Donald Trump’s final message to New York City jurors was a simple twist on a classic excuse: It’s exactly what it looks like.
Yes, there was a non-disclosure agreement in the closing days of the 2016 election that shut up porn star Stormy Daniels from mouthing off about a supposed sexual affair. And yes, Trump paid the man who cut that deal $35,000 a month for a year in 2017—and even signed those checks from the White House.
But on Tuesday morning, lead defense lawyer Todd Blanche told the jury that the paperwork only shows that the real estate mogul was on the receiving end of an extortion scheme and later paid a lawyer to do his job as “personal attorney to the President of the United States.”
“The reason why you all are here…
