Fixation on silencing Stormy Daniels and unwillingness to pay.

The testimony of Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, during this Monday’s session in the criminal trial against the former president in New York, portrayed him as a man who tried to pacify his ‘affair’ with porn actress Stormy Daniels. For was as determined as he would try. Avoid payment.

During Cohen’s deposition today emails, invoices, and even an audio recording of Trump himself were provided by the prosecutor’s office, which assured that the former president would be charged with silencing Daniels and thus his 2016 campaign. Accused of falsifying accounting documents to protect the campaign, he prioritized his political career. His marriage.

“I want it to be hidden until the (2016) election is over. If I win, it won’t be relevant because I’ll already be president; if I lose, I won’t even care,” Cohen said. Clarifying Trump’s point, he said Trump’s penchant for silencing adult film interpreters was “for the campaign, not for Melania (his wife).”

Melania – who did not accompany the former president on any of the days leading up to the trial – and Trump met in 1998, when he was 52 and she was 28, and the couple walked to the altar in 2005, alleged Daniel a year ago; A case which, if proven, would have occurred while she was pregnant.

Despite Cohen’s calm facade, these harsh statements today prompted some of Trump’s most agitated people to shake their heads. Meanwhile, hundreds of journalists and ordinary citizens scrutinized his body language, with the utmost expectation of following the process from the court or from a nearby room.

Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for illegal financing of the Republican presidential campaign two years earlier, described as “devastating” the possibility that the alleged sexual relationship between Trump and Daniels would come to light. .

Trump asked the price of silencing a porn actress

Former US President Donald Trump asked his former lawyer and confidante Michael Cohen what price would have to be paid to ensure that his alleged extramarital affair with Playboy model Karen McDougal does not come to light and impact his 2016 election campaign.

“So, how much does it cost? One-fifty (150)? How much do we have to pay for it?” The former president is heard saying this in audio played this Monday by the New York prosecutor’s office, marking the first time Trump’s voice has been heard during the process.

The recording, which was previously provided to the jury according to US media, was taken between Cohen and Trump convincing former editor of The National Enquirer David Pecker that he would be reimbursed for the $150,000 paid to the model. To put his ‘case’ to rest.

“It was so that I could show it to David Pecker so that he could hear the conversation, so that he would know that Mr. Trump was going to return the money (…) I also wanted him to be loyal to Mr. Trump. ,” Cohen argued Monday about the reason for that recording.

A few minutes earlier, Trump’s former right-hand man reported that the media mogul wanted the former president to return $150,000 because “it was too much money to hide from the CEO of the parent company,” according to American Media, the publication’s publisher.

Additionally, the former lawyer said Trump had an idea of ​​the price to pay for silencing that story because he had previously met with Pecker: “That’s why he mentioned the 150 figure,” he said.

he anticipated women’s disapproval

According to Cohen, the former US chief executive reportedly said, “Women are going to hate me… Men may think it’s cool, but it’s going to be a disaster for the campaign.”

Trump agreed to sign a deal in 2016 with Daniels’ former lawyer, Keith Davidson, for $130,000 to bury the story, but the deal was repeatedly postponed, and the porn actress’s legal team She started getting impatient until it came to the point of threatening her. According to the lawyer, who is now disqualified, for publishing the story in the Daily Mail.

He then described several meetings with Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s former chief financial officer, to resolve the problem.

According to Cohen, proposals considered included creating an event for the institution whose tickets would be paid for or presenting it as a “business opportunity” for the related tabloid The National Enquirer. Can buy the story. And apply the ‘catch and kill’ technique, for which the story will never see the light of day.

The former president, who also boasted of his status as a “billionaire”, avoided payment and it fell to Cohen, according to his version, to advance the money and then receive it through a shell company. Services agreed to and provided to the Trump Organization under a false concept. Legal debt.

Ultimately, the bonus he was given for advancing the money was “disappointing” to Cohen, who said he was angered by the undisclosed amount and told Weisselberg: “I expressed that I was very was angry.” …) I was surprised myself by how irritable he was,” he said, while Trump smiled half a smile.

Cohen also confirmed today the scheme uncovered by the prosecutor’s office in which, as a former lawyer for the former president, he allegedly secured exclusivity rights to other Trump extramarital scandals involving former editor of The National Enquirer, David Pecker. Had worked hand in hand with. and practice ‘catch and kill’, as well as favor the publication of positive news about the prospective Republican nominee as well as other negative news about their political rivals.