Prosecution Lays Out 'criminal Conspiracy' In Historic Trump Trial

New York, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Apr, 2024) Donald Trump engaged in "election fraud" by paying hush money to a porn star just days before the 2016 White House vote, prosecutors said Monday at the first ever criminal trial of a former US president.

"This case is about a criminal conspiracy and a cover-up," Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo said. "He orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election."

Laying out the prosecution's case for the jury, Colangelo said Trump falsified business records to buy the silence of porn star Stormy Daniels over a 2006 sexual encounter that could have impacted his presidential bid.

"It was election fraud, pure and simple," he said.

Trump, 77, dressed in a dark blue suit and blue tie with an American flag pin on his lapel, sat at the defense table flanked by his lawyers, staring straight ahead as the prosecutor delivered his opening remarks.

The case poses substantial risks to the Republican presidential candidate, coming less than seven months before his November election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden.

Prosecution witnesses are expected to include Daniels and Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen, who arranged the alleged payment to the adult film actress.

"President Trump did not commit any crimes," Todd Blanche, one of his attorneys, said in his opening statement. "The Manhattan DA should never have brought this case.

"I have a spoiler alert: there's nothing wrong with trying to influence an election," Blanche said. "It's called democracy."

David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid, was the first witness called by prosecutors, who allege he was used to bury negative stories about Trump, a policy known as "catch and kill."

Pecker was only briefly on the stand before court was adjourned for the day by Judge Juan Merchan. It will resume on Tuesday.