TRUMP ON TRIAL: Hush money prosecution begins with a BANG
Monday was slated to be a short day in court for the first criminal trial of former president Donald Trump. Judge Juan Merchan announced as proceedings began that they would dismiss around 12:30 pm EDT. Nonetheless, the day was crucial to the prosecution and the defense as they made their initial impressions on the jury.
There were three basic objectives to complete on the first day of the trial — after jury selection was completed and before the first witness could take the stand. Judge Merchan issued Sandoval rulings, the prosecution presented its opening statement, and the defense took its turn at presenting an opening statement.
The Sandoval rulings, decisions on what other information the defendant can be asked about if he takes the stand, were an early sign that the case isn’t going Trump’s way. Judge Merchan ruled that many of the prosecution’s requested matters could be brought up.
Things the prosecution can bring up on cross-examination include the ruling from Trump’s fraud case, his violations of gag orders in the same case, his agreement to dissolve the Trump Foundation over allegations the foundation took charitable funds and redirected them to Trump and his family, and both cases that found him liable for defaming E. Jean Carroll, according to MSNBC journalist Adam Klasfeld.
Permission to bring up the ruling that Trump also sexually assaulted Carroll was not granted.
The prosecution’s opening statement laid out expectations. The team explained to the jury that they could expect to hear media mogul David Pecker explain how he helped Trump cover up negative stories to protect his campaign; followed by a recording of Trump suggesting paying in cash, according to Inner City Press.
They promised evidence of how Trump and his allies responded to a series of potential scandals — affairs, Trump being caught on tape bragging about sexual assault, and more — by buying silence and plotting coverups.
Then, the prosecution says, they’ll show that Trump further tried to cover up this election interference with falsified business records. They plan to show how Trump, his then-attorney Michael Cohen, and his CFO, Allen Weisselberg, coordinated this scheme.
The prosecution also addressed two significant and overlapping concerns about Cohen: his history of criminal charges, and his credibility. Trump has publicly argued that Cohen shouldn’t be a witness, since he has a criminal history and has been accused of perjury.
The prosecution got ahead of both issues by bringing them up themselves. Inner City Press reports that the team told the jury:
“When it became public, Michael Cohen lied. He has a criminal record. Cohen will testify that he pled guilty and went to jail, for the Karen McDougal payoff, and Stormy Daniels.”
As to his credibility, the prosecution said his testimony would be corroborated by David Pecker and attorney Keith Davidson.
Finally, they advised the jury to ignore the “noise’ and focus on the facts and evidence.
Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, offered an opposing statement, beginning, according to Adam Klasfeld, with:
“President Trump is innocent. President Trump did not commit any crimes. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office should never have brought this case.”
He asserted that the 32 felony charges are “just pieces of paper,” that Trump “put up a wall” between himself and his businesses when he entered the White House and that when Trump reimbursed Cohen as agreed, it wasn’t a payback.
Blanche leaned on what reporter Olivia Nuzzi calls “the Regina George defense,” declaring Cohen to be “obsessed” with Trump, and asserted that none of Trump’s actions were against the law.
During the brief opening statements, the defense prompted multiple objections from the prosecution, including objecting to their declaration that Michael Cohen committed perjury in Trump’s civil fraud case and to their suggestion that Stormy Daniels’ acceptance of hush money payments was closer to extortion.
Each time, Judge Merchan called a sidebar to speak to the attorneys before sustaining the objection and striking the sentence from the record.
Blanche’s argument seemed to be summed up in an assertion that mirrors Trump’s Access Hollywood tape statements: it happens all the time with famous people.
Monday’s session of the trial will continue with testimony from the first prosecution witness, David Pecker, the CEO of American Media Inc, the parent company of The National Enquirer.
For clarifications, comments, & typos, email: editor@occupydemocrats.com.
