Former US President Donald Trump will reportedly argue in Stormy Daniels’ trial that he hid money payments for his affair so as not to offend his wife, Melania Trump.
With his legal problems mounting, Trump is expected to receive a verdict in his fraud trial in New York, where he faces nearly $400 million in fines and a lifetime ban from real estate transactions in New York.
Donald Trump’s Lawyer May Argue Hush Money ‘Had Nothing To Do With The Election’
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Trump is scheduled to go on trial next month for allegedly paying hush money to two women, Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, during his 2016 presidential campaign.
The trial, dubbed the Stormy Daniels trial, aims to determine whether Trump can be on the ballot for the upcoming election later this year.
Prosecutors have already argued that Trump falsified records to hide the payments, which they believe was an act of withholding truthful information from voters, in violation of election laws.
However, it is understood that Trump will not deny that he hid the payments. Instead, he will argue that the reason was to hide the affair from his wife, Melania Trump, and not as a preventive measure to avoid knowledge of the affair that his opponent used to discredit him.
“I see the defense more as: ‘I want to keep this away from my wife. It has nothing to do with the election; it has to do with my wife,’” said Andrew Weissmann, a legal expert and professor, per News Week.
Donald Trump ‘Really Doesn’t Care’ If Allegations Come Out After Election, Experts Say
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While it remains to be seen whether this will be the case when the trial begins on March 25, Weismann claims that “there are very strong facts against” such a notion being a real “scenario.”
He mentioned that prosecutors will likely “present evidence” that Trump did not care about the affair coming to light after election day, implying that it was indeed done to hide information from voters.
“His claim is that he doesn’t really care if this comes out after the election,” Weismann said.
He added, “Well, if you’re really trying to keep it from your wife, then you wouldn’t want it out. It’s not necessarily okay for you to tell her, but you’re waiting for the election to be over.”
Meanwhile, Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges in the Stormy Daniels trial. He has also mentioned several times that his political enemies are targeting him to harm his re-election bid.
Donald Trump Recently Called President Joe Biden
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Trump’s latest statement that there are plans to remove him from the ballot came as part of a campaign email he shared to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
After the initial part, in which he expressed his love for his wife, Melania, and appreciated her support through his legal battle, a different segment saw the billionaire billionaire address his concerns on the subject of conspiracies. He also criticized President Joe Biden’s handling of the country’s affairs.
He wrote in capital letters: “THIS IS PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND I WILL NOT STOP FIGHTING FOR PATRIOTS LIKE YOU! JOE BIDEN HAS RUINED AMERICA: OPEN BORDERS, RISE CRIME AND RECORD LEVEL INFLATION. NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO REMOVE ME FROM THE VOTE, BUT I WILL NOT GIVE UP. MAY I APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT?”
In the message, Trump also solicited funds from MAGA supporters, asking them to donate $20.24 “if you support President Trump in 2024,” $47 “if you think Donald J. Trump is the greatest president of all time,” and options such as $100, $250, $500 , $1,000 and $3,300.
Ex-President’s New York Fraud Trial Nears End
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In the coming days, Arthur Engoron, the judge overseeing Trump’s fraud trial in New York, is expected to rule.
It comes after the New York attorney general’s office filed suit against the billionaire tycoon for inflating the value of his assets on government financial statements.
If found guilty, Trump could be ordered to pay a $370 million fine, as recommended by prosecutors, and face a lifetime ban from the New York real estate industry.
Engoron previously ruled in a pre-trial ruling that Trump’s business license would be suspended pending the conclusion of the trial, a move that prompted the former US president to call him out on social media.
Trump, who has denied that he acted wrongly, filed an appeal against the previous ruling and is expected to file another if the upcoming ruling goes against him.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
