Federal prosecutors have started presenting evidence of alleged election fraud committed by former President Donald Trump in 2016.
In a historic turn of events, Donald Trump, at the age of 77, has become the first former U.S. president to face a felony charge. The jury, composed of five women and seven men, listened attentively as both the prosecution and defense teams presented their opening statements.
According to The Hill, prosecutors have alleged that Trump was involved in corrupting the 2016 election.
“This case revolves around a criminal conspiracy and a subsequent cover-up,” asserted Manhattan prosecutor Matthew Colangelo. “Donald Trump, the defendant, masterminded a criminal plot to manipulate the outcome of the 2016 election, and then proceeded to conceal his involvement.”
Former President Trump is set to appear in court in New York for the next six to eight weeks, spending four days a week addressing state charges. These charges allege that he concealed hush money payments to two women as legitimate campaign expenses during the 2016 election. However, it’s worth noting that Judge Juan Merchan has decided not to schedule trial days on Wednesdays.
His defense attorneys claimed on Monday that he hadn’t committed any wrongdoing.
“President Trump is innocent,” declared Todd Blanche, one of Trump’s attorneys, as he addressed the jury. Blanche firmly asserted that Trump had not committed any crimes, emphasizing his belief that the Manhattan district attorney’s office should never have pursued this case.
In April 2023, Trump entered a plea of not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
Merchan’s gag order, which was issued last month prior to the trial, still remains in effect. As the 45th president of the nation, Trump is forbidden from making any public statements or directing others to do so, specifically regarding the witnesses’ involvement, the counsel in the case, the court staff, the district attorney staff, or any family members of the staff.
Prosecutors have alleged that the $130,000 payment made by Trump to adult film actress Stormy Daniels was deceptively disguised as a business expense, when in reality it was intended to secure her silence. According to prosecutors, they claim that the payment was made in relation to a sexual encounter.
According to prosecutors, Donald Trump made payments to Karen McDougal, a Playboy magazine “Playmate,” and reimbursed his former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, in order to conceal the situation.
According to Colangelo, the conspiracy to influence the 2016 election and aid Donald Trump’s campaign was not a spontaneous event but a carefully orchestrated and prolonged plan. The objective was to use illegal means, such as making illicit payments, to silence individuals who intended to expose negative aspects of Trump’s conduct. Colangelo described this scheme as a clear case of election fraud, with the sole purpose of ensuring Trump’s victory.
According to Reuters, Blanche argued that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg should not have pursued the case in court.
Blanche defended the act of influencing an election, stating that it is simply a part of democracy. She expressed her frustration with the negative connotations associated with this practice, as if it were a criminal act.
According to prosecutors, Trump is accused of altering the internal records maintained by his company to conceal the true purpose of the payments made to Daniels ($130,000), McDougal ($150,000), and his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen ($420,000). The prosecutors argue that these payments were falsely categorized as legal expenses instead of reimbursements. Interestingly, both Cohen and Daniels, who were previously closely associated with Trump but are now key witnesses for the prosecution, are expected to provide testimony.
Falsifying business records in the first degree is considered a serious offense under New York state law. This offense is classified as a Class E felony and is punishable by a maximum prison sentence of four years.
Even if Trump is convicted and sentenced to jail, he could still continue his campaign to return to the White House. His opponent in the upcoming election is President Joe Biden, who is 81 years old and the Democratic incumbent who ousted Trump in 2020.
Trump is currently facing a total of 88 felony charges in Florida, Georgia, New York, and Washington. He believes that these criminal and civil trials are strategically orchestrated to prevent him from securing a victory in the 2024 rematch against Biden.