Former President Donald Trump is facing a high-stakes hush money trial in New York, with his former lawyer Michael Cohen taking the witness stand to provide crucial testimony. The trial involves 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Cohen’s testimony is expected to be damning, as he has already detailed how he arranged hush money payments to Playboy model Karen McDougal and a Trump Tower doorman with allegations of extramarital affairs involving Trump. Cohen revealed that Trump warned him about potential women coming forward with claims of affairs.
Despite being disbarred and convicted of campaign finance violations and lying to Congress, Cohen’s testimony is crucial for prosecutors to prove that Trump authorized the $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Cohen alleges that Trump orchestrated a scheme to reimburse him for the payment in an effort to cover up the hush money.
Republican lawmakers attending the trial have criticized Cohen as a convicted felon and questioned the credibility of his testimony. They have accused the judge, prosecutor, and Cohen of being biased against Trump, calling the trial a threat to American democracy.
As the trial unfolds, Cohen’s testimony sheds light on the intricate details of the hush money deals orchestrated by Trump and his associates. The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks, with Trump facing the possibility of up to 20 years in prison if convicted on all counts. However, legal experts believe a more lenient sentence is likely if Trump is found guilty.
