The much-anticipated indictment against Donald Trump could be unveiled today with a blistering 13-page deposition detailing how he allegedly used secret money to perpetrate three scandals during his first run for the presidency in 2017. Created false business records to cover up payments.
Trump has been charged with 34, Class E felony counts of falsifying business records to allegedly wrongfully pay his attorney, Michael Cohen, for legal services when they were in fact Hush money was reimbursement for the bill.
The 76-year-old appeared before a judge in Manhattan today where he pleaded not guilty to all counts before returning to Mar-a-Lago.
His next court appearance is in December, although he is expected to make a statement tonight about the unprecedented case, which he says is politically motivated and has no standing.
For weeks, there has been rampant speculation over the indictment and what it might include. Contrary to what was being expected, it is not just the sneaky money payments to Stormy Daniels for which Trump is now facing charges.
The statement of facts also describes his ‘catch and kill’ plan with former National Enquirer owner David Pecker, under which his team of reporters and editors tried to stop other outlets from publishing about Trump before the 2016 election. Bought ineffective stories for.
Three payments are described; $130,000 was given to Stormy Daniels, $150,000 to another woman believed to be Karen McDougall, and $30,000 to a Trump Tower doorman, who said he wanted to go public with a story claiming he had a Loving child.
the catch and kill scheme
In June 2015, Trump struck a deal with AMI and its owner, David Pecker.
The statement of facts describes how they met at Trump Tower to discuss Trump’s chances of being elected, and how they could help.
Donald Trump and David Pecker in 2004. According to Bragg’s indictment, it all started with his “catch and kill scheme” to quash negative stories and get Trump into the Oval Office.
‘ At the meeting, the AMI CEO agreed to help the defendant’s campaign, saying that he would be the ‘eyes and ears’ for the campaign by seeking out negative stories about the defendant and alerting Lawyer A before the stories were published. will act as.
The first scandal that Trump wanted to cover was in October 2015 when Dino Sajuddin, a concierge at Trump Tower, tried to sell a story to the press
According to paperwork released today, ‘AMI’s CEO also agreed to publish negative stories about defendant’s competitors for the election.’
story of the porter
The first scandal that Trump wanted to cover was in October 2015 when Dino Sajuddin, a concierge at Trump Tower, tried to sell a story to the press.
He claimed that Trump had a child out of wedlock, and could prove it through his access to the family.
The story was reported by dailymail.com in the past.
AMI paid him $30,000 for exclusive rights to the story, preventing him from taking it to other outlets.
According to the statement of facts, AMI knew the story was not true, but kept Sajuddin in agreement until after the election.
The document does not specify whether Trump ever reimbursed AMI for suppressing the concierge story.
Instead, it says that he invited the AMI CEO to his inauguration.
Woman #1 – Karen McDougall
In June 2016, a woman believed to be Karen McDougall, a former Playboy Bunny, came forward with claims that she and Trump had an affair.
According to Bragg’s office, Trump, Cohen and AMI’s editor-in-chief then had several talks about who would pay him.
AMI reportedly paid him $150,000 to prevent him from going anywhere else with the claims, but also for two covers and a series of articles.
As per the statement of facts, AMI described this payment as ‘false’.
According to the documents, Cohen told Trump that he would open a shell company to transfer the money, adding that his calls were recorded.
In June 2016, a woman believed to be Karen McDougall, a former Playboy Bunny, came forward with claims that she and Trump had an affair.
‘So what do we have to pay for it? 150?’ Trump asked, then suggested it be paid in cash, according to the paperwork.
Cohen disagreed and said it should be paid through cheque.
Weeks later, Cohen established a shell company called Resolution Consultants, LLC, which was then used to make payments.
Cohen agreed to buy the rights to the story from AMI for $125,000, according to the paperwork, but AMI later reneged.
Woman #2 – Stormy Daniels
In October 2016, just weeks before the election and after Trump was embarrassed by the ‘Grab ’em by the p***y’ Access Hollywood tapes, Cohen and AMI heard that a second woman – Stormy Daniels – was preparing to appear. Was getting it done. Onward with your story.
Trump and Stormy Daniels at the golf tournament where they met and where she claims they slept together
Cohen strikes a $130,000 deal for Daniels’ silence, this time directly hiring his own lawyer and leaving AMI out of it.
According to the newspapers, AMI initially helped introduce them to Stormi’s representatives.
Allegations – Trump paid Cohen 34 times to ‘false business records’
The deal was done, but instead of reimbursing them for the $130,000 payment, Trump and Cohen — along with Trump Organization CFO Alan Weiselberg — agreed to repay them a total of $420,000, according to the documents.
They agreed that over the next 12 months, Cohen would receive payment in monthly installments of $35,000, Bragg claims.
Alan Weiselberg, chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, speaks as then-US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Trump Tower.
,[Cohen] had to invoice [Trump] Falsely requested payment of $35,000 for legal services provided in one month of 2017, pursuant to a retainer agreement, through employees of the Trump Organization.
‘never done [Cohen] have a retainer agreement with Trump or the Trump Organization,’ the statement of facts read.
All charges relate to how these payments were classified by Trump.
Bragg says he falsely labeled her as a retainer for legal services, which she believes indicates a Class E felony.
Trump performed strongly in court today.
He did not say anything to fans or the media, resisting questions from reporters as he entered the courtroom and held his emotions during the hearing.
He immediately returned to Mar-a-Lago afterward, where he will now prepare for his next appearance later in the year.
Source