05/07/2024
The former porn film actress Stormy Daniels He began testifying this Tuesday as a key witness in the trial against Donald Trump, the first former president in American history to be on the stand.
Trump was accused of falsifying documents of his companies to hide the payment of $130,000 he made to the actress. Everything for hide the fact that an alleged extramarital relationship came to light in the middle of the electoral race against Hillary Clinton.
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Daniels, 45, claims that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. In the final stretch of the 2016 elections, when sexual scandals threatened the electoral campaign that the Republican magnate won against Hillary Clinton, The woman was paid $130,000 to remain silent about that episode.
Trump passed the payment to the former actress, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, as legal expenses of his then personal lawyer Michael Cohenwho had advanced the money from his pocket, from the family business Trump Organization.
He is now accused of forgery 34 documents, in a historic trial.
“Older than my father”
Nervous, the witness told how He met Trump at a golf tournament when he was 27 years old.
“I knew he was older, probably older than my father,” Daniels said a few meters from the magnate, with a lost gaze straight ahead, while he adjusted his hair and put on his glasses.
The prosecution shows a photo of the two at golf, Trump with a yellow shirt and hat and she with a black top hugging herself.
“Mr. Trump said he wanted to have dinner with me,” said the witness who recounted how she arrived at the hotel suite. “Three times bigger than my apartment”where the magnate was waiting for her with flowers and in silk pajamas that he later changed into a shirt and street pants.
Trump, 77, denies that he had sex with the former actress. Susan Necheles, the former president’s defense lawyer, presented an objection to Colombian-born Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over the trial, to be prohibited from testifying about any “sexual act.”
“It is unduly prejudicial,” Necheles told the judge.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger assured the court that Daniels’ testimony it would not be graphic and would “omit details that are too salacious.”
This is the first time Daniels comes face to face with the tycoon who has denigrated her for yearseven when he was in the White House.
The judge has prohibited the Republican from talking about the witnesses on his social networks, as well as the jury and court staff and their families. After imposing fines of $10,000, he has threatened him with jail if he continues to disobey his orders.
Throughout three weeks of trial, witnesses have shed light on the behind-the-scenes of his election campaign 2016 in front of the popular jury that will seal his fate.
If found guilty, he could be sentenced to prison, although this will not prevent him from assuming the presidency of the country if he wins his current rival, President Joe Biden, in November. whom he blames for sitting in the Manhattan courthouse instead of campaigning.
