The U.S. Attorney’s Office began presenting evidence to a grand jury about former President Donald Trump’s role in the hush money payment.
of the United States of the former president Donald Trump’s role in paying hush money porn star to Stormy Danielsproperly named Stephanie Clifford, during the 2016 presidential campaign, has been one of the longest-running criminal investigations involving Trump. It has previously led to a dead end, but now there has been a “dramatic escalation” in the case, he writes The New York Times.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office on Monday began presenting evidence to a grand jury that will decide whether to file formal charges, sources told The New York Times. The members of the grand jury were recently selected and the hearing of witnesses is about to begin.
The witnesses were said to include employees of Trump’s companies and the 2016 presidential election campaign. One of the key witnesses is the former publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid David Pecker.
Daniels has claimed to have had sex with Trump in a Nevada hotel room in 2006. Trump has denied the encounter.
In 2018, Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen admitted in court that he arranged a $130,000 payment to Daniels in exchange for her keeping quiet about her alleged affair with Trump. Cohen pleaded guilty to violating federal campaign finance laws. Cohen’s court documents reveal that the Trump Organization disguised this hush money as legal fees.
Cohen told the trial that the hush money had been managed “in collaboration with and under the direction of Trump”.
Trump was not charged with any crime in this 2018 trial.
Trump may face criminal charges related to document falsification and violation of New York State Election Law.
Trump has repeatedly denied that he was guilty of wrongdoing and declared the investigation a “witch hunt” orchestrated by political opponents.
If charged and convicted, Trump could face a maximum of four years in prison, which could also be suspended.
According to the New York Times, however, the verdict would not be certain in any way, as the prosecutor may not be able to prove that Trump and his company falsified documents to hide the payment to Daniels from voters before the election.
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