Donald Trump’s Historic Hush Money Trial Begins Today
Washington: United States’ former American president, Donald Trump is set to face a criminal trial for the first time in the nation’s history on Monday, barring any last-minute developments.
Donald Trump is facing 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment of $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. He allegedly paid her to silence allegations of extramarital affairs. If convicted, Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, could face a sentence ranging from probation to up to four years in prison, according to legal experts.
The case centers on a series of transactions made by Trump to repay Cohen that were recorded as legitimate legal services. Trump has pleaded not guilty and has denied an affair with Daniels.
However, the prosecution alleges that Trump reimbursed his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for the hush money payment through falsified checks, violating federal election laws and exceeding campaign contribution limits. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has attempted to delay the trial without success.
Stormy Daniels said she had a one-time sexual liaison with Trump years before his first White House run. Cohen paid Daniels to stay quiet about the alleged affair.
Former Trump associate, Cohen, is expected to testify against his former boss about the origin of those payments, how they were accounted for, and who knew what. He had pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations related to these payments in 2018.
