https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/15/trump-hush-money-trial-key-argumentsOn Monday, 15 April 2024, Donald Trump went to Manhattan court for his trial in Manhattan, making him the first US president, former or present, to face a criminal jury. More than 500 prospective jurors have been summoned to Manhattan supreme court in preparation for a selection process that could span days.Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, in spring 2023 charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records over an alleged hush-money scheme involving the adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal. The charge is a class E felony.Bragg’s office contends that Trump facilitated payoffs to the women through his then attorney, Michael Cohen, to cover up alleged extramarital liaisons that could have damaged his candidacy in the 2016 election. They say that the illicit “catch and kill” payoff scheme spanned from August 2015 to December 2017. Cohen in 2018 pleaded guilty to federal charges in Manhattan related to his involvement in that particular scheme, among other crimes.Trump has maintained his innocence. As with the other criminal and civil cases against him, Trump has largely claimed these proceedings are a politically motivated witch-hunt, intended to impede his candidacy in the 2024 presidential election.
Here are the key points in Manhattan prosecutors’ case against Trump.The Stormy Daniels allegationProsecutors charge that Cohen wired $130,000 to Daniels’ then attorney just 12 days before the presidential election. Cohen funneled the money by making the payoff through a shell company, which was funded through a New York City bank, prosecutors say.When Trump won the election, prosecutors continue, he repaid Cohen in a series of monthly checks. Initially, those checks came from the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust – which was launched in New York to retain the president’s namesake company’s assets during his time in the White House. Then, payments to Cohen came from Trump’s bank account, per court papers.Prosecutors say that 11 checks were doled out for this spurious purpose – and that Trump signed nine of them; the Trump Organization processed each of these checks “disguised as a payment for legal services rendered pursuant to a non-existent retainer agreement”.Trump’s alleged passing off hush-money payouts as remittance for legal work “made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise”, prosecutors say in the counts of his indictment. This was done, they say, “with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof …”.Prosecutors say there were a total of 34 phoney ledger entries to hide the purpose of this “covert” payment. They also contend that those who partook in the scheme plotted to mischaracterize these disbursements for taxes.
The Karen McDougal accusationIn another alleged catch-and-kill operation, AMI, the publisher of the National Enquirer, paid $150,000 to McDougal. The former adult model claims to have had a sexual relationship with Trump, per Manhattan prosecutors.AMI, which entered into a non-prosecution agreement with Manhattan federal prosecutors amid the Cohen investigation, contacted Cohen after McDougal’s attorney reached out to the National Enquirer, hoping to sell her story. AMI entered into an agreement with McDougal to buy the “limited life rights” to her account of a relationship with “any married man”, per the non-prosecution agreement.AMI agreed to feature the model on two magazine covers and that it could run more than 100 magazine articles authored by McDougal. AMI entered into the August 2016 deal with McDougal to publish features and articles but had no intention of running them, as the agreement was “to suppress the model’s story so as to prevent it from influencing the election”, federal prosecutors also say.Manhattan state prosecutors contend that Trump “explicitly directed” Cohen to repay AMI with cash. Cohen, in turn, told Trump that AMI should be reimbursed through a shell company.The media company – owned by the longtime Trump ally David Pecker – decided in the end not to accept reimbursement following consultations with their counsel, the Manhattan DA’s office says.The doorman’s claimAround October or November 2015, Pecker learned that an ex-Trump Tower doorman was trying to peddle information about a child Trump allegedly fathered out of wedlock. Under Pecker’s direction, AMI agreed to pay him $30,000 for the exclusive rights to his story, prosecutors claim.
