In July 2006, a celebrity golf tournament took place in Lake Tahoe, California. Donald Trump, who was 77 years old at the time, encountered Stormy Daniels, a 44-year-old porn star working as a ‘greeter’.
Despite their significant age difference (she was 27 and he was 60), Trump invited her to have dinner at the hotel where they were staying. This encounter took place while ‘Shark Week’ was airing on TV. Daniels recalled an incident where Trump greeted her in his underpants after she came out of the bathroom. According to her, their sexual encounter was not satisfactory, with the only amusement she found being the resemblance of his reproductive organ to the character ‘Toad’ from the Mario Kart game.
Meanwhile, in New York, Trump’s wife Melanie, who was 52 years old at the time, was taking care of their baby Barron.
Now, nearly 18 years later, the night of their encounter in the Sierra Nevada region could lead to legal consequences for the former president. Starting Monday, Trump will be facing legal proceedings in courtroom 1530 of the NY County Supreme Court in Lower Manhattan. He has been charged with 34 felony counts by prosecutor Alvin Bragg, marking the first criminal trial against a former US president.
The main focus of the trial revolves around a payment of $130,000 made as hush money. This payment was intended to prevent the sex film actress, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, from disclosing her affair with Trump during the final days of the 2016 election campaign. Trump’s reputation was already under scrutiny due to previous sexist remarks, and another revelation could have compromised his chances of winning the election. Hence, his lawyer Michael Cohen facilitated the payment to Clifford to ensure her silence.
Specifically, Trump is being accused of disguising the payment as ‘legal fees’ in company accounts. This alleged ‘concealment’ is believed to have paved the way for further criminal activities, including election interference and tax violations. Trump vehemently denies these allegations, labeling them as a politically motivated ‘witch hunt’.
If found guilty, Trump could face up to four years in prison for each charge. Furthermore, the trial could expose more embarrassing details as witnesses like Stormy Daniels and another alleged affair partner, ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal, may testify. McDougal reportedly had an eight-month relationship with Trump during the same period and also received hush money.
The legal proceedings carry significant political implications for Trump, forcing him to juggle court appearances with his ongoing election campaign. Despite the challenges, Trump has utilized his courtroom appearances to portray himself as a victim, drawing comparisons to figures like Nelson Mandela to garner sympathy from his supporters.
He continues to launch aggressive attacks on the judiciary, particularly targeting Colombian-born judge Juan Merchan (61) and his daughter Loren. Trump alleges bias against him in liberal New York, even doubting the impartiality of the jury to be selected from Monday.
Things won’t be pleasant for the defendant at home either, as Melania will have to once again confront his past infidelities…
