In the first criminal trial of a former president, a prosecutor accused Donald Trump of orchestrating a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election. The prosecutor, Matthew Colangelo, told jurors that Trump conspired with his lawyer Michael Cohen and David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, to corrupt the election. He said Trump then covered up the conspiracy by lying in his New York business records.
Pecker, the prosecution's first witness, did not get to his relationship with Trump before the court day ended early due to a juror's emergency dental appointment. Trump, who seemed disengaged during the morning proceedings, became more attentive when Pecker took the stand.
Afterward, Trump told reporters the case was unfair and criticized Cohen, who is expected to be called as a witness. Trump questioned when Cohen's past lies would be addressed, referencing Cohen's previous guilty plea.
The prosecution alleges that Trump, Cohen, and Pecker conspired to hide damaging information from the public, including allegations from women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump. The prosecution also highlighted a 2015 meeting at Trump Tower where Cohen and Pecker allegedly played specific roles in the scheme.
The trial took on greater urgency for Trump after the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape in October 2016, which caught Trump making lewd comments about women. The prosecution argued that this tape led to the cover-up of other allegations, such as those from adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.
Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, countered that his client did not commit any crimes. Blanche argued that Trump simply signed checks for legal services rendered by Cohen and that the nondisclosure agreements, like the one with Daniels, were legal.
Blanche also attacked the character and credibility of Daniels and Cohen, calling Cohen a "convicted felon" and a "convicted liar." He told the jurors to expect "a very swift not guilty verdict" if they listened to the evidence.
The trial is estimated to take six weeks, with Cohen, Daniels, and others expected to testify. The jury consists of seven men and five women.
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