AMI, per Manhattan prosecutors, “falsely characterized this payment in AMI’s books and records, including in its general ledger”. The publisher brokered this deal without investigating it, and later learned the account was untrue.While Pecker wanted to release the ex-doorman from this deal, Cohen told him not to do so until after the election. He agreed, per prosecutors.The longtime agreement among Trump, Cohen and PeckerManhattan prosecutors describe the catch-and-kill scheme as having roots in summer 2015. About two months after Trump announced his candidacy, he, Pecker and Cohen met at Trump Tower.Pecker, prosecutors say, agreed to help with Trump’s presidential bid – and vowed to act as his “eyes and ears” by tracking negative stories and flagging them to Cohen before they broke. Pecker, prosecutors say, also agreed to run negative stories about Trump’s opponents.This alleged agreement appeared to play heavily into Pecker’s decision to buy the doorman’s story despite failing to investigate it first. Pecker “directed that the deal take place because of his agreement” with Trump and Cohen, prosecutors say in court papers.
The Access Hollywood tapeTrump and his cronies were concerned about damaging information for more than one year before the election, but pressure intensified on 7 October 2016. On that date, the Washington Post published audio in which Trump boasted he could grope women without their consent due to his fame.“You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful – I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything,” Trump said in the recording. “Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything.”The audio, in a video excerpt from an Access Hollywood taping, made Trump “concerned that the tape would harm his viability as a candidate and reduce his standing with female voters in particular”.AMI caught wind of Daniels’ account shortly after the tape became public. AMI’s editor-in-chief contacted Cohen, and connected him with Daniels’ attorney at the time.In court papers, prosecutors say that Trump tried to stall the Daniels payoff “for as long as possible”. Trump told Cohen that if he could delay the exchange until after the election, they might be able to avoid giving her any money, “because at that point it would not matter if the story became public”.But, “with pressure mounting and the election approaching”, Trump agreed to pay off Daniels and told Cohen to go forward. Trump’s lawyers pushed unsuccessfully for the Access Hollywood tape to be excluded from the trial. Court papers say the tape “helps establish defendant’s intent and motive for making the payment to Daniels and then, attempting to conceal them”.___
>Merchan read courtroom conduct instructions to Trump and asked him to affirm that he understood them, which Trump did.>“If you disrupt the proceedings in any way, the law permits the court to exclude you from court, commit you to jail, and continue the trial in your absence,” the judge said. Failing to show up will similarly result in an arrest warrant to be issued.I want to see Trump test this and be put in jail, but I'm sure the conservative biased media will say he's a political prisoner and not the truth that, he's not above the law for once.
>>1287261>If i just keep saying the lies they will believe!!
>>1287263AKA the Trump strategy
>>1287263What lies? What part of it are you refusing to acknowledge is true?
LMAO they are reporting old Donald fell asleep in the courtroom
Looks like it's past his nap time.
>>1287267How long before Republicans lie and say he was only pretending because this is a 'political prosecution'?
>>1287267His lawyers knew if he was on the usual cocktail of stimulants he takes for public appearances he'd get himself a contempt of court charge, so they made him skip his morning dose.The result: Sleepy Don
>>1287271Or Don jr swiped all of Trump's cocaine again.
>>1287273>>1287271You people's delusional fantasies are so wild and out of touch.It's no wonder you act the way you do
>>1287274Denial is the first stage
>>1287274Still defending Trump's syphilis ulcers?
>>1287256I don't care that Bill Clinton "did not have sex with that woman" and lied about it.And I don't care that tRump was blackmailed for 125G(except the whore should be charged with blackmail)
>>1287280You don't care that Trump engaged in election interference?
>>1287281It doesn't care about anything Trump does, because it isn't capable of thought more developed than "Trump good".If Trump fucked a baby on camera, the only thing it would feel is jealousy for all parties involved.
>>1287285Racist DemoKKKrats somehow bring any conversation back to kid fucking.
>>1287286Said jews rape kids
>>1287285>>1287286The lazy conservative
>>1287286Only a jew would go to bat for Trump.
>Republican media already advocating for jury tamperinghttps://www.huffpost.com/entry/clay-travis-jury-tampering-trump-trial_n_661d5d85e4b015646f788a5f
the accusations, even if true, are not enough to get me to not vote for trump. I hate the democrats so fucking much and don't want them to be in power.
>>1287315The mildest criticism of Israel sets you off that much, huh Shmuley?
