Former President Donald Trump is facing a historical trial in Manhattan for his alleged involvement in a hush money scheme to silence his alleged mistresses before the 2016 election. This trial is unprecedented as no former US president has ever faced criminal prosecution, making it a highly significant event. The mistresses involved in the case are a former adult film actress and a Playboy model, adding a salacious element to the proceedings. However, this may not be the only trial Trump will face, as he is also involved in three other criminal trials for more severe crimes like election interference, conspiracy, and mishandling classified documents.
In addition to the criminal trials, Trump is also facing civil liability for defamation, sexual misconduct, and business fraud, creating a complicated legal situation. The first criminal trial focuses on two women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump years before he ran for president and were paid significant sums of money in the months leading up to the 2016 election. The National Enquirer’s parent company, American Media Inc., paid a Playboy model, Karen McDougal, $150,000 for the rights to her story, which was never published, following a “catch and kill” process. Another woman, an adult film actress known as Stormy Daniels, was paid $130,000 by Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen to sign a nondisclosure agreement about her encounters with Trump.
The payments and alleged affairs came to light through reporting by The Wall Street Journal, which revealed Cohen’s involvement in the payments just before the 2016 election. Cohen and AMI have both admitted to breaking laws, with Cohen pleading guilty to campaign finance charges related to orchestrating the payments. AMI paid a fine for making an unlawful campaign contribution, and Cohen recorded conversations with Trump regarding the payments. Trump initially denied knowledge of the payments but later acknowledged making them to Cohen, though he claimed they were not related to the campaign.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced Trump’s indictment on charges of falsifying New York business records to conceal damaging information from voters before and after the 2016 election. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records, a Class E felony, with a potential sentence of probation or up to four years in state prison on each count if found guilty. Despite the legal implications, the question of whether the alleged affairs actually occurred remains a point of contention. Trump denies the encounters, but both women have similar stories, stating they had sexual encounters with him in 2006 at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Overall, this trial is just one aspect of a long and complex legal saga involving Trump, with additional criminal charges and civil liability looming. The involvement of high-profile individuals, salacious details, and potential legal consequences make this a significant and closely watched case. As the trial progresses, more details about Trump’s alleged actions and their legal implications are likely to come to light, shedding further light on this controversial chapter in American political history.
