Former President Donald Trump faced a jury of 18 New Yorkers on Monday in a Manhattan courtroom, where he is charged with 34 felonies for allegedly falsifying New York business records to conceal information that could have damaged his 2016 presidential election prospects.
The prosecution alleges that Trump conspired with his former fixer, Michael Cohen, and former American Media CEO David Pecker to conceal damaging information about his affairs with Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels. The prosecution’s opening statement detailed how Trump allegedly coordinated with Cohen and Pecker in August 2015 to control flattering stories about himself and suppress negative information about his opponents.
Trump’s defense attorney, Todd Blanche, argued that the former president is innocent and that the payments were made for legitimate reasons. Blanche also attempted to discredit some of the prosecution’s witnesses, including Cohen and Daniels.
The trial is expected to continue for several weeks, and the jury will ultimately decide whether Trump is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
