OnPolitics: Closing arguments begin in Trump's hush money trial

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in order to conceal or commit another crime. ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 

Advertisement Read in browser On Politics Tue May 28 2024 Marina Pitofsky | Associate Editor/Politics Hi OnPolitics readers. Closing arguments in former President Donald Trump's New York hush money trial began on Tuesday, bringing the historic case to a critical point as the prosecution and defense sum up their sides to 12 jurors. A reminder from USA TODAY's Aysha Bagchi: Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records  in order to conceal or commit another crime. Prosecutors argue Trump falsified records tied to reimbursing his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, for an unlawful $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. 🎤What did Trump's lawyers say? One of Trump's attorneys, Todd Blanche, told the jury that  the hush money payment to Daniels was the product of "an extortion" rather than attempt to influence the 2016 election. He also contended that Trump lacked the necessary "intent to defraud" when he listed his reimbursements to Cohen as legal expenses. 💬 What did prosecutors say? Prosecutors in the case haven't delivered their closing arguments yet, but tap here for USA TODAY's look at what they could say. 🔮 What comes next? After closing arguments, Judge Juan Merchan will deliver  instructions to jurors on the law they must apply in the case. Read more here: Catch up with USA TODAY's live coverage of Trump's hush money trial Stay in the know on politics: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter Democrats to nominate Joe Biden before DNC to meet Ohio deadline The Democratic National Committee will hold a virtual roll call ahead of its Aug. 19 convention and before Ohio's Aug. 7 deadline to certify ballot. READ MORE Advertisement Gen Z candidate will face off against indicted Trump fake elector Ashwin Ramaswami, who has worked in the election security industry, is running for political office in Georgia against someone who was a fake elector for Trump. READ MORE Supreme Court rejects appeal from jailed Stormy Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti The conviction Michael Avenatti appealed is one of three cases that put the disgraced celebrity lawyer behind bars. He is the former lawyer for Stormy Daniels. READ MORE Israel deflects blame for Rafah fire that killed 45, ignited global outrage An Israeli airstrike Sunday triggered a massive fire in a tent camp in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, killing at least 45 people. READ MORE 'Closed my door and cried': Sonia Sotomayor on Supreme Court life "There are days that I've come to my office after an announcement of a case and closed my door and cried," Sotomayor said. READ MORE Vote with Confidence This 7-day newsletter course will help you be an informed voter before Nov. 5. SIGN UP NOW Advertisement Newsletters   |    eNewspaper   |   Crosswords Follow Us Problem viewing email? View in browser Unsubscribe  •  Manage Newsletters  •  Terms of Service  •  Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights  •   Privacy Notice  •  Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy  •  Feedback