Prosecutors in the US: Donald Trump was involved in a conspiracy of fraud, lies and cover-up – World

Donald Trump has engaged in a multi-layered conspiracy of deceit, lies and cover-upprosecutors said as they began opening arguments in the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo alleges Trump falsified business documents to pay $130,000 to porn star Stormy Danielsto buy her “silence” about a 2006 sexual encounter that could have affected his 2016 presidential bid.

“This case is about a criminal conspiracy and a cover-up. This was election fraud, pure and simple,” Colangelo told a jury of New Yorkers in a Manhattan courtroom.

Trump, dressed in a dark suit and blue tie, sat at the defense table and stared straight ahead as the prosecutor delivered his arguments.

Delivering his opening statement to the 12 jurors and six alternates, Todd Blanch, one of Trump’s lawyers, said: “The President Trump has not committed any crimes“.

“There’s nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It’s called democracy,” Blanche said.

“The Manhattan DA should never have brought this case,” he said. “President Trump is presumed innocent.”

Before the hearing, Trump also insisted he had done nothing wrong and denounced the case as “election interference” aimed at failed his bid for the White House in 2024

“This is a very, very sad day in America,” the 77-year-old Republican presidential candidate told reporters.

“I’m here instead of being in Pennsylvania, Georgia and many other places to campaign. It’s a witch hunt“, he said.

Trump is the first former president to be indicted on criminal charges, and the case poses a significant risk to him less than seven months before his campaign rematch with President Joe Biden.

Prosecution witnesses are expected to include Daniels and former Trump middleman Michael Cohen, who arranged the “hush money” payment to the adult film actress.

The identity of the jurors is kept secret for their protection.

The alleged crime is less significant than the charges stemming from Trump’s attack on the 2020 election — which the Republican lost to Democrat Biden — and the collection of classified documents.

In the current case, Trump could be sentenced to imprisonmentalthough a fine or probation is more likely, analysts say.

The somber courtroom trial will keep Trump off the campaign trail four days a week for six to eight weeks.

But Trump has tried to use the high-profile media attention to stoke his support, making regular statements outside the courtroom.

Last week, potential jurors were subjected to interrogation from prosecutors and defense attorneys about their media habits, political donations and education.

Many of the potential jurors were dismissed after saying they could not be impartial before lawyers and the judge selected 12 jurors with six alternates.

For Trump to be convicted, to whom it belongs ordered to attend every day of the triala unanimous decision will be required.

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