Former President Donald Trump is currently facing a criminal trial in New York, which is the first of his four indictments to go to trial. The trial centers on allegations that Trump falsified his company’s records to conceal hush money payments made to suppress stories about him during his 2016 presidential campaign. The hush money payments, including $30,000 to a Trump Tower doorman, $150,000 to a former Playboy model, and $130,000 to a porn actor, were made to keep information secret. While paying hush money is not illegal on its own, authorities argue that these payments amounted to illegal campaign contributions, leading to charges against Trump.
One of the key terms being used in the trial is “catch and kill,” which refers to the practice of tabloid newspapers buying damaging information about someone and then preventing its publication through nondisclosure agreements. Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified that he agreed to be the “eyes and ears” of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and suppressed stories about other celebrities and politicians using similar methods. The trial has shed light on the practice of suppressing stories for various purposes, including to help friends, further business interests, or coerce actions from the story subject.
The criminal charge at the heart of Trump’s trial is falsifying business records, with Trump facing 34 counts of this offense. Prosecutors allege that Trump misrepresented payments to his former lawyer Michael Cohen in the company’s records as legal fees when they were actually reimbursements for hush money payments. The prosecution argues that Trump’s actions were a way of concealing the hush money scheme and other alleged crimes arising from it, including potential election law violations. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges, with his defense team arguing that the payments to Cohen were for legitimate legal expenses.
While Trump is not charged with conspiracy, prosecutors at his New York trial have repeatedly used the term to describe his agreements with Pecker and the hush money arrangements. By alleging that Trump intended to commit another crime through falsifying business records, prosecutors aim to show that there was an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election. This includes claims of election interference due to efforts to hide information from voters and boost Trump’s electoral chances. The trial involves complex legal arguments about criminal intent and actions that may have violated election laws.
A gag order has been imposed in the trial to restrict public statements from Trump about potential witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, or court staff. The judge imposed a limited gag order initially, which was later expanded to include restrictions on commenting about the families of the judge and the district attorney. Trump has faced fines for violating the gag order, with prosecutors requesting additional penalties for continued breaches. The judge has warned of potential jail time if Trump continues to violate the order, highlighting the unprecedented nature of a former president facing such consequences. Trump’s legal team argues that the gag order hinders his ability to respond to criticisms and defend himself amid media coverage of the trial and his political activities.
