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Prominent lawyer Keith Davidson recently wrapped up his testimony against former U.S. President Donald Trump in an ongoing New York trial. Davidson represented the two women at the heart of the case, who claim to have had undisclosed affairs with Trump. The focus of the trial is on payments made to these women to prevent their stories from impacting Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and his possible 2024 bid.
Davidson’s role in the trial stems from his representation of Karen McDougal, a Playboy model, and Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress. Both women allege they had affairs with Trump, stories the former president reportedly wanted to suppress during his 2016 campaign. Davidson worked out financial agreements between the two women and Trump’s team, ultimately leading to payments sent in exchange for the women’s silence.
These payments form the core of the 34 felony charges against Trump. Prosecutors suggest Trump falsified business records to hide these transactions, thereby influencing the 2016 election. Davidson’s testimony served to validate the emails and contracts associated with these payments.
During the questioning, Davidson’s credibility was put to the test. Trump’s lawyer, Emil Bove, sought to undermine Davidson, highlighting his involvement in similar deals involving other high-profile individuals. Questions were raised about Davidson’s method of securing large settlements for his clients and whether it tipped into the realm of extortion.
Davidson’s testimony also played a vital role in buttressing the prosecution’s case against Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen. The defense is gearing up for a strong push against Cohen’s credibility when he takes the stand, making Davidson’s corroborative account vital.
Several other witnesses have offered testimony, including Rhona Graff, Trump Organization’s long-serving executive assistant, and David Pecker, former CEO of American Media Inc., testifying about deals they made with Trump and Cohen in 2015.
Trump’s legal team maintains that the payments were lawful and contained no criminal intent. The trial continues to evolve as it enters the third week of testimony, promising more insights into the inner workings of the Trump Organization and the ex-President’s alleged impropriety in managing his business records.
Information Box:
Keith Davidson, represented Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
The prosecution argues Trump falsified business records by making payments to silence these women, influencing the 2016 election.
An array of high-profile figures have offered testimony against the former President.
The former CEO of American Media Inc., David Pecker, testified about making a deal with Trump to kill potentially damaging stories.
References:
1: NPR: Who is Keith Davidson, the lawyer who negotiated hush money payments from Trump?
2: The Guardian: Text shows Stormy Daniels lawyer’s shock at Trump win in 2016: ‘What have we done?’
3: The Epoch Times: Stormy Daniels Lawyer Denies Payment Was ‘Hush Money’ in Trump Trial
4: Politico: Judge weighs more potential gag order violations in Trump hush money trial.