Former President Donald Trump on Trial in New York City for Hush Money Payment to Stormy Daniels
Former President Donald Trump is currently on trial in New York City, facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. This historic trial marks the first time a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.
Trump pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment last April, which accuses him of falsifying business records in connection with the hush money payment made by his then-attorney Michael Cohen to Daniels in an effort to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
The trial has reached a crucial point as jury deliberations are scheduled to begin today. After lengthy closing arguments, Judge Juan Merchan will instruct the jury on the law in the case before they can start deliberating. The jury will have to determine whether prosecutors have proven that Trump falsified business records to further a criminal conspiracy to influence the 2016 election.
During the closing arguments, defense lawyer Todd Blanche argued that prosecutors failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, pointing to the credibility of former Trump attorney Michael Cohen. On the other hand, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass argued that Trump’s alleged falsification of records was a “subversion of democracy” by hiding crucial information from voters.
The outcome of this trial will have significant implications, as it could set a precedent for how former presidents are held accountable for their actions. Stay tuned for updates on this historic trial.