In opening statements in Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 historic hush money trial, prosecutors said Monday that the former president 含羞草研究社渙rchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt含羞草研究社� the 2016 presidential election.

Defense attorneys countered, calling Trump 含羞草研究社渋nnocent含羞草研究社� and saying the Manhattan district attorney含羞草研究社檚 office 含羞草研究社渟hould never have brought this case.含羞草研究社�

The commencement of the proceedings set the stage for weeks of unsavory and salacious testimony about Trump含羞草研究社檚 personal life and placed his legal troubles at the center of his closely contested campaign against President Joe Biden.

A panel of New Yorkers 含羞草研究社� 12 jurors and six alternates 含羞草研究社� was sworn in last Friday after four days of jury selection and is hearing what is the first-ever criminal trial against a former U.S. commander-in-chief.

Trump is accused of falsifying internal business records as part of an alleged scheme to bury stories that he thought might hurt his presidential campaign in 2016.

At the heart of the allegations is a $130,000 payment made to porn actor Stormy Daniels by Michael Cohen, Trump含羞草研究社檚 former lawyer and personal fixer, to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from surfacing in the final days of the race.

Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of such payments in internal business documents. Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

The hush money case is the first of Trump含羞草研究社檚 four indictments to reach trial.

Here含羞草研究社檚 the latest:

DEFENSE ZEROES IN ON KEY PROSECUTION WITNESS

One of Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 defense attorneys zeroed in during opening statements on the credibility of one of the prosecution含羞草研究社檚 key witnesses: Michael Cohen.

Attorney Todd Blanche provided an extensive account Monday of Cohen含羞草研究社檚 criminal record and his history of lying under oath. He said that Cohen turned against the former president only after he was not given a job in the administration and found himself in legal trouble.

Blanche accused Cohen of being 含羞草研究社渙bsessed with President Trump,含羞草研究社� saying 含羞草研究社渉is entirely financial livelihood depends on President Trump含羞草研究社檚 destruction.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淵ou cannot make a serious decision about President Trump relying on the words of Michael Cohen,含羞草研究社� Blanche said.

Anticipating the defense含羞草研究社檚 likely attacks on their star witness, prosecutor Matthew Colangelo acknowledged Cohen含羞草研究社檚 criminal record earlier in the day.

含羞草研究社淚 suspect the defense will go to great lengths to get you to reject his testimony precisely because it is so damning,含羞草研究社� Cohen said.

含羞草研究社淲e will be very upfront about it,含羞草研究社� he continued, adding that Cohen, 含羞草研究社渓ike other witnesses in this trial, has made mistakes.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淵ou can credit Michael Cohen含羞草研究社檚 testimony despite those past mistakes,含羞草研究社� he added.

TRUMP HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH PAYMENTS, DEFENSE SAYS

Defense attorneys in Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 hush money case said Monday that he had nothing to do with payments that were made to prevent stories about his sex life from being made public near the end of the 2016 presidential election.

Todd Blanche portrayed the business ledger entries at issue in the case as pro forma actions performed by a Trump Organization functionary.

Trump 含羞草研究社渉ad nothing to do含羞草研究社� with the invoice, the check being generated or the entry on the ledger, Blanche said.

While prosecutors allege Trump reimbursed Michael Cohen $420,000 含羞草研究社� more than double what Cohen paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels 含羞草研究社� because the cover-up was crucial to the campaign, Blanche said the excess payments are proof that Trump had nothing to do with the scheme.

含羞草研究社淎sk yourself, would a frugal businessman, a man who pinches pennies, repay a $130,000 debt to the tune of $420,000?含羞草研究社� Blanche asked.

含羞草研究社淧resident Trump had nothing to do with any of the 34 pieces of paper, the 34 counts, except that he signed the checks, in the White House, while he was running the country.含羞草研究社�

Blanche took particular issue with the prosecution含羞草研究社檚 insinuation that attempting to influence an election connotes illegality.

