By Steve Neavling
Grand juries are hearing evidence in two cases against former President Donald Trump, an extraordinary development that could lay the groundwork for criminal charges.
In the case involving Trump’s role in paying hush money to a porn star during his 2016 presidential election, the Manhattan district attorney is beginning to present evidence to a grand jury, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, gave adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 in hush money to hide her extramarital affair with Trump. Cohen pleaded guilty to federal charges of violating campaign finance law in 2018.
Cohen said he made the payments “in coordination with, and at the direction of, a candidate for federal office.” Cohen said he was reimbursed by Trump, and the payment was recorded as legal fees.
In a separate case, a federal grand jury last week heard testimony from two people who found classified documents at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, CNN reports.
They were hired to search four of Trump’s properties last fall.
Each was interviewed for about three hours.
Last year, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to investigate Trump’s handling of classified documents.
