NEW YORK — Attorneys for Donald Trump unveiled their defense strategy during opening arguments in his hush money case on Monday, largely choosing to dispute the laws under which prosecutors have charged Trump rather than the allegations themselves.
For the defense’s opening statement, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told the jury that Trump was not involved in nor aware of the specifics of hush money payments because Trump left it up to his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen to manage. Blanche said his client had “nothing to do with” creating 34 checks, the hush money along with other compensation to Cohen, or the allegedly falsified entries on the ledger.
But he said many elements of the indictment against Trump seek to criminalize actions that are not actually illegal.
Attorneys for former President Donald Trump Todd Blanche, front, and Emil Bove, rear, exit
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