Donald Trump attorney Will Scharf told Newsmax on Monday that the prosecution against the former president took a technical business records case and, through a "smoke and mirrors campaign," turned it into a shameful sideshow of a trial that they won't be able to prove.
Joining "Rob Schmitt Tonight," Scharf brushed aside Michael Cohen's testimony earlier in the day to say that the prosecution hasn't even "started proving up its case."
"Hush money is not a crime. Signing an NDA is not a crime. What's been alleged here is technical business records violations from 2016 and 2017," Scharf said. "If you actually look through the trial record, there's practically not a single scintilla of evidence that any business records fraud occurred.
"We're almost at the end of trial, and they haven't even started proving up the case that they claim they were going to prove," Scharf added. "What they've done instead is introduce vast swathes of highly prejudicial but not at all probative evidence in an effort, I believe, to confuse the jury. I've called it a smoke and mirrors campaign before. That's what we're dealing with here."
Scharf himself is a former assistant U.S. attorney who's waging a primary battle against Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey in his home state of Missouri. Through the lens of a prosecutor, Scharf said he's not impressed with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's case.
"As a former federal prosecutor, I find it deeply offensive that a case like this would both be brought and prosecuted the way it's been prosecuted. This is Banana Republic stuff. This is not the way criminal cases are supposed to proceed in courtrooms in the United States of America," Scharf said.
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
- Find Newsmax channel in your home via cable and satellite systems – More Info Here
- Watch Newsmax+ on your home TV app or smartphone and watch it anywhere! Try it for FREE -- See More Here: NewsmaxPlus.com
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.