Prosecution witnesses in NY case: Cohen, Stormy, Hope Hicks, Pecker & others spell trouble for Trump

Glenn Kirschner
11 Apr 202412:23

TLDRThe first of former President Donald Trump's four criminal trials is set to begin on April 15th, focusing on the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. Despite Trump's efforts to delay the trial, judges have rejected his strategies. Key witnesses include Michael Cohen, Hope Hicks, and Stormy Daniels herself. Evidence suggests Trump's intention to avoid the payment's impact on the 2016 election and the subsequent cover-up.

Takeaways

  • 📅 The first of Donald Trump's four criminal trials is set to begin on Monday, April 15th.
  • 🔍 Trump has been trying to delay the start of his criminal trials, especially the hush money trial, until after the election day.
  • 🚫 Judges have rejected some of Trump's last-minute strategies to delay the trial, indicating that the trial will likely proceed as scheduled.
  • 🤝 Potential witnesses in the hush money trial include Stormy Daniels, Hope Hicks, Michael Cohen, and others.
  • 💸 The trial revolves around alleged efforts to conceal a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, a porn actress, ahead of the 2016 election.
  • 🎭 Reports suggest that Trump wanted to avoid the hush money payment becoming public to protect Melania's feelings, not because it was unrelated to the campaign.
  • 🔎 Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and fixer, is expected to testify against Trump, despite past instances of lying.
  • 🔒 Cohen's testimony is supported by evidence, including an undercover recording and email traffic related to the hush money payments.
  • 📉 The trial may signal the beginning of Trump being held accountable for his alleged crimes, with the possibility of more trials to follow.
  • 📈 The outcome of this trial could have significant implications for Trump's legal standing and future political aspirations.
  • 📌 The focus on justice and accountability is emphasized as crucial, regardless of the defendant's former position as the President of the United States.

Q & A

  • When is the first of Donald Trump's criminal trials set to begin?

    -The first of Donald Trump's criminal trials is set to begin on Monday, April 15th.

  • What is the main focus of the trial mentioned in the transcript?

    -The main focus of the trial is on Donald Trump's alleged role in concealing a hush money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.

  • Who are some of the potential witnesses for the prosecution in the New York hush money criminal trial?

    -Some of the potential witnesses for the prosecution include Stormy Daniels, Hope Hicks, Michael Cohen, Karen McDougall, and others.

  • What was the strategy of Donald Trump's attorneys regarding the hush money case?

    -The strategy of Donald Trump's attorneys was to delay the trial, using various tactics to stall the legal process.

  • How did the judges respond to Trump's attempts to delay the trial?

    -The judges rejected some of his remaining 11th hour strategies, indicating that the trial would proceed as scheduled.

  • What was the initial claim made by Trump and his representatives regarding the hush money payments?

    -The initial claim was that the hush money payments had nothing to do with the campaign or the election, and that Trump was merely trying to avoid upsetting Melania.

  • How does the prosecution plan to argue Michael Cohen's credibility to the jury?

    -The prosecution plans to argue that although Cohen lied in the past, he is now testifying truthfully about Trump's crimes, and his testimony is supported by evidence, including an undercover recording and email traffic.

  • What is the significance of the first indictment against Donald Trump?

    -The first indictment against Donald Trump is significant as it marks the beginning of legal action against him for crimes committed as early as 2016, and it is the oldest of the charges brought against him.

  • Why is the upcoming trial considered important for justice?

    -The upcoming trial is considered important for justice because it represents a potential moment of accountability for Donald Trump, who has been accused of breaking the law, and it could set a precedent for holding public figures accountable for their actions.

  • What was the role of Michael Cohen in the hush money scheme?

    -Michael Cohen was involved in making the hush money payments, falsifying business records to cover up the true nature of the payments, and was part of the scheme at the direction of and for the benefit of Donald Trump.

Outlines

00:00

📢 The Start of Trump's Criminal Trial

The first of former President Donald Trump's four criminal trials is set to begin on April 15th. This trial is related to the hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election. Despite Trump's efforts to delay the trial, the courts have rejected his last-minute strategies, indicating that the trial will proceed as scheduled. The article highlights the significance of this 'Do or Die' moment for Trump and discusses the potential witnesses, including Stormy Daniels, Hope Hicks, and Michael Cohen, as well as the evidence against Trump.

05:00

🤫 Trump's Strategy to Delay and Deny

This paragraph discusses the allegations against Trump, focusing on his strategy to delay the payment to Stormy Daniels and the subsequent efforts to cover up the true nature of the hush money payment. It is suggested that Trump's intention was to avoid the payment altogether if the election was won. The paragraph also addresses the potential impact of Michael Cohen's testimony on the trial, emphasizing his past dishonesty and the importance of his current truthful testimony in the context of the broader corruption scheme.

10:01

🔍 Holding Trump Accountable

The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of holding Trump accountable for his alleged crimes. It outlines the challenges faced in bringing the case to trial, including Trump's attempts to intimidate the trial court judge and delay the proceedings. The paragraph concludes with a positive outlook on the upcoming trial, suggesting that justice may finally be served for some of the crimes committed by Trump and highlighting the significance of the first indictment from 2016.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡hush money

Hush money refers to money paid to someone to prevent them from disclosing information that could be damaging or embarrassing. In the context of the video, Donald Trump is accused of making such payments to Stormy Daniels to prevent her from disclosing their alleged affair ahead of the 2016 presidential election. This is a central theme in the criminal trial discussed, illustrating the lengths to which individuals might go to protect their public image and influence electoral outcomes.

