Former President Donald Trump plans to argue that he cannot be held responsible for the conduct at the heart of his criminal case related to hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels because he had lawyers involved in decisions that led to the charges.
Trump’s attorneys told a New York criminal court on Tuesday that a key part of his defense will be that he lacked an “intent to commit the conduct charged in the indictment,” according to their latest filing.
“President Trump intends to elicit these facts from witnesses… whom we expect will testify about President Trump’s awareness of counsel’s involvement in the charged conduct,” his lawyers wrote. “This is not a formal advice-of-counselor defense.”
Prosecutors from the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg allege Trump falsified the documentation surrounding payments to his ex-attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and is preparing for jury selection in the trial scheduled to start on March 25.
Trump’s counsel, led by Todd Blanche and Susan Necheles, outlined their plans to ask prosecutors’ key witness, Cohen, and other individuals who were involved in the Daniels discussions about Trump’s “awareness of counsel’s involvement.”
via magatribute