Trump trial begins with a bang: See the DA’s damning case to bust Trump for jailable felony

>>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO OUR NEW

>>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO OUR NEW

SPECIAL.

THE STATE OF NEW YORK VERSUS

DONALD TRUMP ON THIS FIRST TRIAL

OF AN EX-PRESIDENT IN AMERICAN

HISTORY AND WHAT WE CAN SAY IS

WE REPORT RIGHT NOW WHAT WILL BE

DONALD TRUMP'S ONLY CRIMINAL

CASE THAT IS DEFINITELY HEADED

TO TRIAL BEFORE THIS ELECTION.

TONIGHT WE'LL HEAR FROM LEGAL

EXPERTS MYIA WILEY AND MICHAEL

BESCHLOCH ON AN UNPRECEDENTED

TRIAL AND RECKONING FOR THE

NATION.

WE BEGIN WITH THE FACTS.

HOW WE GOT TO THIS MOMENTOUS

TRIAL AS JURY SELECTION IS SET

TO BEGIN MONDAY.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW IT WILL END,

BUT WE KNOW IT WILL BE MARKED IN

HISTORY AND IN LAW SCHOOLS AND

IN MANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS FOR

DECADES TO COME IN THIS NATION.

THE NEW YORK DA, ALVIN BRAG,

MADE LEGAL HISTORY, AS THE VERY

FIRST PROSECUTOR TO EVER INDICT

ANY FORMER PRESIDENT KNOW

DECADE, ANY CENTURY, ANY STATE.

THIS IS THE FIRST.

HE WAS THE FIRST TO INDICT TRUMP

AND THE CASE IS BASED ON WHAT IS

IN MANY WAYS A SET OF PROVEN

HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS THAT WE ALL

NOW KNOW OCCURRED IN 2016.

WHAT IS NEW, AND THE REASON THAT

DONALD TRUMP COULD BE FACING A

FELONY CONVICTION OR A JAIL

SENTENCE, IS THAT THIS D.A.

INDICTED THOSE NOW KNOWN

PAYMENTS AND SCANDALS AS

CRIMINAL LIES.

HE HAS CHARGED DONALD TRUMP FOR

FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS IN

HOW HE HANDLED THOSE PAYMENTS

ORCHESTRATING A SCHEME TO

DISTORT THE ELECTION PURCHASING

NEGATIVE INFORMATION AND

INTENTIONALLY MISCHARACTERIZING

THOSE THEN RECORDED PAYMENTS.

LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING RIGHT

UP TOP HERE AS WE GET READY FOR

THIS TRIAL OF THE DECADE OR THE

CENTURY.

THIS IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT FACTS,

AND BY THE STANDARDS OF, SAY,

WHETHER YOU HAVE THE EVIDENCE TO

SHOW SOMETHING IS TRUE OR THE

STANDARDS OF JOURNALISM WHEN WE

SAY WE HAVE REPORTED OR

CONFIRMED SOMETHING AS A FACT,

THAT PART I JUST MENTIONED IS A

FACT.

IT IS ESTABLISHED.

THERE ARE DETAILED RECORDS OF

THOSE PURCHASES.

THERE ARE SEVERAL EYE WITNESSES

AND DIRECT PARTICIPANTS TO IT.

IT IS ESTABLISHED.

WE BEGIN RIGHT NOW WITH ANOTHER

HARD LEGAL ISSUE FOR THIS D.A.

WHAT I JUST SAID SOUNDS BAD FOR

TRUMP BUT IS NOT IN ITSELF A

FELONY UNDER THE LAW.

TO MAKE THIS A FELONY CASE THIS

D.A. USED A POWERFUL TOOL THAT,

TO BE CLEAR, MANY PROSECUTORS

USE ALL THE TIME.

HE TOOK ALL THIS DAMNING

EVIDENCE AGAINST HIS POTENTIAL

DEFENDANT, TRUMP, AND HE

COMBINED IT INTO A LEGAL

ARGUMENT FOR A LARGER CRIME.

IT'S THE SAME WAY WE'VE SEEN

FROM MOVIES TO REAL LIFE OTHER

PROSECUTORS USE RICO OR

FINANCIAL SCHEMES TO ARGUE THAT

A GROUP IS PART OF A LARGER

CONSPIRACY.

THAT IS THE KIND OF APPROACH

THIS D.A. TOOK.

TAKING WHAT I JUST REFERRED TO,

THE KIND OF ESTABLISHED LIES,

THE BUSINESS RECORDS LIES WHICH

ARE A MISDEMEANOR IN NEW YORK

STATE, A SMALLER INFRACTION, AND

USING A VALID LAW TO COMBINE IT

INTO AN ELECTION PLOT FELONY.

WHAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN IS

WHAT THE JURY WILL SEE, AND THIS

IS FROM THE D.A.'S OFFICE.

THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE

SUMMARIES WE'VE MADE HERE AS

JOURNALISTS, THIS IS BASICALLY

THE THEORY GOING DOWN THROUGH

THOSE ARROWS ABOUT HOW ALL OF

THESE LIES, SOME OF THEM PROVEN

BASICALLY, LIKE THE LIES ABOUT

THE RETAINER PAYMENTS, BECOMING

AN ELECTION CRIME.

IF YOU REMEMBER NOTHING ELSE,

KEEP THAT IN MIND.

IT IS THE CRUX OF THE CASE.

THE D.A. TELLING THE JURY, OKAY,

A LIA LONE IS A MISDEMEANOR, BUT

THIS WAS A LIE PLUS A GRAVE

CAMPAIGN CRIME.

TRUMP IS LEGALLY PRESUMED

INNOCENT AND HE WILL HAVE

DEFENSE LAWYERS WHO CAN ARGUE

THAT THE STATE BASICALLY TOOK A

BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT

THEY ARGUE IS SMALL AND TAKE ALL

OF THE SMALL THINGS, THROW THEM

AGAINST THE WALL.

THEY'LL ARGUE THIS ISN'T REALLY

A TRUE BIG FELONY CASE AND IT

SHOULD BE RESOLVED THE WAY OTHER

FINANCIAL MISDEMEANORS ARE

RESOLVED.

THE JURY IS GOING TO HEAR MESSY

DETAILS ABOUT BACK ROOM DEALS,

SECRET PAYMENTS AND ALLEGED

TRYSTS.

THE D.A. WILL ARGUE THOSE TO

HIDE AND ILLEGALLY BUY STORIES

AS A BIG DEAL AND TO UNDERSTAND

ALL OF THIS, THE JURY, AND

ANYONE ELSE FOLLOWING, WHICH

MIGHT BE YOU AND A HECK OF A LOT

OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE

INTERESTED IN LAW, JUSTICE AND

POLITICS, TO GET INTO IT YOU

HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TWO

ELECTION CYCLES AND THE INFAMOUS

TAPE THAT MANY THOUGHT INCLUDING

REPUBLICANS AND TRUMP INSIDERS

AT THE TIME WOULD BASICALLY BE

THE END OF DONALD TRUMP'S HOPES

FOR THE PRESIDENCY.

>> YA KNOW, I'M AUTOMATICALLY

ATTRACTED TO BEAUTIFUL WOMEN.

IT'S LIKE A MAGNET.

AND WHEN YOU'RE A STAR, THEY LET

YOU DO ANYTHING.

GRAM 'EM BY THE [ BLEEP ].

>> NOW YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT,

YOU TAKE IT ALL TOGETHER AND LET

ME SHOW YOU THE NEXT POINT HERE.

THAT WAS A BIG DEAL.

THE BLOWBACK WAS POWERFUL AND A

LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THE RACE

WAS OVER.

>> DONALD TRUMP'S PRESIDENTIAL

CAMPAIGN IN TURMOIL TONIGHT

FACING WITHERING POLITICAL

FALLOUT.

>> WHEN THE TAPE COMES OUT HE

DROPS FROM 41 TO 38.

THEN ON THE WEEKEND AFTER

EVERYBODY'S SEEN THE TAPE HE

FALLS THROUGH THE FLOOR.

THAT'S WHY THEY ARE DRIVING THE

REPUBLICAN PARTY AND DONALD

TRUMP OFF A CLIFF AND INTO THE

POLITICAL ABYSS.

>> YOU DO NOT RECOVER FROM THIS.

THIS ELECTION ENDED.

ALL I CAN SAY IS I'M SORRY.

>> NOW THE ELECTION DID NOT END.

THOSE POLLS AND MUCH OF THE

CRITICISM DID PROBABLY CAPTURE

SOMETHING, AN INITIAL HORROR AND

REVULSION AWAY FROM TRUMP, AND

THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE REASONS

I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN NOW

LEGALLY.

THE POINT IS NOT THAT PUNDITS

OVERREACTED OR PEOPLE THOUGHT

AMERICA COULD NOT STOMACH THAT

GUY ON THAT TAPE BECOMING

PRESIDENT.

WE'VE HAD THOSE DEBATES FOR

YEARS.

WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE THEM.

TONIGHT WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW

THIS WILL MATTER ONLY IN THE

CONTEXT OF THIS IT CRIMINAL

TRIAL OF DEFENDANT TRUMP.

THE DEFENSE HEARD TRUMP AND HE

DID GET FEWER VOTES AND HE DID

LOSE WOMEN OVER 40 BUT HE WON

THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.

