Staff Reports
In the New York hush money trial of former President Donald Trump, his defense lawyer Todd Blanche emphasized to the jury that nondisclosure agreements are completely legal and common. He reminded the jury that there is nothing unlawful or devious about NDAs, contradicting the prosecution’s claims that the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels breached federal campaign finance laws. The attorney also challenged the idea that the National Enquirer’s stories could have influenced the election, calling it absurd.
Trump trial: Defense reminds jury there is ’nothing illegal’ about hush money https://t.co/xTsw3zq2YY
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 28, 2024
Blanche concluded his defense by pointing out 10 reasons for reasonable doubt, emphasizing the public nature of some allegedly concealed stories and the lack of evidence supporting the claim that Trump intended to defraud or was directly involved in the payments. He argued that the $420,000 payment from Trump to his lawyer Michael Cohen was for legal services, not to reimburse hush money to Daniels. Additionally, Blanche questioned whether Cohen would agree to work for free after being denied his bonus in 2016, given that he had requested the $420,000 from Trump as his annual bonus.
In response to the 34 counts of falsified records, Blanche highlighted that the charges require proof of intent to deceive, stating that there is no evidence of such intent. The jury, consisting of 18 members, will soon decide on Trump’s fate, with 12 tasked to deliberate and six serving as alternates. They will begin deliberations as early as Wednesday.
