Trump lawyer suggests hush money payment was extortion
hush money payment at the centre of his criminal trial as extortion, questioning a lawyer involved in the deal about his cash-for-dirt negotiations with other celebrities.
Defense attorney Emil Bove's questioning of the lawyer Keith Davidson hinted at a strategy by Trump's legal team to undermine the credibility of prosecution witnesses in the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president. Trump stands accused of falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election.
Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies Daniels' assertion they had sex a decade earlier.
After Davidson testified that he arranged the $130,000 payment with Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen, Bove asked about Davidson's alleged efforts to seek cash from Hulk Hogan in exchange for a sex tape involving the former pro wrestler.
He also asked Davidson about attempts to trade embarrassing information for cash from celebrities including actor Charlie Sheen and reality TV star Tila Tequila.
«You were pretty well-versed in getting right up to the line without committing extortion, right?» Bove asked. Davidson denied ever committing extortion.
Trump's lawyers are likely to take a similar tack with other expected witnesses including Daniels and Cohen, who has served prison time for his role in the payment scheme.
Davidson confirmed Daniels signed a non-disclosure agreement with Trump to keep quiet about a 2006