THE LEGAL CASE ONLY CARES ABOUT

HOW THAT TAPE AND THE REACTION

MAY SHOW DONALD TRUMP'S

MOTIVATION AT THE TIME, WHAT

PROSECUTORS CALL CRIMINAL

INTENT.

THE D.A. IS ARGUING DONALD TRUMP

IS A CRIMINAL.

THIS ISN'T ABOUT SOME LATER

NOVEMBER QUARTERBACKING POST

ELECTION EVEN THOUGH THIS

RELATES TO AN ELECTION.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT.

THE CASE WILL INVOLVE POLITICS

ONLY TO GO BACK TO TRUMP'S

CRIMINAL INTENT.

AGAIN, HIS LAWYERS MAY HAVE

DEFENSES TO THIS, BUT THERE WILL

BE FASCINATING POLITICAL

OBSERVATIONS IN THE SERVICE OF

PROVING WHAT THE D.A. SAYS WAS

TRUMP'S CLEAR CRIMINAL INTENT

BECAUSE THEY HAD A CAMPAIGN

CRIMINAL MOTIVE.

SO WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THESE

REPORTS OF A TOTAL PANIC WITHIN

THE CAMPAIGN AS THE INDICTMENT

NOTES THERE WAS A CATALYST FROM

THAT PANIC TO THEN GET THE HUSH

MONEY PAYMENTS FIRST GOING

TOWARDS STORMY DANIELS.

THAT WAS ARRANGED BY NOW STAR

WITNESS MICHAEL COHEN.

130 K TO HIDE THE STORY WHICH

WAS FIN NUSHD UP THREE DAYS

AFTER THAT "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD"

TAPE BROKE.

INDICTMENT ALLEGES TRUMP WOULD

DRAG IT OUT SO HE NEVER HAD TO

PAY DANIELS AT ALL WHICH IS

MISLEADING OR DISINGENUOUS IS

NOT ANY TYPE OF CRIME.

AGAIN, IT GOES TO CRIMINAL

INTENT BECAUSE HE INSTRUCTED

COHEN TO DELAY MAKING THE

PAYMENT TO DANIELS UNTIL AFTER

THE ELECTION.

AT THAT POINT IT WOULD NOT

MATTER IF THE STORY BECAME

PUBLIC, QUOTE, UNQUOTE.

D.A. BRAGG CITES THAT AS THE

EXACT EVIDENCE OF WHY THIS WAS A

CAMPAIGN CRIME COVERUP RATHER

THAN A GENERALIZED DESIRE TO

MAKE THAT STORY GO AWAY.

TRUMP'S LAWYERS MAY ARGUE, NO,

THIS WAS AN EMBARRASSING THING.

HE MAY HAVE PAID FOR THESE KIND

OF THINGS BEFORE AND THEREFORE

THEY'RE GOING TO ARGUE IT WASN'T

WITH A CRIMINAL INTENT TO BREAK

CAMPAIGN LAWS.

MORE EVIDENCE BOLSTERS D.A.

BRAGG'S SIDE AND THE ALLEGATIONS

BECAUSE THERE WAS ANOTHER

SCENARIO YOU MAY REMEMBER, KAREN

McDOUGALL.

SHE WAS ALSO PAID 150 K JUST

FROM A DIFFERENT SOURCE.

INSTEAD OF COHEN TAKING THAT

MONEY ON BEHALF OF TRUMP, THE

TABLOID, THE ENQUIRER, USED

TRICKERY TO GET HER TO BE SILENT

ABOUT HER HISTORY WITH TRUMP.

THE PUBLISHER HAS ALREADY

CONFIRMED THIS TO FEDERAL

PROSECUTORS.

WHEN I SAID SOME OF THIS HAS

BEEN ESTABLISHED, WELL, ALL THE

WAY BACK IN 2018, DIFFERENT OFFICE THAN THE D.A., GOT THAT

OFFICE THAN THE D.A., GOT THAT

CONFIRMATION WITH RECEIPTS BY

GIVING THAT TAB BLOATLOID FIGURE

IMMUNITY.

WHEN I ASKED IF THEY WERE AWARE

OF THE INTENT WHEN GETTING THAT

STORY?

>> I'M NOT SO SURE IF IT WAS --

IF I WAS AWARE OF IT AT THE TIME

THAT IT WAS THEIR INTENT TO BURY

THE STORY, BUT I THINK THEY HAD

CLEARLY ANNOUNCED THEIR

EDITORIAL PREFERENTIAL

CANDIDATE.

>> WAS THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER

ACTING AS THE ARM OF DONALD

TRUMP AND MICHAEL COHEN?

AND IF THEY WERE, WAS THERE

SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT?

>> WE STRONGLY SUSPECT THEY

WERE.

