Trump trial: Latest updates from closing arguments in historic criminal hush money case

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

57% : Readers are presented with outrageous quotes on a variety of topics, and asked if Trump really said those things (in many cases, the answer is yes).
56% : "He approved it," Cohen told jurors about Trump.
56% : Experts also said Trump would likely be free while his expected appeal ran its course.
52% : That's a red flag," Blanche said.- Aysha Bagchi'The bookings were accurate': Trump lawyer defends recordsTrump lawyer Todd Blanche noted his client was in the White House at the time of the alleged records falsifications, arguing there wasn't evidence that Trump "had anything to do" with how payments to Michael Cohen were recorded on a ledger.
49% : Legal experts told USA TODAY it's possible Trump could get just probation, even if he were convicted on every count.
47% : Prosecutors may point to checks with Trump's signatures, excerpts from Trump's books, and recordings introduced at trial in order to bolster the testimony of star witness Michael Cohen, who testified that Trump authorized him to pay Stormy Daniels hush money in 2016 and approved a plan to cover it up in 2017.
45% : He said documents show Trump was paying Michael Cohen for ongoing legal services in 2017.
44% : "Tiffany Trump, Don Jr., Eric attend closing argumentsThree of former President Donald Trump's children - Donald Jr., Eric and Tiffany - accompanied him to the closing arguments Tuesday in his New York hush money trial.
43% : "We wanted to let him know that people in New York support him," said a Trump flag-carrying man with a white beard and a red suit who identified himself as "Hungry Santa" (he produced a business card with that name).Other demonstrators made clear they did not support Trump.
40% : Follow USA TODAY's live updates from inside and outside the Manhattan courtroom:Blanche says Trump didn't have an intent to defraudTrump lawyer Todd Blanche said he expects Judge Merchan to instruct jurors that, to find Trump guilty, they must conclude he falsified records and that he had an intent to defraud when he did so.Blanche pointed to a 2018 tweet by Trump, in which Trump mentioned a retainer agreement with Cohen.
39% : Blanche characterized it as weak evidence from the government about Trump's role in the alleged repayment scheme.- Aysha BagchiBlanche says lack of testimony from Trump sons Eric and Don Jr. is reason to acquitBlanche argued that the lack of testimony from Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump - who are seated in the audience today - is a reason to acquit Trump.
39% : Cohen testified that Trump was in a meeting with him and former Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg about how to reimburse Cohen for the $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels.
39% : If Trump is convicted on all counts, Merchan will be tasked with deciding on a sentence for each count, and also deciding whether the sentences will coincide with each other or be run one after the other.
37% : This is a reference to a portion of the 34 records that Trump is allegedly responsible for falsifying.
36% : "The transcript excerpt featured Cohen saying he was in a meeting with Trump and former Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg, when Weisselberg allegedly said they would pay Cohen for the Stormy Daniels hush money, as well as for another expense and a bonus, over 12 months.
36% : "Trump is charged with falsifying business records to hide his reimbursement to former lawyer Michael Cohen for his $130,000 payment to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels, to prevent another salacious story before the 2016 election.
35% : Daniels said she and Trump had a sexual encounter that year, after meeting at a celebrity golf tournament.Blanche also told jurors they should want more than the testimony of former Daniels lawyers Keith Davidson, who testified about her $130,000 hush money deal.
33% : The disgraced California lawyer represented Daniels in her 2018 lawsuits against Trump.
33% : "- Aysha BagchiTrump proclaims innocence before attending closing argumentsFormer President Donald Trump continued to profess his innocence before closing arguments in his New York hush money trial, arguing "there is no crime" and "hopefully it doesn't work out for them.
31% : Most predicted any incarceration sentence on each count would run simultaneously with the others, so Trump wouldn't be ordered to serve more than four years behind bars.
30% : Davidson was "just trying to extort money" from Trump ahead of the 2016 election, Blanche said.
30% : "It's a very sad day," Trump said.
28% : Trump, who didn't testify in his own defense, argued to reporters outside the courtroom that there is nothing wrong with securing a nondisclosure agreement.
28% : "Big advantage, very unfair," Trump said in an all-caps post on Truth Social.Trump also quoted a passage from the book of John in the Bible about personal sacrifice.
27% : Blanche said Trump wouldn't have posted that tweet if he had any intent to defraud.- Aysha BagchiBlanche says almost
27% : Trump also argued any personal payment couldn't have violated campaign finance law.
27% : Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in order to conceal or commit another crime.
26% : Prosecutors will argue that the evidence establishes beyond any reasonable doubt that Trump falsified business records in order to conceal or commit another crime, while the defense team will say it comes up short.
26% : Each count against Trump carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison and no minimum amount of jail or prison time.
23% : Prosecutors say Trump was covering up the violation of federal campaign finance laws through the hush money, which was handed over less than two weeks before the 2016 presidential election.
21% : no evidence of planned tax crimeTo find Trump guilty of the 34 felony counts in the case, the jurors must find not only that Trump falsified the 34 records, but also that he did so in order to commit or conceal another crime.
21% : Avenatti is also serving sentences on two other convictions tied to stealing profits from Daniels' book, cheating clients out of millions of dollars, and failing to pay taxes.- Kinsey Crowley & Maureen Groppe'That's a red flag': Blanche argues lack of evidence on vouchersTrump lawyer Todd Blanche told jurors there is "no evidence" Trump knew anything about the Trump Organization's voucher system.
21% : They also say Trump was trying to hide a plan to violate New York tax and election laws.
20% : Besides criticizing Judge Juan Merchan and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Trump questioned why the prosecution gets the final word before jury deliberations.
16% : "The bookings were accurate and there was absolutely no intent to defraud," Blanche said.- Aysha Bagchi'This case is about documents': Trump lawyer to jurorsTrump lawyer Todd Blanche noted to jurors that Trump doesn't face any charges for allegedly having a sexual encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels in 2006 - an allegation Trump denies.
16% : Still, Blanche took the time to dispute Daniels' story, saying Trump has "unequivocally and repeatedly" denied the alleged encounter happened.- Aysha BagchiBiden campaign to hold courthouse news conferenceAnother interested party is visiting the scene outside the Trump trial courthouse: The Joe Biden presidential campaign.
15% : Trump has pleaded not guilty, and Trump defense lawyer Todd Blanche has denied the payments were reimbursing the hush money.- Aysha BagchiWhy does Trump's team say the case should be dismissed?Judge Juan Merchan may issue a ruling today on Trump's request to toss out the entire case ahead of jury deliberations.
14% : Among the spectators awaiting the Biden campaign news conference: Officials with the Trump campaign, who said they will be responding afterward.- David Jackson'President Trump is innocent': Trump lawyer attacks prosecution's case"President Trump is innocent," defense lawyer Todd Blanche said early into his closing argument.
9% : Trump and his supporters have described his four criminal cases as political persecution.

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