During the ongoing trial, Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass emphasized that the focus should be on former President Donald Trump and not his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen. Steinglass made it clear to the jury that the case revolves around Trump's alleged falsification of business records to conceal election interference.
Steinglass dismissed attempts by the defense to shift attention to Cohen, stating that the case is fundamentally about Trump's accountability for manipulating his business records. He highlighted that Cohen's role in the case is to provide context and interpretation of the documents and phone records presented as evidence.
According to the prosecutor, the documents themselves are crucial as they serve as concrete evidence that cannot be altered or forgotten. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records, as charged by the Manhattan District Attorney's office last year.
The charges stem from payments made to Cohen for hush money given to an adult film star who alleged an affair with Trump before the 2016 election. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has consistently denied the alleged affair.
Each criminal charge against Trump is linked to specific entries within the business records of the Trump Organization, as outlined in the indictment. Prosecutors assert that Trump deliberately made false entries in the business records multiple times to conceal crucial information.