>> THOSE ARE LAWYERS SPEAKING

LIKE LAWYERS BUT SAYING THEY HAD

THE REASON TO BELIEVE THE

EVIDENCE, SUSPECTING MATERIAL

THAT THAT WAS THE PLOT.

NOW THAT WAS YEARS AGO BECAUSE

AS I TOLD YOU, WE ALWAYS TRY TO

GO AS CLOSE TO THE SOURCE AS WE

CAN.

IF THE SOURCE WON'T TALK, IF

THEY HAVE AN ALLY OR LAWYER, WE

TALK TO THEM.

THE D.A. SAID TRUMP WAS AWARE OF

THOSE AND COHEN WAS CONCERNED

ENOUGH TO SECRETLY TAPE TRUMP AT

THE TIME.

THIS IS BACK WHEN COHEN WORKED

FOR TRUMP, LONG BEFORE HE

FLIPPED.

NOW IT'S EVIDENCE SHOWING TRUMP

WAS APPARENTLY IN THE LOOP ABOUT

THE SORTED TABLOID VIEWS

INCLUDING WITH THE TABLOID

CHIEF, DAVID PECKER.

>> I NEED TO OPEN UP A COMPANY

FOR THE TRANSFER OF ALL OF THAT

INFO REGARDING OUR FRIEND DAVID.

I SPOKE WITH ALLEN ABOUT IT WHEN

IT COMES TO THE FINANCING.

>> WHAT FINANCING?

>> WE'LL HAVE TO PAY --

>> OH, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.

>> PAY WITH CASH.

IF YOU'VE WATCHED THE BEAT I'VE

WATCHED THIS BEFORE.

I BET YOU THE JURY IS GOING TO

GET AN EARFUL ABOUT THIS BECAUSE

IT'S SO BAD WITH TRUMP.

IN THAT PRIVATE SECRET SETTING

HE MAY HAVE THOUGHT IT WOULD

NEVER COME OUT.

HE CLEARLY DIDN'T KNOW COHEN

WOULD --

>> HE SAID WE CAN PAY WITH CASH

TO CONTINUE TO HIDE IT.

HE DIDN'T PLAN TO TELL THE

TRUTH, TELL THE IRS, ANYTHING

LIKE THAT.

COHEN SAYS NO, NO, NO.

>>> NOW BACK TO OUR SPECIAL

>>> NOW BACK TO OUR SPECIAL

REPORT ON THIS FIRST CRIMINAL

TRIAL EVER OF A FORMER

PRESIDENT.

TRUMP ACCUSED OF THIS HUSH MONEY

COVERUP AND HERE'S WHERE THESE

FALSE RECORDS COME INTO PLAY.

AFTER TRUMP BECAME PRESIDENT HE

WORKED WITH A MAN WHO'S RIGHT

NOW AS I'M REPORTING THIS FOR

YOU BACK DOING HIS SECOND TERM

AT RIKERS ISLAND IN NEW YORK.

TRUMP CFO ALLEN WEISSELBERG.

HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE PAYMENTS

IN WHICH COHEN MADE.

THE IMAGES MAY LOOK FAMILIAR

BECAUSE OVER THE COURSE OF 2017

TRUMP SENT COHEN SEVERAL CHECKS

THAT THEY CALLED FOR RETAINER OR

TAX PURPOSES AND WHAT'S BAD FOR

DEFENDANT TRUMP IS WHILE HE

MIGHT BE A BUSY PRESIDENT AND HE

MIGHT BE A BUSY BUSINESS OWNER,

HE WAS PERSONALLY SIGNING ALL OF

THESE CHECKS HIMSELF.

THE D.A. ALLEGES THAT PUT THE

TRUMP ORGANIZATION ON THE HOOK

TO THEN FALSE PHI RECORDS AND

CALL WHAT WERE PAYMENTS TO AN

EXTERNAL PARTY, QUOTE, LEGAL

FEES.

NOW IN BUSINESS YOU CAN'T JUST

PAY A AND CALL IT SOMETHING FOR

B.

IF ANYONE COULD DO THAT ALL THE

TIME, WELL, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE

ANY TAXES PAID OR ACCURATE

RECORDS.

ALL OF THIS CAME OUT WHEN THE

WALL STREET JOURNAL BROKE THE

ORIGINAL STORY IN 2018.

DONALD TRUMP LIED.

IN HIS FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS HE

FIRST CLAIMED HE DIDN'T KNOW

WHAT WAS GOING ON WHEN HE WAS

INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THIS FOR

YEARS.

WE HAVE THE TAPE SHOWING THAT

THAT'S WHY I CAN ACCURATELY,

CAREFULLY AND CLEARLY CALL IT A

LIE AND THEN HE WENT ON TO BLAME

HIS LAWYER.

>> MR. PRESIDENT, DID YOU KNOW