Opening arguments heard in Donald Trump hush money trial
Prosecutors have told jurors Donald Trump corrupted the 2016 election, as the former president's historic hush money trial got underway in New York. Setting out the case for the defence, Mr Trump's lawyer said his client had committed no crimes and it was not illegal to try to influence an election.
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00:00 The former president leaves his New York residence for another day in court.
00:10 In opening arguments, prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told jurors, "This case is about a criminal
00:16 conspiracy and a cover-up."
00:19 He referred to a 2015 meeting involving Donald Trump, his fixer Michael Cohen, and a tabloid
00:26 newspaper executive David Pecker as a "Trump Tower" conspiracy, in which the men agreed
00:32 to buy and bury stories that could damage Trump's election chances.
00:39 One of those stories was an allegation by adult film star Stormy Daniels that she had
00:44 a sexual encounter with the defendant.
00:47 "It was election fraud, pure and simple," the prosecution said.
00:52 Donald Trump's lawyer told the court his client was "cloaked in innocence."
00:58 He attacked the credibility of the prosecution's key witness, Michael Cohen, and argued paying
01:03 hush money was not a crime.
01:06 I have a spoiler alert.
01:07 There's nothing wrong with trying to influence the election.
01:11 It's called democracy.
01:13 The former president sat through it all, using breaks to complain that this case was interfering
01:19 with the 2024 election.
01:20 I should be in Georgia now.
01:24 I should be in Florida now.
01:25 I should be in a lot of different places right now campaigning, and I'm sitting here.
01:29 The former publisher David Pecker, who the prosecution says helped to suppress unflattering
01:34 stories about Trump, also appeared briefly as their first witness.
01:39 I think it went very well.
01:41 As he left the courtroom, David Pecker smiled and appeared to nod in Donald Trump's direction.
01:46 But the former president just stared straight ahead.
01:50 Mr. Pecker, a one-time ally and admirer of Donald Trump, is due to continue his testimony
01:56 against him when court resumes tomorrow.
01:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]