Trump stops by New York construction site ahead of day 7 of hush money trial: Live

New York’s court system is uploading daily transcripts of Donald Trump’s criminal trial “to ensure broad and continuous public access to this extraordinarily high-profile case.”

“With current law restricting the broadcasting of trial proceedings and courtroom space for public spectators very limited, the release of the daily transcripts on the court system’s website is the best way to provide the public a direct view of the proceedings in this historic trial,” Chief Administrative Judge Zayas said in a statement this week.

“This measure is in the interest of the public good and aligns with the court system’s commitment to judicial transparency and its ongoing efforts to enhance public access to, and understanding of, the courts and justice system.”

Transcripts will generally be available within a business day after the hearing.

The Independent will continue to report from the courtroom, sharing updates as they happen.

Good morning from outside criminal court in Manhattan.

Testimony from former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker left the court on a cliffhanger on Tuesday, as prosecutors were questioning him about several Trump-related catch-and-kill schemes in chronological order, ending with a story from former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

Today, we will likely learn more about his discussions with McDougal to keep allegations of her affair silent, before we move on to the Stormy Daniels transactions.

There also could be an opportunity for defence attorneys to cross examine Pecker, who will be on the stand for a third day when he enters the courthouse on Thursday morning.

Prosecutors have not yet shared their plans for the next witness.

New York Judge Juan Merchan could also announce whether he will hold Trump in contempt and fine him for allegedly violating the trial’s gag order.

I’ll be reporting from inside the courtroom starting at 9.30am ET.

You can watch our latest livestream below.

Wow, he’s really squeezing them in these days isn’t he?

Trump is reportedly visiting the corner of East 48th and Park Avenue, currently a construction site but soon to be the new headquarters of the commercial bank JPMorgan, apparently intending to appeal to the city’s blue collar workers.

Speaking of Trump, Giuliani and Meadows, they have also been described as “unindicted co-conspirators” in the so-called “fake electors” scheme in Michigan in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, according to courtroom testimony.

Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel announced criminal charges last July against 16 individuals accused of signing certificates falsely declaring that Trump had won the election in that crucial swing state.

Kelly Rissman has the latest on this one.

A grand jury has indicted 11 Arizona Republicans and seven others for their role in an alleged scheme to keep Trump in the White House by falsely certifying the state’s 2020 election results as a Biden defeat.

The indictment accuses the group, which includes Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows among its number, of trying to prevent “the lawful transfer of the presidency of the United States, keeping President Donald J Trump in office against the will of Arizona voters, and depriving Arizona voters of their right to vote and have their votes counted.”

Josh Marcus has this report.

Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen announced he has voluntarily “gagged” himself ahead of his expected testimony in the historic hush money trial, where a judge imposed a gag order on the former president for attacking Cohen and others.

“Despite not being the gagged defendant, out of respect for Judge Merchan and the prosecutors, I will cease posting anything about Donald on my X… account or on the Mea Culpa podcast until after my trial testimony,” Cohen wrote on on Wednesday.

“See you all in a month (or more),” he added.

A critical question hovering over Trump’s criminal case in New York is whether prosecutors can convince a jury that the former president’s alleged falsification of business records can be tied to a “primary” crime.

Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, which – on their own – are misdemeanor offences.

But Manhattan prosecutors have elevated those charges to felonies by tying them to another offence – one that involves a conspiracy to manipulate an election.

Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg and his office believe the case is relatively straightforward when it comes to the so-called hush money scheme – there are cheques, business ledgers, emails and text messages that allegedly point to a cover-up to classify payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels as “legal expenses”.

Those charges are bumped up to felonies if they are done with the intent to “commit another crime or to aid or conceal” one.

The crimes at the heart of the case stem from an alleged scheme to bury politically compromising stories involving then-Candidate Trump and his alleged affairs in order to protect his chances of winning the 2016 presidential election.

Here’s more from Alex Woodward.

The other major event in Trumpworld today is the US Supreme Court hearing oral arguments on Trump’s iffy “presidential immunity” defence against prosecution.

In what is set to be a landmark ruling from the nation’s highest court, the nine justices will determine if the 45th president’s attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results by making false claims of election fraud, allegedly trying to install fake electors and pressuring former vice president Mike Pence to decertify election results were part of his “official acts” as commander-in-chief and if they are therefore protected from criminal prosecution.

Ariana Baio answers your questions about the historic case before the court convenes this morning.

After a day’s recess on Wednesday, Trump’s hush money trial resumes in Manhattan today, with witness David Pecker expected to return to the stand to tell us more about the sordid world of “chequebook journalism”, where he is set to reach the Stormy Daniels section of his story.

On Tuesday, Pecker, former publisher of The National Enquirer, detailed a secret agreement with Donald Trump and his attorney Michael Cohen to bury politically compromising stories that then-Candiate Trump fathered an illegitimate child and had an affair with a former Playboy model.

That “catch and kill” scheme is central to prosecutors’ argument that Trump “orchestrated” a cover-up to boost his election chances by falsfying business records that recorded hush money payments as “legal expenses.”

David Pecker will be back on the stand this morning.

Here’s Alex Woodward’s report on what he had to say on Tuesday.