含羞草研究社淚 have a spoiler alert: There含羞草研究社檚 nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It含羞草研究社檚 called democracy,含羞草研究社� Blanche said. 含羞草研究社淭hey put something sinister on this idea as if it含羞草研究社檚 a crime. You含羞草研究社檒l learn it含羞草研究社檚 not.含羞草研究社�

DEFENSE BEGINS ITS OPENING STATEMENTS

Following the prosecution含羞草研究社檚 opening statements in Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 criminal hush money trial, the defense called the former president 含羞草研究社渋nnocent含羞草研究社� and said the Manhattan district attorney含羞草研究社檚 office 含羞草研究社渟hould never have brought this case.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淗e含羞草研究社檚, in some ways, larger than life. But he含羞草研究社檚 also here in this courtroom, doing what any of us would do: defending himself,含羞草研究社� Todd Blanche said as Trump looked on with interest. He went on to describe Trump as a former president but also an everyday person 含羞草研究社� a man, a husband, a father.

In the prosecution含羞草研究社檚 openings, Trump was referred to as 含羞草研究社渢he defendant.含羞草研究社� But his own lawyers are referring to him as 含羞草研究社淧resident Trump.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淲e will call him President Trump, out of respect for the office that he held,含羞草研究社� Blanche said.

Other Trump lawyers have used the same language in previous legal cases.

PROSECUTORS SAY TRUMP PAID COHEN DOUBLE FOR HUSH MONEY SCHEME

After the 2016 election, Donald Trump invited David Pecker, then publisher of the National Enquirer, to Trump Tower to thank him for his contribution to the campaign, prosecutors said Monday. He also invited the publisher to the inauguration and later to the White House, where a dinner was held to honor Pecker and then-National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard.

But prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said Trump still had a few 含羞草研究社渓oose ends含羞草研究社� to tie up at the time, including reimbursing his then-lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen for the payments he had given to Stormy Daniels.

含羞草研究社淣either Trump nor the Trump Organization could just write a check to Cohen with a memo line that said 含羞草研究社榬eimbursement for porn star pay-off,含羞草研究社櫤�羞草研究社� Colangelo said. 含羞草研究社淪o they agreed to cook the books and make it look like the payment was actually income, payment for services rendered.含羞草研究社�

Colangelo added that the evidence would show that while Trump is a 含羞草研究社渧ery frugal businessman,含羞草研究社� when it came to reimbursing Cohen, Trump paid him double.

含羞草研究社淭his might be the only time it ever happened,含羞草研究社� Colangelo said. Trump含羞草研究社檚 willingness to part with so much cash showed how important it was to him to keep the hush money scheme under wraps, the prosecutor posited.

TRUMP DIRECTED COHEN TO MAKE A DEAL WITH STORMY DANIELS, PROSECUTORS SAY

Within days of the 含羞草研究社淎ccess Hollywood含羞草研究社� tape involving Donald Trump becoming public, Colangelo told jurors, The National Enquirer alerted Trump含羞草研究社檚 then-lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen that porn actor Stormy Daniels wanted to go public with her claims of a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump.

含羞草研究社淎t Trump含羞草研究社檚 direction, Cohen negotiated a deal to buy Ms. Daniels含羞草研究社� story to prevent American voters from hearing that story before Election Day,含羞草研究社� Colangelo told jurors, referring to the scheme as a 含羞草研究社渃onspiracy含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渆lection fraud, pure and simple.含羞草研究社�

TRUMP SHOWS NO REACTION TO 含羞草研究社楢CCESS HOLLYWOOD含羞草研究社� TAPE TRANSCRIPT

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told jurors in Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 criminal hush money case that The Washington Post含羞草研究社檚 publication of the 2005 含羞草研究社淎ccess Hollywood含羞草研究社� tape, where Trump was heard on a hot mic 含羞草研究社渂ragging about sexual assaults,含羞草研究社� had an immediate and 含羞草研究社渆xplosive含羞草研究社� impact on his presidential campaign.

Colangelo told jurors that prominent Trump allies withdrew their endorsements and condemned his language. The prosecutor said evidence would show the Republican National Committee even considered whether it was possible to replace Trump with another candidate.

As Colangelo read aloud words from the tape, Trump showed no reaction.

