NEW YORK — Prosecutors and defense lawyers delivered opening statements Monday in Donald Trump’s criminal trial for allegedly falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment during the 2016 presidential election campaign. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo told jurors that then-candidate Trump “orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election” and covered it up by lying in his business records. Defense lawyer Todd Blanche said the payment was legal and that “there’s nothing wrong with trying to influence an election.” The first witness was expected to be called in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president.
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