Donald Trump Will Be Forced to Listen to Secret Recording [View all]
Source: Newsweek
Published Apr 22, 2024 at 1:42 PM EDT
Donald Trump will be forced to hear an audio recording taken by his ex-attorney Michael Cohen ahead of the 2016 election during his hush money payment trial, prosecutors said. The second week of Trump's first criminal trial began on Monday, with the former president facing charges of falsifying business documents for allegedly making a hush money payment to adult-film actor Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 campaign.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office alleged the payment was intended to prevent Daniels from speaking publicly about her claims of an affair with the former president. Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels and pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges. He maintains his innocence and has accused Bragg of targeting him for political purposes, equating the trial to a form of election interference.
During proceedings on Monday, prosecutors revealed that they plan to play the audio recording, taken by Cohen in September 2016, before the jury as the trial gets underway, according to Newsweek reporter Katherine Fung, who has reported on the trial from inside the courtroom.
Prosecutors said the jury will hear testimony from David Pecker, the former chairman of the National Enquirer's parent company American Media Inc. (AMI), that the media organization would use its platform to publish flattering stories about Trump to help his election chances.
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-will-forced-listen-secret-recording-1892866
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