When former President Donald Trump's criminal falsifying business records case goes to trial in New York this month on criminal charges stemming from hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, a familiar face from in Trump administration is expected to testify — for the prosecution.

Judge Juan Merchan recently said the trial will begin on April 15, which would likely conclude before the November 5 election.

According to reports, Hicks met for several hours in 2023 with the Manhattan prosecutors who brought the case against Trump. They allege that Trump falsified records relating to a hush money payment his then-lawyer Michael Cohen made to Daniels.

Here's more:

An attorney for Hicks said in 2019 that she'd been unaware of the hush money payment until it became public. But an FBI agent who'd been investigating Cohen said in an affidavit for Cohen's federal criminal case that he believed Hicks was involved in the negotiations aimed at preventing Daniels from going public with her claim that she'd had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. 

Trump has denied sleeping with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

The affidavit noted that the negotiations began in earnest after Trump's campaign was reeling from the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape on Oct. 7, 2016. In that video from 2005, Trump could be heard saying in a hot mic moment that he can grope women without their consent because "when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything."

Proving (yet again) that thinking before speaking — or firing off a tweet — is generally the wisest choice.

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche said it was "unfair" for Trump to stand trial while he runs for president.

He shouldn't have to sit for a trial now because (prosecutors) chose to bring this case a year ago and not three years ago.

Trump has pleaded "not guilty" to all charges against him. 

Trump pleaded "not guilty" to 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen's $130,000 payment to silence Daniels before the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she says they had a decade earlier - an encounter Trump steadfastly denies.

At the time, Hicks was Trump's 2016 campaign manager.

Hicks told the then-Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee in 2019 that she was not involved with the Stormy Daniels hush money discussions, and she told the FBI that she did not, "to the best of her recollection,” become aware of Daniels' allegations until early November 2016.

Cohen and Daniels are expected to be key witnesses for the case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office. 

Popcorn time.

The Bottom Line

While Michael Cohen continues to come off as solely interested in saving himself, Hope Hicks would likely be viewed by a jury as a credible witness. My thoughts, of course, but there you have it.

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