cover-up are the central themes of this case.” “He planned a criminal plot to taint the presidential election of 2016.”

As he presented the prosecution’s case to the jury, Colangelo said that Trump had fabricated financial records in order to get porn actress Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about a 2006 sexual encounter that may have jeopardized his chances of winning the presidency.

He said, “Pure and simple, it was election fraud.”

The 77-year-old Trump, seated at the defense table with his attorneys at his sides and wearing a dark blue suit and blue tie with an American flag pin on his lapel, looked straight ahead throughout the prosecutor’s opening statement.

With fewer than seven months before his rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden in November, the lawsuit puts the Republican nominee for president at serious peril.

Daniels and Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime fixer who orchestrated the purported payment to the adult film star, are anticipated to testify for the prosecution.

Todd Blanche, one of President Trump’s lawyers, said in his opening remarks that the president “did not commit any crimes.” “This was not the right case to be pursued by the Manhattan DA.

Blanche said, “I’ll give you a spoiler alert: trying to influence an election is perfectly acceptable.” “We call it democracy.”

Prosecutors claim David Pecker, the former tabloid publisher of National Enquirer, was employed in a “catch and kill” strategy to suppress news critical of Trump. Pecker was the first witness to be called.

Judge Juan Merchan called the court to adjourn for the day after Pecker took the stand for a short while. On Tuesday, it will continue.

trail of campaigns
After the court hearing, Trump told reporters in a hallway that he had done nothing illegal and that the lawsuit was filed to thwart his chances of winning the presidency in 2024.

He said, “This is a witch hunt by Biden to keep me off the campaign trail.”

Trump would likely spend six to eight weeks in court, four days a week throughout the trial.

He is accused with 34 counts of fabricating company documents to cover up payments to Cohen, his attorney, for Daniels’ $130,000 “hush money” payment.

In his opening statements, Trump’s lawyer Blanche questioned the integrity of Daniels and Cohen, who was convicted of tax evasion and campaign finance offenses.

Regarding Cohen, Blanche said, “He’s a convicted felon.” “And he has a history of perjury.”

Daniels said, “It worked. She saw her chance to make a lot of money, $130,000.” “And she has made hundreds of thousands of dollars because of this story since it became public in 2018.”

Separate indictments against Trump have been brought against him for allegedly plotting to rig the 2020 election against Biden and for allegedly hoarding classified material after leaving the White House.

His practice of contesting every legal move, however, has caused those lawsuits to be routinely postponed.

Conversely, Merchan has managed the New York trial under strict time constraints.

Trump has complained bitterly about the case, especially about Merchan’s partial gag order, which bars him from publicly criticizing witnesses, prosecutors, and court staff members.

Tuesday’s hearing will determine if Merchan has already found Trump in contempt of court for his remarks during jury selection.

For their own safety, the names of the six alternates and the twelve jurors are being withheld.

Trump, who is obliged to be present for the whole trial, must be found guilty by a unanimous vote in order to be found guilty.

After a man lit himself on fire outside the courtroom last week in an unconnected but horrific event, security was heightened on Monday.

In a prior civil court case this year in New York, Trump was found guilty of misrepresenting his assets to take advantage of advantageous loan and insurance conditions. As a result, he was sentenced to pay $355 million, which increased to $454 million with interest.

As long as Trump obtained a bond that would be executed in the event that he lost his legal battle, the demand was put on hold until an appeal was filed. The bond was subsequently valued at $175 million.

The money disputes have been settled, according to the New York attorney general’s office, which informed AFP on Monday. The money will be stored in cash in an account that the underwriter alone will manage.