>>1287325I don't give a shit about the israel. let them all die for all I care. Biden is a piece of shit because he and the dems want to ban guns, raise taxes, cause inflation and import millions of illegals
>>1287332and you're not american dumb shill
>>1287334I am American. Most Americans hate biden. his approval rating is like 30%
>>1287337yet they prefer him to a criminal
>>1287339lol, nope. 2020 was rigged and blue states like california let illegals vote. Dems in the house literally voted against a bill that would have banned illegals voting in elections
>>1287341did your pillow tell you that, faggot
>>1287337He's up to 43%https://thehill.com/homenews/4594603-biden-approval-rating-highest-since-november/
>>1287341And faggots like you sat at your computers jerking off while they did, then Trump handed over the country to Biden while doing nothing but whining on Twitter and begging for donations.And now you're rooting for the man who abandoned America in it's time of need again.You deserve to have elections stolen from you.
>>1287345not an argument, I accept your concession>>1287346assuming this is true, that would still mean most Americans hate him
>>1287347so you are admitting jan 6 never happened? cool
>>1287351you're really a dumb asshole. you know that?
>>1287353still no argument, because you know I am correct and that you are a tranny. I accept your concession
>>1287356prove biden stole the election (it's a lie, you can't)
>>1287359the 2,000 mules film prove russia hacked the 2016 election and changed the votes like dems claim
>>1287352We all watched the army of women and elderly who went to fight the steal while cowards like you and Trump sat at your computers.All the more reason why you deserve to have elections stolen from you.
>>1287361>the 2,000 mules film LOL, LMAOhttps://apnews.com/article/georgia-elections-true-vote-ballot-stuffing-199113b47bc2df79c63fdf007cd23115
>>1287366non sequitur >>1287365cool, so you do admit we did something about the stolen election and that you were lying and are a jew
>>1287369It's the film admitting they lied in court
>>1287374he's not a very talented trump shill
>>1287369>weYou sat at home and let women and elderly fight your battles. Your leader handed the nation over to an illegitimate regime without a fight.But not before he left the women and elderly who fought your battles for you to rot while he pardoned niggers and kikes as he meekly sat in time out until his term was over.And there you sit.So, again. You deserve to have elections stolen from you. And you will. Over and over again.And you won't do shit about it.
>>1287374no it doesn't. It just has a jewish dem saying it wasn't real >>1287375samefag
>>1287376Greasy foreign fingers typed this..
>>1287376so did jan 6 happen or not? because dems said jan 6 was worse than 9/11 and almost overthrew the country and killed all the dems
>>1287389Kvech and deflect all you want, only one question matters.Were you there, or did you let someone else fight your battles for you, faggot?If the answer is no, you deserve to continue to sit at your computer, impotently letting elections be stolen from you.
>>1287399did jan 6 happen or not? you said we didn't do anything. that means jan 6 was nothing but a peaceful protest and the dems are lying
>>1287402pussy
>>1287402>we didn't do anything There you go hiding behind someone else again.I said YOU didn't do anything.Because you didn't. And never will.And as a result you'll live in the nation you deserve.
>>1287384Yes it does, Christofascists like you are coping hard.
>>1287403not an argument, troon>>1287407so did jan 6 happen or did it not happen?
>>1287410>Christofascistspretty sure those don't exist, but keep on seething there
>>1287416are you a whiny pussy or are you a whiny pussy
>>1287402I think the first thing we should do is fire all the FBI agents who were acting as instigators in the crowd, like Rey Epps. Criminal charges for them are probably also in order. And I don't mean a negotiated plea with no jail time.
>>1287419not an argument, keep seething there, bitch boi
>>1287424i hope you get enough attention when i have to go in a bit pussy
>>1287416Either way, you weren't there.Most cowards are incapable of accepting their own cowardice and disassociate/ deflect to avoid the guilt.Your continuing to ask the same inane question rather than engage reinforces that.Post the same question again or respond with some variation of "You didn't answer me so I win!!!1!!", it doesn't matter. You're still sitting and staring at a screen.And it's why you deserve to have elections stolen from you.
>>1287431so did jan 6 happen or not, jew?
