Donald Trump’s Historic Hush Money Trial Resumes with Contempt Charges
The second day of Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial is set to begin, with the former President facing charges of contempt for social media posts about trial witnesses. Before testimony resumes on Tuesday, April 23, Judge Merchan will hold a hearing on the prosecution’s request to hold Trump in contempt of court and fine him for allegedly violating his gag order.
Former President Accused of Election Interference
Prosecutors accuse Trump of attempting to prevent damaging stories about his personal life from becoming public to influence the 2016 election. They argue the hush money payments were part of a scheme to silence people who had negative information about Trump’s behavior.
Trump Denies Wrongdoing
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and repeatedly assailed the investigation, calling the hush-money indictment ‘political persecution.’ He has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records, a felony punishable by up to four years in prison.
Defense Attacks Witness Credibility
A defense lawyer preemptively undermined the credibility of prosecution witness Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges related to his role in the hush money scheme. The lawyer portrayed Cohen as someone with an ‘obsession’ with Trump who cannot be trusted.
Case Presents First Criminal Trial of a Former US President
Donald Trump is the first former president to face a criminal trial. The outcome of the case is expected to have significant implications for the legal precedent set for future prosecutions of former presidents.
