All articles tagged with #hush money scheme
Former President Donald Trump's plea of not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for his alleged involvement in a hush money scheme has drawn attention, with ex-prosecutor Jessica Roth discussing the legal implications of his remark outside court.
Donald Trump's defense team plans to emphasize his past lawyers' involvement in the hush money payments as evidence that he had no intent to commit crimes in his upcoming New York criminal trial. They will not use a formal "advice of counsel" defense but will argue that the involvement of his lawyers shows his lack of criminal intent. The trial is set to begin on March 25, and Trump's attorneys are challenging the prosecution's ability to prove Trump's "unlawful intent" while questioning anticipated trial witnesses. The defense strategy is still pending a ruling from the judge.
Donald Trump's attorneys are continuing their legal fight to move the criminal case against him from New York state court to federal court. Trump's lawyers argue that the charges are related to his duties as president, while Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office argues that the alleged hush money scheme was largely perpetrated before Trump became president. Trump was charged in April with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records over the alleged repayments to then-lawyer Michael Cohen for hush money payments made during the 2016 campaign to women who claimed they had extramarital affairs with Trump, which he denies. Trump's team says the allegations would violate federal campaign finance laws rather than state laws.
The Manhattan grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump's role in a hush money scheme will take a break in April due to Easter, Passover, and Ramadan. Prosecutors invited Trump to testify, but his lawyers declined. The grand jury is investigating whether Trump committed a crime in New York when he reimbursed his former attorney, Michael Cohen, for making a hush money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels in 2016. Trump denies any wrongdoing. Witnesses are allowed to discuss their testimony, but grand jury proceedings are secret.
Alvin Bragg, the first Black district attorney of Manhattan, is leading the yearslong investigation into former President Donald Trump's alleged role in a hush money scheme. The investigation relates to a $130,000 payment made by Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen to adult film star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump a decade prior. Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office potential decision would mark the first time a former US president and major presidential candidate has been indicted.