>>1287281>>1287285 This thing knows this, but is a troll)>You don't care that Trump engaged in election interference?This is about paying off a blackmailing porn actor, shilly troll.
>>1287433Lmao checked. Try spamming some low iq bait images. Gottem!
>>1287448I really don't get how you can pretend jan 6 was an insurrection while saying we did nothing, cuck
>>1287450Jan 6th was an insurrection. Cope.
>>1287451so we did do something. got it
>>1287455Yes. An insurrection. Well, poorly attempted, anyways.
>we
>>1287457cool, so you can't say we didn't do anything or won't do anything
>>1287463i guess you might taze yourself
>>1287418Why are you claiming you don't exist?
>>1287435It was to bribe a porn star into silence to keep her from releasing information to the public for the election.AKA election interference.
>>1287470I'm an atheist and fascism isn't real
>>12874772 lies in 7 words, impressive.
>>1287418LOL, cope.
>>1287416>le troooon>le joooYou're all the same.
>>1287463>weWHEN WE GO ONE, WE GO ALL!!! PATRIOTS UNITE!!! This is how gay you sound.
>>1287418Did you somehow miss the Ustase?
>>1287315>are not enough to get me to not vote for trumpBut they are enough to keep him from serving as president. The melon felon isn't getting sworn in from prison. Your vote matters even less than usual.
>>1287530>>1287531>>1287532weird how it is always all 3 of you discord troons within minutes of each other >>1287536trump did no crimes, and you guys were fine with clinton bring president after he raped that child
>>1287256>catch and killThat's an objection all day as inflammatory and misleading. This implies two serious felonies which are not being charged.
>>1287536>accusations are enough to stop Trump from runningLmao, noReminder: the only evidence in this trial is hearsay testimony from Cohen. There are no financial records supporting any of these accusations otherwise, and there are so documents what so ever outlining any sort of catch and kill strategy Cohen alleges he had with Trump.What there is however: charges against Cohen for lying under oath. Now that same man who, previously lied under oath, is going to be giving more testimony under oath, that libshits think is going to be what finally gets Trump.
why do Republicans think facing criminal trial is going to help his dropping poll numbers?
>>1287537>>1287543>>1287561Holy crap the denialism is real. I thought it was just a meme.
>>1287570You are talking about crazy people who live in an alternative reality in their own heads. They think crazy things like Sidney Powell was right about the 2020 election and Trump did nothing wrong. There is no rhyme or reason behind their flawed logic.
>>1287570>dropping poll numbersTrump is still leading swing states btw
>>1287602t. 2020 Trump voter
>>1287572look in a mirror biden sniffer cult, god you're such an unhinged hypocrite
>>1287608>he thinks Biden is a fake populist like TrumpAhahhahaha good one Anon
First 3 jurors are selected.16 to go.
>>12876796 jurors are now selected.
>>1287679does this require a unanimous verdict? worried all it takes is one MAGAtard to get Trump off the hook
>>1287719Yes
What's the betting the jurors get leaked. Wouldn't put it past Trump's team
>>1287719You already have the Republican media advocating jury tampering >>1287305The good news is any potential saboteurs would have to be very thorough in covering their tracks since the prosecutors have to go through their social media, and 4 potential rats were already weeded out since Prospectors disqualified 4 potential jurors.But while a hung trial means they can do a retrial, the purpose is to stop Trump from being convicted before the election, so it would still be a win for him.
>>1287723If they leaked, they're getting arrested.The real question is will Trump be forced into lock up since it's clear he's going to keep disrupting the trial.
>>1287726>If they leaked, they're getting arrested.They're going through the social media. So all it takes is someone connected to his legal team to like something or whatever of random accounts and they're possibly the jurors
>>1287731>They're going through the social media. They have their names and family names, don't need to do that roundabout way of getting information.Even if Trump tries to launder the information through his propagandists, it will come back to him since there's only so many people who has the information right now.
>>1287723Trump isn't a Democrat so even if they're leaked they won't be assassinated.The assassinations only happen when Demomafioso are on trial.