PROSECUTION HONES IN ON 含羞草研究社楥ATCH-AND-KILL含羞草研究社� OPERATION

Prosecutors in Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 criminal trial honed in on what they called a 含羞草研究社渃atch-and-kill含羞草研究社� operation at the center of the allegations in the hush money case.

The plan was hatched at Trump Tower shortly after the then-presidential candidate had announced his candidacy. During that meeting, prosecutors say that David Pecker, then-publisher of the National Enquirer, agreed to 含羞草研究社渉elp the defendant含羞草研究社檚 campaign by working as the eyes and the ears of the campaign.含羞草研究社�

Speaking of arrangements made to pay former Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 to suppress her claims of a nearly year-long affair with the married Trump, Colangelo said Trump 含羞草研究社渄esperately did not want this information 含羞草研究社� become public because he was worried about its effect on the election.含羞草研究社�

Colangelo told jurors they would hear a recording Cohen made in September 2016 of himself briefing Trump on the plan to buy McDougal含羞草研究社檚 story. The recording was made public in July 2018. Colangelo told jurors they would hear Trump in his own voice, saying, 含羞草研究社淲hat do we got to pay for this? One-fifty?含羞草研究社�

TRUMP TRIED TO 含羞草研究社楥ORRUPT含羞草研究社� 2016 ELECTION, PROSECUTORS ALLEGE IN OPENING STATEMENTS

Prosecutors in Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 hush money trial said in opening statements that the former president allegedly went to great lengths to 含羞草研究社渃orrupt含羞草研究社� the 2016 presidential election.

含羞草研究社淭he defendant, Donald Trump, orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election. Then he covered up that criminal conspiracy by lying in his New York business records over and over and over again,含羞草研究社� prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told jurors.

Colangelo, senior counsel to the district attorney, told jurors that though the payments to Michael Cohen were labeled as legal fees pursuant to a retainer agreement, there was no retainer and there were no legal services. 含羞草研究社淭he defendant falsified those business records because he wanted to conceal his and others含羞草研究社� criminal conduct,含羞草研究社� he said.

All 18 jurors looked directly at the veteran prosecutor, who stood at a lectern in the middle of the courtroom about halfway between them and Trump.

JUDGE BARS PROSECUTORS FROM BRINGING UP 2 TRUMP LEGAL CASES

While prosecutors in Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 hush money trial will be allowed to question him in a limited manner 含羞草研究社� if he testifies 含羞草研究社� about his recent civil fraud and writer E. Jean Carroll含羞草研究社檚 defamation lawsuit against him, the judge has barred them from bringing up two other legal cases.

One was the 2022 New York criminal tax fraud trial of Trump含羞草研究社檚 business, the Trump Organization. The company was convicted by a jury. Trump wasn含羞草研究社檛 charged in that case.

The other is the nearly $1 million fine that a federal judge in Florida last year ordered Trump and one of his attorneys to pay. The judge levied the penalty after finding that Trump filed a 含羞草研究社渃ompletely frivolous含羞草研究社� lawsuit against his 2016 rival Hillary Clinton and others.

JURY ENTERS COURTROOM FOR TRIAL PROCEEDINGS

Members of the jury in Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 hush money case entered the courtroom just after 10 a.m. Monday. The former president turned in his seat and looked briefly in their direction before the judge began explaining the court proceedings.

含羞草研究社淕ood morning, jurors. We are about to proceed with the trial of the People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump,含羞草研究社� said Judge Juan M. Merchan.

Because the panel was selected over several days, this is the first time the full jury has been together. It含羞草研究社檚 also the first time jurors are seeing the courtroom packed with reporters 含羞草研究社� a departure from last week when the gallery was full of prospective jurors and there were just a few reporters permitted inside.

PROSECUTORS CAN QUESTION TRUMP ABOUT OTHER CASES, JUDGE RULES

Prosecutors in Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 hush money case can cross-examine him about several of his recent legal setbacks if he chooses to testify, the judge ruled.

Trump shook his head Monday morning as Judge Juan M. Merchan ruled that prosecutors could ask him about the outcome of his recent civil business fraud trial, in which another judge found that Trump, along with his business and key executives, fraudulently inflated his wealth on paperwork used to secure loans and insurance.

