NEW YORK (NEWSnet/AP) — A criminal trial against former president Donald Trump, involving hush money allegations, begins its third week of testimony Monday in a Manhattan court.
Prosecutors are building a case toward their key witness, Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and personal fixer who pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the hush money payments.
Friday’s testimony focused on Hope Hicks, a former White House official and top aide, who related details of the final weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign.
Other witnesses have included a tabloid magazine publisher and Trump friend who bought the rights to several sordid tales about Trump to prevent them from coming out and a Los Angeles lawyer who negotiated hush money deals on behalf of both Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Paying hush money isn’t illegal on its own merits, but authorities say the payments made to suppress stories about Trump amounted to illegal campaign contributions.
Background on the Case
The hush money case, formally known as People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump, is the first of four criminal investigations pending against the former president to go to trial.
The 34 felony counts of falsifying business records involve a series of incidents and conversations that took place when Trump ran in 2016 for what became a successful election attempt to the White House. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
The trial itself is expected to last a few weeks. There are usually no sessions on Wednesdays because of the judge’s schedule.
There will be no court on May 17 so Trump can attend the high school graduation for his son Barron; and no court on May 24 to allow travel plans for the Memorial Day holiday.
Media Coverage Rules
New York state rules do not allow TV cameras during courtroom hearings; pool photographers are allowed in only for a few minutes each day before the session gets started.
There is an overflow room where news media can watch the proceedings live via monitor, but visitors are prohibited from recording and photography in the overflow space.
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