Trump hush money trial: Trump found guilty on all counts in historic case
Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts in his hush money trial.
Former President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 felony counts related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been convicted on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
Top headlines:
Trump guilty on all 34 counts
'The truth always matters,' Michael Cohen says
The prosecution's star witness, former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, called today's verdict "an important day for accountability and the rule of law."
"While it has been a difficult journey for me and my family, the truth always matters," he said.
'The fix was always in,' says Trump adviser
Two senior Trump advisers who ABC News spoke with were extremely angry after the verdict.
Both said they were not surprised by the jury’s decision. One said, "The fix was always in," and the other added, "Not surprised -- it’s New York."
Donald Trump Jr., reacting to his father's guilty verdict, said, "The Democrats have succeeded in their yearslong attempt to turn America into a third-world s---hole. Nov. 5 is our last chance to save it."
Biden campaign reacts to verdict
The guilty verdict shows "no one is above the law," a representative for President Joe Biden's campaign said, adding, "But today's verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box."
"Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president," Michael Tyler, communications director for the Biden-Harris campaign, said in a statement.
"A second Trump term means chaos, ripping away Americans' freedoms and fomenting political violence -- and the American people will reject it this November," Tyler said.
The White House offered a very brief comment, with a White House Counsel’s Office spokesperson saying, "We respect the rule of law, and have no additional comment."
Among the congressional response, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who traveled to Manhattan days ago to support Trump at the trial, said in a statement, "Today is a shameful day in American history. Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon."
"President Trump will rightfully appeal this absurd verdict -- and he WILL WIN!" Johnson said.
Trump campaign is fundraising off verdict: 'I'm a political prisoner!'
Former President Donald Trump's campaign is already fundraising off of the guilty verdicts in his hush money trial, telling his supporters he has been convicted in a "rigged" trial.
"I was just convicted in a RIGGED political Witch Hunt trial: I DID NOTHING WRONG!" a fundraising email said. "They’ve raided my home, arrested me, took my mugshot, AND NOW THEY’VE JUST CONVICTED ME!" the email continues.
The email links to a fundraising page, in which Trump told his supporters, "I'm a political prisoner!"
Defense says Daniels took advantage of 'Access Hollywood' tape
Advancing his argument that Trump was extorted by Stormy Daniels, defense attorney Todd Blanche told jurors that Stormy Daniels and her agent Gina Rodrgiuez saw a "time to strike" after the release of the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape.
"Ms. Daniels and Ms. Rodriguez seized an opportunity," Blanche said. "They came back to Mr. Howard again and said ... now it is the time to strike."
Turning a prosecution argument on its head, Blanche argued that rather than being the catalyst for the Daniels hush payment and the eventual falsifying of business records, the "Access Hollywood" was Daniels and Rodriguez seizing an "opportunity."
Shouting emphatically, Blanche ticked through the three alleged catch and kills in an attempt to shred prosecutors' theory that they constituted a conspiracy to influence the election.
The doorman story was "not true," he said. Susan McDougal didn't want her story out. Daniels came forward after the "Access Hollywood tape" and David Pecker said, "Nah, I want nothing to do with it,' Blanche said.
"That's the conspiracy?!" Blanche yelled. "That's the three catch and kills!?"