>>1287756>WhataboutThe Russians are here
>>1287756>Trump isn't a DemocratHe was literally up until he ran for president>The assassinations only happen when Demomafioso are on trial.Premium schizo posting
>>1287759>He was literally up until he ran for presidentSo...Democrats voted for him and he was backed by the Democratic party?What are you trying to say here? Or are you just trying to be a contrary retard for no reason?
>>1287761>So...Democrats voted for him and he was backed by the Democratic party?Do you not understand basic english? Trump was a lifelong democrat, as most New York billionaires are, right up until he ran for president.>Or are you just trying to be a contrary retard for no reason?Does pointing out that your god emperor only wears the disguise of Republican to fool rubes like you into voting for him and giving him money rustle your jimmies? Are you upset right now?
I'm failing to figure out the implications here.Is this an attempt by conservatives to push the overton window further to the right by implying Trump isn't actual conservative when the guy is a full blown fascist, aka at the far right of the political spectrum which is where conservatives want to be?
>>1287776Someone is making moves for the upcoming reckoning in the post-Trump era of the RNC
>>1287782The Republican party is going to collapse if Trump goes to prison and the Republicans fail to steal 2024.MAGAs are just going to drop out of politics rather than follow someone who isn't Trump and Trump is too egotistical to name a replacement.
>>1287719>>1287724why are dems bitching about jury tampering when confirmed blm members lied about being blm members to get on that one cop who did nothing wrong's trial?
>>1287776>Trump isn't actual conservativehe isn't, he is center left >when the guy is a full blown fascist,fascism hasn't existed since 1945>aka at the far right of the political spectrum which is where conservatives want to be?fascism is far left. it advocates for an authoritarian state. that is a left wing thing
>>1287785>>1287784Point proven about conservative's attempt to push the overton window further to the right and pretend their crimes don't exist.
>>1287785>Historically, "far-right politics" has been used to describe the experiences of fascism, Nazism, and Falangism. Contemporary definitions now include neo-fascism, neo-Nazism, the Third Position, the alt-right, racial supremacism and other ideologies or organizations that feature aspects of authoritarian, ultra-nationalist, chauvinist, xenophobic, theocratic, racist, homophobic, transphobic, or reactionary views.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far-right_politics
>>1287788>(((Wikipedia)))you do know there are confirmed communist jews putting actual propaganda on there, right?go read hitler's platform, like 90% of it is social spending. fascism is far left. all authoritarianism is far left
>>1287353>anon #1 says majority of Americans hate Biden>anon #2 says 43% of Americans like Biden>this means that 57% of Americans don't like Biden>therefore, majority of Americans don't like Biden>anon #2 calls anon #1 a dumb assholewhew
>>1287792good postdems are not sending their best
>>1287793They never do. Do they even have a "best"? Or is it just a bunch of brainwashed tards lacking objective reasoning capabilities
>>1287799the latter for sure
>>1287765OK so same question: "Point?"I was a lifelong Democrat until 2012.
>>1287792>>1287793>>1287799>>1287800The same fagging is out of control
>>1287561>accusationsNo. Convictions will be enough to stop him from serving though.>There are no financial records supporting any of these accusationsLol, lmao even.
How is this trial biased against Trump when most of the jurors sound like Trump supporters
>>1287966Saying the trial is "biased against Trump" is merely an election campaign slogan and might no represent the truth
During his fraud case, Trump was complaining that he didn't have a jury.Now that he's getting a jury for this case, he's still complaining that it's not the right people.His lawyers have already used 6 of their 10 ejections. Trump seems to think it's unlimited
Trump is making a big deal about how the Judge is stopping him from attending his son's graduation, which he's been looking forward to for years.Trump never attended ANY of his other kids graduations.
Down to 5 jurors.One's been excused because their ID has been discovered and the other has lied about ties to Trump
>>1287271It is funny that bots will take word for word insults of joe biden and literally swap em for trump. You can tell this insult was directly sourced from here, because this is almost word for word what people on here say about biden.
>>1288496Kind of like all the phrases conservatives have stolen from liberals:>"Obama Derangement Syndrome">"Two more weeks">"Wokeness">"ok boomer"etc.
