Update – 12:10 pm Eastern:
Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, continued with his opening statement, contending that Michael Cohen is “obsessed” with Trump and that “His entire financial livelihood depends on President Trump’s destruction.” When Blanche mentioned Cohen’s perjuring himself at Trump’s civil fraud trial, the prosecution objected and Judge Merchan sustained the objection.
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Blanche wrapped the opening statement by encouraging the jurors to use their common sense.
“Use your common sense. We’re New Yorkers. It’s why we’re here,” Blanche said, adding “we trust you” to decide the case on the evidence.
“If you do that, there will be a very swift not guilty verdict.”
Perhaps the key takeaway from the defense’s position was that trying to influence an election is not a crime:
The court took a brief recess after Blanche concluded his opening statement and has now reconvened with David Pecker being called to take the stand.
Update – 11:43 am Eastern:
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo laid out the payments to former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, contending that they were structured to look like income from legal fees, rather than reimbursements.
He concluded his opening statement by saying:
At the end of the case, we are confident you will have no reasonable doubt that Donald Trump is guilty of falsifying business records with the intent to conceal an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of a presidential election.
Defense counsel Todd Blanche is now presenting the opening statement on behalf of Trump. He maintains that Trump’s payments to Cohen were “not a payback” and “not a crime,” adding, “Ask yourself: would a frugal businessman who pinches pennies repay a $130,000 debt to the tune of $420,000?”
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Update – 11:10 am Eastern:
Matthew Colangelo delivered the prosecution’s opening statement. In it, he laid out the prosecution’s theory of the case.
In a 2015 meeting, Donald Trump, Michael Cohen and David Pecker, the ex-publisher of the National Enquirer, agreed that Pecker “would help the defendant’s campaign,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo says in his opening statement.
The scheme was three-pronged. Colangelo said: Pecker agreed to help Trump kill negative stories on Trump, publish favorable stories about Trump and publish negative stories about Trump’s political opponents.
They agreed that AMI, the parent company of the National Enquirer, would use the magazine to prevent harmful information from becoming public and publish flattering stories about Trump, Colangelo said. Silencing the harmful stories was the “core” of the conspiracy,” he said.
Colangelo outlined three separate “catch and kill” transactions: one involving a former doorman at Trump Tower, one involving Karen McDougal, and one involving Stormy Daniels.
Colangelo contends “It was elections fraud, pure and simple.”
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Update – 10:27 am Eastern:
After Juror No. 9 expressed concerns about media attention, a discussion was held with the juror and attorneys. Judge Merchan determined the juror would remain on the panel.
With the jurors not yet present in the courtroom, Judge Merchan outlined several of his rulings. He has reiterated his ruling that the “Access Hollywood” tape will not be played for the jury, though emails describing its contents will be allowed.
Judge Merchan has also indicated that should he take the stand in his defense, Trump may be questioned about other legal proceedings involving him, including the New York civil fraud trial, the E. Jean Carroll civil verdicts, and the settlement reached with the New York Attorney General which resulted in the dissolution of the Donald J Trump Foundation. However, prosecutors will not be permitted to ask Trump about the 2022 fraud conviction of the Trump Organization nor of the dismissed civil action filed by Trump against Hillary Clinton in which Trump was sanctioned for filing a frivolous claim.
The jurors were then brought in and given preliminary instructions.
Update – 9:38 am Eastern:
Prosecutors have indicated they expect their opening statement to take 40 minutes. Trump’s legal team anticipates theirs taking 25 minutes. Court will now recess at 12:30 pm Eastern Monday as an alternate has a dentist appointment.
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With jury selection complete on Friday, the Manhattan criminal trial of former President Donald Trump moves into the next phase Monday morning, beginning with opening statements. Proceedings will get underway at 9:30 am Eastern and are expected to adjourn at 2:00 pm Eastern, as it is Passover.
Following the presentation of opening statements, the prosecution will begin presenting its evidence. The first witness the prosecution is expected to call is David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer.
The former publisher of the National Enquirer allegedly helped broker a deal with Stormy Daniels and arranged to “catch and kill” a story about an affair between Donald Trump and Karen McDougal. Pecker has been granted immunity in the federal investigation in exchange for his testimony before a grand jury.
George Washington University Law Professor Jonathan Turley shared some observations regarding the prosecution’s apparent strategy on X Monday morning:
The fact that Bragg is starting with David Pecker to discuss an affair not directly involved in the alleged crimes is telling. With a dubious criminal theory, defuse facts, and delayed charges, the case will focus on a different alleged affair and hush money payment…
…..It is reminiscent of the old story about a man who comes upon another man in the dark looking for his wedding ring. Sympathetic, the man joined the stranger on his knees and looked for almost an hour until he asked if the man was sure that he dropped it here. “Oh, no,” the stranger admitted, “I lost it across the street but the light is better here.”
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Stay tuned here as we bring you live updates of the day’s developments in the case.