Stormy Daniels is just one slice of the pie for Donald Trump‘s alleged hush money payments … according to the 34-count indictment, which Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg just unsealed.
As expected, the indictment details the $130,000 Trump allegedly paid Daniels in exchange for her silence about what she describes as their affair. Trump has denied the affair, but according to the docs Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, negotiated the amount with Daniels’ lawyer, and then he wired the money from a shell company to Stormy’s lawyer on October 26, 2016.
The D.A. says Trump directed Cohen to delay making the payment as long as possible, in hopes they could wait until after the election and then stiff her.
The indictment also raises what the D.A. calls Trump’s “catch-and-kill” scheme with AMI, the National Enquirer’s parent company. That alleged scheme involves a $150,000 payment to a second woman.
Although, the docs don’t mention the woman’s name … it’s been widely reported AMI paid that amount to silence Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal, who also claimed she and Trump had an affair.
According to the docs, Trump and Cohen discussed reimbursing AMI — again, a shell company was created on Sept. 30, 2016, and prosecutors alleged Trump and AMI agreed he would pay $125K. However, that deal was never consummated … AMI told Cohen the deal was off.
Lastly, the indictment alleges a $30,000 payment was made from AMI to former Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have information about a child Trump fathered out of wedlock. AMI later found out the story wasn’t true, and wanted to release the doorman from the NDA he’d signed … but prosecutors allege Cohen advised them to keep it in place until after the election.
That’s it … those three incidents are the meat of the D.A.’s case against Trump. The 34 counts are related to smaller payments made by the Trump Organization and Trump personally to reimburse Cohen — however, the D.A. says they were characterized as legal services under a retainer agreement with Cohen.
According to the D.A. that’s the felony falsifying of business records …. and Trump’s alleged motive was preventing the release of damaging stories, and covering up his involvement in doing so.
One more thing … according to the docs, after Trump won the 2016 election, prosecutors say Trump invited AMI CEO David Pecker to the Inauguration, and then, in the summer of 2017, he was invited to dinner at the White House to thank him for his help.
After Tuesday’s arraignment, Trump hightailed it for his jet at LaGuardia Airport and flew back to Mar-a-Lago. His attorney Joe Tacopina spoke outside the courthouse, and blasted D.A. Bragg’s indictment as a big nothing sandwich.
Prosecutors say Cohen pleaded guilty in exchange for a lighter sentence. As you know, he served more than a year in federal prison, and another 18 months on home confinement.
AMI also cooperated in exchange for the feds agreeing not to prosecute the corporation.
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