Merchan said prosecutors could challenge the former president含羞草研究社檚 credibility by questioning him about six legal determinations in four cases, including his $88.3 million in judgments for defaming writer E. Jean Carroll.

Strict limits will be placed on what prosecutors can question Trump about regarding those cases, including prohibiting them from eliciting the amounts of the monetary penalties imposed, said Merchan.

JUDGE TO ALLOW PROSECUTION TO INTRODUCE 含羞草研究社楢CCESS HOLLYWOOD含羞草研究社�

Judge Juan M. Merchan will allow the prosecution in Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 hush money case to introduce the notorious 含羞草研究社楢ccess Hollywood含羞草研究社� tape into evidence, but will not permit the showing of the actual video in court.

Trump含羞草研究社檚 lawyers have objected to the use of a transcript. But Merchan said that in his view there is 含羞草研究社渘o reason含羞草研究社� why a transcript of the video, where Trump boasted about grabbing women含羞草研究社檚 genitals without permission, 含羞草研究社渟hould not be admitted into evidence.含羞草研究社�

COURT TO END EARLY DUE TO PASSOVER, JUROR OBLIGATIONS

Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 hush money trial will adjourn earlier than expected on Monday to accommodate an alternate juror含羞草研究社檚 emergency dental appointment in the afternoon.

Judge Juan M. Merchan had previously planned to adjourn the trial at 2 p.m. because of Passover, but will now adjourn the case at 12:30 p.m. He plans to end at 2 p.m. on Tuesday for the holiday.

JUROR WHO EXPRESSED RESERVATIONS ABOUT TRIAL WILL STAY ON

A juror who expressed reservations about continuing with Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 hush money trial ahead of opening statements will remain on the jury, according to the judge.

Judge Juan M. Merchan said his understanding was 含羞草研究社渢hat the juror was concerned about the media attention含羞草研究社� to the case and wasn含羞草研究社檛 含羞草研究社�100% sure they wanted to be here today.含羞草研究社�

The juror showed up to court Monday and was questioned in the judge含羞草研究社檚 robing room, out of the view of the press, he said.

TRUMP CASTS TRIAL AS 含羞草研究社楿NFAIR含羞草研究社�

Before heading into the courtroom Monday morning, Donald Trump addressed a camera in the hallway, once again saying that it含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渦nfair含羞草研究社� he has to be there, rather than out campaigning.

He once again cast the trial as a 含羞草研究社渨itch hunt含羞草研究社� and a 含羞草研究社渟hame含羞草研究社� aimed at damaging his campaign.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 here instead of being able to be in Pennsylvania and Georgia and lots of other places campaigning and it含羞草研究社檚 very unfair,含羞草研究社� he said.

Trump also spoke at length about another hearing taking place at a nearby court, regarding the $175 million bond he paid in his civil fraud case.

Once in the courtroom, the former president filled his cheeks with air and exhaled before sitting down.

Photographers quickly crowded around him, snapping photos ahead of the proceedings.

The gallery was packed with reporters, and the temperature in the courtroom was slightly warmer than on previous days, where the chill was a subject of much discussion.

PROTESTERS, OTHERS GATHER OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE

A small group of anti-Trump protesters was outside the courthouse ahead of opening statements in Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 hush money criminal case, chanting, 含羞草研究社淣o one is above the law,含羞草研究社� while members of the media and public lined up to get inside.

Police had discussed the possibility of closing the park across the street, Collect Pond Park, after a man set himself on fire there last week, but on Monday it remained open to the public.

TRUMP RETURNS TO COURT

Donald Trump has arrived at court in Manhattan for opening statements in his hush money trial.

The former president left Trump Tower on Monday morning in his motorcade and walked straight inside the courthouse after arriving.

WHY ISN含羞草研究社橳 TRUMP含羞草研究社橲 TRIAL TELEVISED?

New York state law regarding media coverage of court proceedings is one of the most restrictive in the country.

