Donald Trump has suggested that the hush money case against him has "fallen apart" following the trial's first witness testimony.
In a post on Truth Social late on Thursday, the former president wrote: "BIG DAY IN COURT(S) TODAY. The Soros backed Alvin Bragg case, presided over by a highly conflicted Judge, has completely fallen apart.
"Virtually every Legal Scholar and Expert has stated that there is no Crime, there never was. It is a complete HOAX, but the other side has a Judge who is fighting for them all the way! MAGA2024!"
The post was made after David Pecker, the former head of American Media, which owns the National Enquirer tabloid, testified about how he worked with the former president and his lawyer Michael Cohen to stop negative stories coming out about Trump ahead of the 2016 election.
The Context
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to money he arranged for Cohen to pay adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep an alleged affair she had with Trump secret in the run-up to the 2016 election. Trump admits reimbursing Cohen but denies having an affair with Daniels.
Prosecutors argue in the New York court that Trump, Pecker and Cohen "orchestrated a cover-up to interfere" with the 2016 presidential election by concealing negative information about the Republican from becoming public.
What We Know
During Thursday's testimony in front of the jury, Pecker described how he performed a "catch and kill" by paying Playboy model Karen McDougal $180,000 for her story about the alleged affair she had with Trump, and then not publishing it in the National Enquirer.
Pecker said he worked with Trump and Cohen to stop negative stories coming out to help his 2016 White House bid.
"We didn't want this story to embarrass Mr. Trump or embarrass or hurt the campaign," Pecker said.
He described how he did not want to help quash a story about Daniels' alleged affair with Trump.
"I said I am not purchasing this story. I am not going to be involved with a porn star," he told the jury.
Cohen eventually paid Daniels $130,000 just over a week before the 2016 election to prevent her from coming forward to discuss her alleged relationship with Trump.
When Trump paid Cohen back, the money was listed in Trump's company records as "legal fees," which prosecutors suggest was part of an unlawful attempt to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential race.
Views
Greg Germain, a law professor at Syracuse University in New York, said that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's team has so far failed to outline how Trump committed a crime.
"The DA has never explained what law would make the hush money payments to Stormy Daniels illegal," Germain told Newsweek previously.
Election lawyer Jerry Goldfeder on Pecker's testimony: "David Pecker's testimony spelled out the scheme to hide Trump's tawdry conduct because of the election.
"Trump might say he was worried about Melania, but Pecker underscored the DA's charge that influencing voters was very much behind the whole catch-and-kill plot," Goldfeder told Newsweek.
What Next
Pecker will testify further on Friday, April 26. The hush money trial is expected to last around six weeks.
Uncommon Knowledge
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About the writer
Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, domestic policy ... Read more
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