In addition to the payment to Daniels, the jury was briefed on two other “catch and kill” instances: a $30,000 payment to a former Trump doorman to prevent a rumor about a child with a housekeeper, and $150,000 to Playboy model Karen McDougal for her silence about an alleged affair.
Trump hush money trial updates : Context of the Payments
The timing of the payment to Daniels was notably close to the release of the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape, wherein Trump made lewd comments about women. It was suggested that the backlash from this tape spurred the urgency to silence Daniels, with Cohen using his own funds through a shell company to make the payment, later reimbursed by the Trump Organization under the guise of legal service payments.
“It was election fraud. Pure and simple,” Colangelo stated starkly.
Legal Teams Representing Both Sides
The government’s case is supported by a team from the New York County District Attorney’s Office, including Joshua Steinglass, Christopher Conroy, Susan D. Hoffinger, Matthew Colangelo, and Rebecca Mangold. Meanwhile, Trump’s defense comprises attorneys from Blanche Law, NechelesLaw LLP, and Yurowitz Law PLLC, including Todd Blanche, Emil Bove, Stephen Weiss, Susan R. Necheles, Gedalia M. Stern, and Steven Yurowitz.
