Defense attorneys in the New York criminal trial against former President Trump presented their closing arguments, asserting his innocence and dismissing the 34 counts of falsifying business records. Attorney Todd Blanche emphasized that the Manhattan District Attorney’s office had failed to establish Trump’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Blanche characterized the case as simple and not warranting a guilty verdict, arguing that it centered on documents rather than an alleged affair with Stormy Daniels or a non-disclosure agreement. He maintained that the charges stemmed from payments made to Trump’s ex-attorney, Michael Cohen, which were accurately recorded in accounting ledgers.
Blanche challenged Cohen’s testimony, calling him a liar and questioning his motives. He argued that the jury should not convict Trump based solely on Cohen’s word, emphasizing the lack of evidence supporting Cohen’s claims of a conspiracy to influence the 2016 election.
The defense also addressed the alleged catch and kill scheme with the National Enquirer, arguing that such arrangements were legal and practiced by the publication’s parent company for decades. Blanche dismissed the notion that positive news stories in the Enquirer could have swayed the election as preposterous.
In a final plea to the jury, Blanche urged them to disregard Cohen’s testimony, highlighting his history of lying and untrustworthiness. He emphasized that a verdict should be based on evidence and documents, asserting that a not-guilty verdict would be a quick and easy conclusion based on the presented evidence.
