(22 Apr 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
POOL
New York, New York – 22 April 2024
1. Former U.S. President Donald Trump walks toward reporters after first day of trial has concluded
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, former U.S. President:
"I think it went very well. So, you heard that yourself: this is a case that nobody wanted to bring, including Alvin Bragg. It was just at the last minute, they decided to do it. It is a case that if you’re looking back, it goes back many, many years, 2015, maybe before that. And it’s a case as to bookkeeping, which is a very minor thing in terms of the law, in terms of all the violent crime that’s going on outside as we speak, right outside as we speak. This is a case where you pay a lawyer, there’s a lawyer, and they call it a legal expense. That’s the exact term they used, legal expense in the books. And another thing that wasn’t even said was we never even deducted it as a tax deduction. So that takes a whole … most people want to deduct everything. We never even took it as a tax deduction. But they call it a payment to a lawyer, a legal expense in the books. They didn’t call it construction. They didn’t say you’re building a building, it called a payment to a lawyer because, as you know, (Michael) Cohen, is a lawyer. He represented a lot of people over the years. I’m not the only one and wasn’t very good in a lot of ways in terms of his representation. But he represented a lot of people. But he puts in an invoice or whatever a bill, and they pay him. They call it a legal expense. I got indicted for that? What else would you call it? Actually, nobody’s been able to say what you’re supposed to call it. If a lawyer puts in a bill or an invoice and you pay the bill, and in the book, it’s a little line that’s a very small little line. I don’t know if you can even write more than two words. It’s not like you can tell a life story. They marked it down to a legal expense. This is what I got indicted over? Think of it. I get indicted, I’m the leading candidate. I’m beating Biden and beating the Republicans. Now I have the nomination, and this is what they try and take me off the trail for? That check’s being paid to a lawyer. He is a lawyer or was a lawyer. And also the things he got in trouble for were things that had nothing to do with me. He got in trouble and went to jail. This had nothing to do with me. This had to do with the taxicab company that he owned, which is just something on medallions and borrowing money and a lot of things, but had nothing to do with me. He represented a lot of people over the years. But they take this payment and they call it a legal expense. And you heard it today for the first time. This is what I got indicted over. This is what took me off and takes me off the campaign trail. Because I should be in Georgia now. I should be in Florida now. I should be in a lot of different places right now campaigning. And I’m sitting here and this will go in for a long time. It’s very unfair that the judge is conflicted. As you know, it’s very unfair what’s going on. And I should be allowed to campaign."
++BLACK FRAMES++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, former U.S. President:
"And over here I did nothing wrong also. This is a Biden witch hunt to keep me off the campaign trail. So far it’s not working because my phone numbers are higher than ever because the public understands that it’s a witch hunt. Thank you very much."
4. Mid, Trump walks away
STORYLINE:
Court has adjourned for the day in Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York.
Merchan plans to adjourn court on Tuesday at 2 p.m. for the holiday.
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