Former President Donald Trump is currently on trial in Manhattan for his alleged involvement in a hush money scheme aimed at silencing his alleged mistresses before the 2016 election. The charges against him include 34 counts related to falsifying New York business records to conceal damaging information and unlawful activities from American voters both before and after the 2016 election.
Prosecutors are set to present their key witness, Michael Cohen, on Monday, with expectations that the prosecution could conclude its case by the end of the week. The burden on the prosecutors is to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump falsified business records with the intent to commit or conceal another crime, without the necessity of proving that the crime was actually committed. The prosecution's argument revolves around potential violations of federal and state election laws or state tax laws concerning the handling of reimbursements to Cohen.
The crux of the charges against Trump lies in the alleged $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels as hush money to prevent her from disclosing her claim of an affair with Trump in 2006 before the 2016 election. The reimbursement payment made by Trump to Cohen is central to the case against the former president.
While Trump's defense strategy has not been fully revealed, court filings suggest that his legal team intends to challenge the credibility of Cohen and Daniels, portraying them as dishonest individuals driven by personal vendettas and financial motives.