Regulations limiting media coverage in courtrooms date back nearly a century, when the spectacle of bright flashbulbs and camera operators standing on witness tables during the 1935 trial of the man accused of kidnapping and killing Charles Lindbergh含羞草研究社檚 baby son horrified the legal community, according to a 2022 report by the New York-based Fund for Modern Courts.

Yet an interest in open government chipped away at these laws and 含羞草研究社� slowly, carefully 含羞草研究社� video cameras began to be permitted in courts across the country, often at the discretion of judges presiding in individual cases.

New York allowed them, too, on an experimental basis between 1987 and 1997, but they were shut down.

THE TIMING OF THIS CASE LENDS TO ITS SIGNIFICANCE

The allegations at the heart of this case don含羞草研究社檛 accuse Donald Trump of an egregious abuse of power like the federal case in Washington charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election, or of flouting national security protocols like the federal case in Florida charging him with hoarding classified documents.

But the New York prosecution has taken on added importance because it may be the only one of the four cases against Trump that reaches trial before the election.

Appeals and legal wrangling have delayed the other three cases.

HERE含羞草研究社橲 WHO COULD BE CALLED TO TESTIFY

MICHAEL COHEN 含羞草研究社� Donald Trump含羞草研究社檚 former lawyer and fixer. He was once a fierce Trump ally, but now he含羞草研究社檚 a key prosecution witness against his former boss. Cohen worked for the Trump Organization from 2006 to 2017. He later went to federal prison after pleading guilty to campaign finance violations relating to the hush money arrangements and other, unrelated crimes.

STORMY DANIELS 含羞草研究社� The porn actor who received a $130,000 payment from Cohen as part of his hush money efforts. Cohen paid Daniels to keep quiet about what she says was a sexual encounter with Trump years earlier. Trump denies having sex with Daniels.

KAREN MCDOUGAL 含羞草研究社� A former Playboy model who said she had a 10-month affair with Trump in the mid-2000s. She was paid $150,000 in 2016 by the parent company of the National Enquirer for the rights to her story about the alleged relationship. Trump denies having sex with McDougal.

DAVID PECKER 含羞草研究社� The National Enquirer含羞草研究社檚 former publisher and a longtime Trump friend. Prosecutors say he met with Trump and Cohen at Trump Tower in August 2015 and agreed to help Trump含羞草研究社檚 campaign identify negative stories about him.

HOPE HICKS 含羞草研究社� Trump含羞草研究社檚 former White House communications director. Prosecutors say she spoke with Trump by phone during a frenzied effort to keep allegations of his marital infidelity out of the press after the infamous 含羞草研究社淎ccess Hollywood含羞草研究社� tape leaked weeks before the 2016 election. In the tape, from 2005, Trump boasted about grabbing women without permission.

JAIL TIME IS JUST ONE OF THE STAKES TRUMP FACES

Donald Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and could face four years in prison if convicted, though it含羞草研究社檚 not clear if the judge would seek to put him behind bars. A conviction would not preclude Trump from becoming president again, but because it is a state case, he would not be able to attempt to pardon himself if found guilty. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Unfolding as Trump vies to reclaim the White House, the trial will require him to spend his days in a courtroom rather than the campaign trail. He will have to listen as witnesses recount salacious and potentially unflattering details about his private life.

Trump has nonetheless sought to turn his criminal defendant status into an asset for his campaign, fundraising off his legal jeopardy and repeatedly railing against a justice system that he has for years claimed is weaponized against him.

PROSECUTORS TO MAKE HISTORY WITH OPENING STATEMENTS

For the first time, prosecutors will present a criminal case against a former American president to a jury Monday as they accuse Donald Trump of a hush money scheme aimed at preventing damaging stories about his personal life from becoming public.

The statements are expected to give jurors and the voting public the clearest view yet of the allegations at the heart of the case, as well as insight into Trump含羞草研究社檚 expected defense.

Hearing the case is a jury that includes, among others, multiple lawyers, a sales professional, an investment banker and an English teacher.

The case will test jurors含羞草研究社� ability to set aside any bias but also Trump含羞草研究社檚 ability to abide by the court含羞草研究社檚 restrictions, such as a gag order that bars him from attacking witnesses. Prosecutors are seeking fines against him for alleged violations of that order.