Jurors to Decide Trump's Fate After Closing Arguments in Hush Money Trial
NEW YORK - Lawyers for Donald Trump and the prosecution delivered compelling closing arguments in Trump's hush money trial, leaving the jury to decide if the former president is guilty of falsifying business records. Trump faces 34 counts for allegedly concealing a hush-money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
The defense, led by Todd Blanche, portrayed Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen, a key prosecution witness, as 'the biggest liar of all time.' Blanche argued that Cohen's testimony, riddled with previous crimes, including lying to Congress, should not be trusted. He emphasized to the jury that the prosecution had failed to prove their case, stating, 'The evidence... should leave you wanting more.'
Blanche further criticized the prosecution's strategy, claiming they called Daniels to the stand only to incite the jury and embarrass Trump. He downplayed the 'Access Hollywood' tape's impact, asserting that Trump managed to move past the scandal without resorting to any criminal activity.
On the prosecution's side, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass refuted the defense's attack on Cohen by highlighting additional corroborating evidence, such as documents and testimonies, especially from former AMI president David Pecker. Steinglass asserted that Trump’s use of Cohen as his 'fixer' was key to the case, arguing that Trump orchestrated a conspiracy to prevent damaging stories from harming his campaign.
Steinglass took the jury through significant facts and documents from the trial, emphasizing how Trump's relationship with Cohen and Pecker in 2015 led to a plan to suppress negative stories. He underscored Trump's motive to keep the Daniels story hidden, especially after the 'Access Hollywood' tape resurfaced, which posed a substantial threat to his campaign.
The prosecution aimed to show how Trump's actions to hide the payment were a part of a broader attempt to undermine the democratic process by conceivably influencing the 2016 election results. Steinglass concluded that Trump's actions effectively 'withheld important information from the public,' thus benefiting his campaign materially.
As the jury begins deliberations, Trump's fate hangs in the balance in a case that has significant ramifications for his 2024 presidential bid.
- Defense attorney Todd Blanche attacked Cohen's credibility vehemently, referring to him as a 'GLOAT'—the greatest liar of all time. This approach aimed to sow doubt about Cohen's testimony, which is pivotal to the prosecution's case.
- Blanche argued that the prosecution relied heavily on evidence that pointed directly to Cohen's history of deceit and criminal behavior. Additionally, he criticized the 'Access Hollywood' tape’s usage in the case, implying the campaign's reaction was exaggerated by the prosecution.
- Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass offered a contrasting narrative, suggesting that Trump's conspiracy to hide the payment was about more than a singular cover-up. It was an effort to mislead the electorate, which Steinglass argued, borderlined on undermining democracy.
- Testimonies from figures like David Pecker added weight to Cohen's narrative, providing a corporate and collaborative context to the alleged crimes. This corroborative approach helped bolster the prosecution's argument beyond Cohen's personal reliability.
- The trial is poised to make history, with jurors expected to deliberate earnestly given the high stakes involved - both for Trump's legal future and potentially his 2024 presidential campaign prospects.
