Trump Found Guilty in Hush Money Case

Jury's Verdict Follows Testimony from Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen

Former President Faces 34 Felony Counts

A New York jury convicted former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records on Monday, bringing to a close a weekslong trial that focused on allegations that the Trump Organization misled tax and insurance authorities about the value of its assets.

The verdict follows testimony from several key witnesses, including adult film star Stormy Daniels and Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen. Daniels testified that she received a $130,000 hush money payment from Cohen during the 2016 presidential campaign in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump. Cohen, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations in connection with the payment, testified that Trump directed him to make the payment.

The hush money case is likely the only one of Trump's four ongoing criminal cases that will be heard ahead of Election Day in November. The other cases involve allegations of tax fraud, bank fraud, and inciting the January 6th Capitol riot.

In a statement released after the verdict, Trump excoriated prosecutors and the judge in his criminal case, calling them "political hacks" and "enemies of the people." He vowed to appeal the verdict and said he was confident that he would be exonerated.

The guilty verdict is a significant development in the ongoing legal saga surrounding Trump. It remains to be seen what impact it will have on his political future and the broader investigation into his alleged misconduct.