💡criminal trial

A criminal trial is a legal proceeding in which the state prosecutes an individual accused of breaking the law, with the aim of achieving justice by determining the truth of the accusations through evidence and witness testimony. The video focuses on Donald Trump's impending criminal trial, which marks a historic moment as he is the first former president to face such proceedings. The trial examines allegations related to hush money payments, underscoring its significance in the legal and political arenas.

💡appeals judges

Appeals judges are part of the judicial system that handles appeals, where decisions made in lower courts can be reviewed and potentially overturned. In the transcript, it's mentioned that appeals judges have rebuffed Trump's efforts to delay his trial. This interaction underscores the legal challenges Trump faces and the judiciary's role in maintaining the legal process's integrity despite attempts to manipulate it.

💡co-conspirator

A co-conspirator is someone who is involved in a conspiracy with others, especially for illegal or deceitful purposes. In the video, Michael Cohen is described as Trump's co-conspirator in arranging the hush money payments. This term is crucial to understanding the alleged collusion and shared responsibility in the legal accusations against Trump, emphasizing the collective involvement in the supposed wrongdoing.

💡credibility

Credibility refers to the quality of being trusted and believed in. The video discusses concerns about Michael Cohen's credibility as a witness due to his past dishonesty. However, it argues that his testimony is corroborated by evidence, thus potentially credible to the jury. This highlights the complex dynamics of witness testimony in legal trials, where past actions can influence present perceptions.

💡falsifying business records

Falsifying business records involves altering, fabricating, or omitting information in business documents to deceive or mislead. In the video, this is mentioned in connection with the efforts to conceal the nature of the hush money payments. This act is a critical element of the case against Trump, illustrating illegal methods used to influence the election by hiding information from the public.

💡undercover recording

An undercover recording is made secretly to capture evidence of wrongdoing, typically without the subject's knowledge. The video refers to an undercover recording of Trump discussing the hush money scheme, which serves as key evidence in the trial. This example shows how such recordings can play a pivotal role in legal proceedings by providing direct insight into the accused's intentions and actions.

💡jurors

Jurors are members of a jury, which is a group of citizens tasked with making a verdict in a legal case based on the evidence presented during the trial. The video's narrative discusses the potential impact of witness testimonies and evidence on the jurors in Trump's trial, emphasizing their crucial role in delivering justice based on a collective assessment of all information provided.

💡accountability

Accountability in the legal sense is the principle that individuals are held responsible for their actions, especially those that are unlawful. The video strongly focuses on the theme of accountability, suggesting that the trial could finally hold Trump accountable for his alleged crimes. It portrays the trial as a moment of reckoning where legal consequences may catch up with political actions.

💡delay tactics

Delay tactics are strategies used to postpone or delay legal proceedings, often to gain a strategic advantage. In the video, it is highlighted that Trump's team has employed various tactics to delay the trial until after an election. This concept is critical for understanding the manipulation of legal processes to serve personal or political ends, reflecting the challenges in swiftly bringing high-profile figures to justice.

Highlights

The first of Donald Trump's four criminal prosecutions is set to begin on Monday, April 15th.

Trump faces a critical moment with the hush money trial, as his tactics to delay the start of his trial are dwindling.

The former president has been fighting to postpone his criminal trials until after Election Day, potentially putting all four cases on hold should he win the White House.

Judges have rejected some of Trump's last-minute strategies, signaling the trial over his alleged role in hiding a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels will commence.

The prosecution's potential witnesses in the New York hush money criminal trial of former president Donald Trump include Stormy Daniels, Hope Hicks, and Michael Cohen.

There is significant evidence against Trump, including allegations that he sought to avoid paying $130,000 in hush money to a porn star by delaying the payment past the 2016 election.

Trump allegedly instructed Cohen to delay the payment to Daniels as long as possible, with the intention of avoiding payment altogether if the election was won.

The Manhattan district attorney claims that Trump directed Cohen to make the hush money payment and then delay it to protect his image and avoid public scandal.

Michael Cohen, having made the hush money payments and falsified business records to cover them up, is expected to testify against Trump.

Cohen's credibility as a witness is bolstered by evidence, including an undercover recording of him and Trump scheming to make the hush money payments.

The trial represents a significant moment for justice and accountability, as it marks the first criminal trial for a former U.S. president.

The prosecution is expected to argue that Trump's choice of Cohen as his fixer and partner in crime is indicative of his guilt and the seriousness of his actions.

The case against Trump is one of the oldest charges, dating back to 2016, and signifies a long road to the start of his criminal trial.

The trial's commencement indicates that Trump has run out of options to delay proceedings, and that justice may finally be served for these alleged crimes.

The prosecution is prepared to present a strong case, with witnesses who are ready to testify and evidence that supports their allegations against Trump.

The outcome of the trial could have significant implications for Trump's legal and political future, as well as for the broader concept of accountability in the U.S. justice system.

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