After the jury selection in the historic “hush money” case against former President Donald Trump, prosecutors accused Trump of involvement in election fraud during the 2016 elections.
In the trial regarding the allegation that Trump paid “hush money” to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 Presidential elections, one of the four criminal cases against former President Donald Trump, the first hearing took place after the jury selection. During the trial, where Trump was present, the jury listened to David Pecker, the publisher of the National Enquirer, who was the first witness for the prosecution. It is alleged that Pecker used his media power to suppress negative stories that could harm Trump’s presidential race.
Prosecutors accused Trump of interfering in the 2016 elections, considering the other charges he faces, including deceiving voters by making the payment to Daniels, which they described as an effort constituting election fraud.
“THIS WAS A PURE AND SIMPLE ELECTION FRAUD”
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said, “This was a long-standing conspiracy planned and coordinated to influence the 2016 elections, help Donald Trump get elected by making illegal expenditures to silence people saying bad things about his behavior. This was a pure and simple election fraud.”
“THIS IS CALLED DEMOCRACY”
Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche stated to the jury that Trump did not commit any crime and that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg should not have opened the case. Blanche said, “Attempting to influence elections is not wrong. This is called democracy. They are loading an ominous meaning onto this idea as if it were a crime.”
Following the trial, Trump told reporters that he believed the trial went “very well,” stating that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg initially did not want to prepare an indictment. Trump said the content of the case “dates back many years,” and he described it as a “witch hunt” conducted by Biden to keep him away from the election campaign.
Trump targeted Judge Arthur Engoron, who presided over his civil fraud case, stating that he had “no idea what was going on,” claiming he did not understand simple financial concepts, yet made a decision that “rocked the world.”
“HUSH MONEY” CASE
Adult film actress Daniels had stated that she signed an agreement in 2016 for $130,000 to remain silent about her relationship with Trump. Daniels argued that the agreement was invalid because it was not signed by Trump. Trump denied Daniels’ allegations. However, Michael Cohen, who served as Trump’s lawyer before the 2016 election, later confirmed that he made a $130,000 payment to Daniels from his own account on behalf of Trump.
Cohen later claimed that he was reimbursed approximately $420,000 by Trump’s companies, including bonuses. Cohen was arrested on charges of tax evasion and lying to Congress in the investigation into Trump’s campaign finances. He pleaded guilty to nine federal charges, including campaign finance violations, and was sentenced to three years in prison in December 2018.
Last year, on April 4, Trump appeared before a judge in the case where he was accused of tampering with financial records to cover up the payment, and after hearing the charges against him during the trial, he denied all 34 charges. The trial began with jury selection on April 15, and it is said that he could face up to four years in prison at the end of the trial.
