Former US President Donald Trump allegedly paid Hush Money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels

Will the former president be allowed to contest the 2024 US Elections? The Republican presidential candidate is set to face his first criminal trial — the first any former president will face — over hush money allegedly paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels today. As Trump’s fate depends on a court decision, who are the key players who will have a say? Stormy Daniels Daniels has alleged that she was paid $130,000 by Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen to not disclose their alleged affair in 2016. However once the news broke out, Daniels sued Trump to release her from the non-disclosure agreement. Michael Cohen Trump's lawyer at the time and a close aide, Cohen admitted in 2018 that he had facilitated the payments to the women at the direction of Trump. Cohen faces a multitude of credibility issues, which Trump and his lawyers will be using to their advantage. David Pecker A close Trump ally, pecker helped him kill damaging stories by chasing the rights. Through his company American Media Inc he reportedly paid several people to suppress affairs stories with different women. Allen Weisselberg the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, Weisselberg aided Cohen in concealing payments after affairs. Jeffrey McConney McConney played a role by concealing invoices of payments made by Cohen as legal expenses. Besides the key witnesses, district attorney Alvin Bragg, judge Juan Merchan and Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche will all be playing a pivotal role in the case.