US Elections 2024: New York court rules Trump's 'Hush Money' trial to proceed

US Elections 2024: The New York County Supreme Court has rejected Donald Trump's bid to dismiss a criminal case accusing him of orchestrating hush money payments to a former adult film star and Playboy model. The trial, filed by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, alleges Trump falsified business records to conceal the payments. The proceedings are slated to commence on March 25, marking the first trial of a former US president.

US Elections 2024: Prosecution's allegations

Prosecutors assert that during the 2016 presidential election, the Trump Organization orchestrated payments to silence Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, and Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model, to prevent potentially damaging stories about Trump's personal life from surfacing.

US Elections 2024: Charges against Trump

Trump faces 34 felony counts related to the payments, including charges pertaining to:

• Payments to Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer
• Monthly expenditures for Cohen's services
• Falsification of business records

The case revolves around hush money payments to Daniels and McDougal, as well as a Trump Tower doorman allegedly possessing incriminating information about Trump's personal life.

US Elections 2024: The "Catch-and-Kill" strategy

Prosecutors allege Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 to prevent her from disclosing information to the National Enquirer, while McDougal received $150,000 from the Trump campaign to prevent her story from being published. This tactic, known as "catch-and-kill," involves suppressing damaging stories to protect a person's reputation.

US Elections 2024: Legal ramifications

Conviction on falsifying business records charges could result in a four-year prison sentence. Trump's presidential pardoning powers do not extend to state crimes, leaving him vulnerable to conviction. Despite pending charges, Trump remains a front-runner in the Republican Party's 2024 presidential nomination race.

US Elections 2024: Trump's legal battles extend beyond New York

Trump faces multiple legal challenges, including civil fraud charges in New York, accusations of election tampering in Georgia, federal election charges, and allegations of mishandling classified documents in Florida. Trump vehemently denies any wrongdoing in these cases.

The outcome of Trump's legal battles will have significant implications for his political future and his standing within the Republican Party.