Former Trump administration aide Hope Hicks is scheduled to testify for the prosecution in the former president’s hush money trial in New York. NBC News reported Monday.
Hicks, once one of Trump’s closest aides, was investigated by prosecutors in the case last year. Trump is accused of falsifying his business records during the 2016 presidential campaign in an attempt to conceal hush money payments made to hide his past extramarital affairs.
The case is scheduled to go to trial on April 15, and is the first of four criminal cases against Trump to go to trial. Trump dismissed the political charges and maintained his innocence.
Hicks served as Trump campaign press secretary before the 2016 election, when the hush money payments were made. Hicks’ lawyer said in 2019 that Hicks didn’t know about her payments, but investigators in the criminal case against President Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen over her payments said she knew. He said it was highly likely.
Ten years ago, Mr. Cohen paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 through an escrow account to cover up an alleged affair between Mr. Daniels and Mr. Trump. Cohen later pleaded guilty to tax evasion and other charges related to the payments and was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018.
The judge in the case, Juan Machan, on Monday expanded a gag order that had been imposed on President Trump, preventing the former president from disrespecting Machan’s family. Trump has previously criticized Marchand’s daughter. The gag order previously prevented President Trump from speaking to his witnesses and other court officials.
Hicks previously testified in the House investigation on January 6th and in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
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