Prosecutors said on the first day of Donald Trump’s trial in New York for falsifying documents that the former president violated the law the 2016 election by attempting to cover up sexual relations with a porn star and Playboy model. His defense attorney said he had committed no crime, Reuters reports.
Jurors in the historical trial also briefly heard the prosecution’s first witness: former National Enquirer publisher David Packer, who prosecutors say was involved in a scheme to cover up unflattering stories about Trump and help him get elected.
In the first-ever trial against a former US president, Trump is accused of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016 to hush up a sexual relationship she says they had for 10 years earlier. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies the meeting took place.
Prosecutors described the payment as criminal voter fraud in a time when Trump was facing other allegations of misconduct.
“It was planned, coordinated, long-term conspiracy to influence the 2016 election to help Donald Trump get elected through illegal spending to silence people who had anything bad to say about his behavior,” said prosecutor Matthew Colangelo. This was election fraud, pure and simple.”
The jury in the case against Trump in New York has been selected
It follows weeks of testimony on whether Trump falsified documents for his 2016 campaign.
Colangelo told jurors they will hear Trump work out the details of the scheme in taped conversations and see an extensive paper trail to back up witness testimony.
Trump’s lawyer told the jury that the former president had committed no crimes and said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg should not have brought the case.
“There’s nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It’s called democracy. They’re putting something sinister into this idea, like it’s a crime,” Trump lawyer Todd Blanch said.
Trump stands trial for falsifying documents
A historical process for the country
Trump faces 34 felonies. He denies any wrongdoing.
Trump is required to be in court throughout the trial, with Judge Juan Murchan denying his request to skip a hearing. to be able to attend a hearing before the Supreme Court.
The Democratic Party asked Judge Murchan to fine the businessman with $1,000 for each of three social media posts this month, who criticize Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen. The fines will be considered on April 23.
Trump pleads not guilty to all charges claiming that the lawsuits were the result of a conspiracy by Democrats for the political neutralizing it.
The Stormy Daniels case may be the only one to go to trial before Trump faces Joe Biden again in the Nov. 5 election, according to a Reuters forecast.
Donald Trump in the courtroom or at a campaign rally
A New York court has rejected Trump’s third motion to delay a lawsuit
Even if he is convicted, Donald Trump will be able to run for and serve as president if he wins an election. But half of independent voters and a quarter of Republicans would not vote for him if he were found guilty of the current charges, according to a Reuters poll.
