Former President Donald Trump is facing serious allegations in a New York criminal court, where his longtime associate and lawyer, Michael Cohen, testified against him.
Cohen revealed that Trump personally greenlit a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged sexual encounter before the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump denies the encounter.
Cohen, who worked closely with Trump for years, testified that Trump instructed him with a simple directive: “Just do it.” Cohen described his role as Trump’s “fixer,” saying he handled various tasks, including making arrangements to silence potential scandals like the one involving Daniels.
ALSO READ: “Former Trump Ally Michael Cohen Testifies in Hush Money Case”
Trump’s anger over the potential fallout from Daniels’ story was evident, according to Cohen. Trump allegedly expressed concerns about how women would perceive him, especially after an audio recording surfaced of him boasting about grabbing women’s genitals. Cohen testified that Trump feared such revelations could harm his campaign.
The hush money payment to Daniels is just one aspect of Trump’s legal woes. Cohen also claimed that Trump approved payments to suppress other news stories, including allegations involving Playboy model Karen McDougal and a false claim about fathering a child out of wedlock.
Throughout his testimony, Cohen portrayed Trump as meticulous about avoiding a paper trail, claiming Trump avoided using personal email to prevent potential legal repercussions.
Trump’s defense has argued that Cohen acted independently in making payments to Daniels, distancing Trump from any wrongdoing.
Trump faces a total of 34 counts of misdemeanors and felonies, including allegations of altering business records. If convicted, he could face up to four years in prison. However, Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges, vehemently denying any sexual encounter with Daniels or involvement in the payment.
Additionally, Trump is embroiled in other legal battles that could impact his political future. These include accusations of illegally retaining classified documents and allegations of election fraud involving 18 of his aides in Arizona. Despite these challenges, Trump remains determined to pursue his bid for reelection in a potential rematch against President Joe Biden.
Recently, Trump posted a $175 million bond to prevent the seizure of his properties by a New York court. The court found that Trump had misrepresented his wealth to banks and financial institutions.
While these legal battles may complicate Trump’s political ambitions, their outcomes remain uncertain as the legal proceedings continue.
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