Name: WRAL Documentary: MaryAnn
Uploaded: 2021-01-13T19:27:37-0500
Duration: 1563229
Description: The new WRAL Documentary "MaryAnn" examines the life and work of MaryAnn Black

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The new WRAL Documentary "MaryAnn" examines the life and work of MaryAnn Black

- [Male Narrator] The following program is shot in 4K High Dynamic Range, and broadcast in high definition, from Capitol Broadcasting Company. (upbeat music) - Gifted. - Curious. - Professional. - Determined. - Intelligent. - Steady. - Giving. - Warm. - Loving. - Elegant. - Caring. - Caring. - Caring. - Caring. - Caring. - Resourceful. - Compassionate. - Compassionate. - Compassionate. - Lovable (laughs) - Kind. - Beautiful. - Extraordinary. - Impactful. (upbeat music) - When I started reading about MaryAnn Black, I was amazed at all she had done, but her life and work are more than a bullet point list of jobs, accomplishments, and awards. They're really about the positive impact her life and work, have had on others. - Wag butter. - Wag butter? Okay, so we're gonna want 75 single jar boxes. - [Lena] Vantrell Holman works in the packing and shipping area, at Big Spoon Roasters in Durham. It's a maker of nut butters and snack bars. - I do boxes, label the boxes, and put jars inside of boxes. - Do you wanna make some more two packs? - [Lena] Vantrell likes being part of the team. - I like working with other people. - [Lena] And he likes the benefits. - They pay good money. - [Lena] Holman is a graduate of a program called Project Search, - And MaryAnn actually is the one who brought that idea to the forefront. - [Lena] Project Search helps high school seniors in Durham Public Schools, who have developmental disabilities. - They come into the classroom every day, do a little bit of instruction, and then most of their time, is out learning real job skills, in our environment, in the hospital. - [Lena] More than half of Project Search's graduates, find employment after high school. Holman is one of them. - We were really impressed with Project Search, when we first contacted them. And I know they have a mission of helping instill self-reliance and achievement, in members of community that have barriers to employment, and those really reflect our values. - It really has helped him to bring incredible value to us, and also for him to feel great about what he does. - Feels good. - [Lena] Project Search is housed at the City of Medicine Academy, on the campus of Duke Regional Hospital. - MaryAnn was really instrumental, in bringing it to our campus and having City of Medicine Academy, get its own building. - And she drew on her skills, and bringing people together, but it also reflected her vision, for how it could be impactful today, but endure for a long, long period of time. So it stands as a symbol in so many ways, of who MaryAnn was and what she brought. - So what is the primary responsibility for the small intestine? - [Lena] The Academy is its own high school, within Durham Public Schools. It serves 400 students a year preparing them, for careers in healthcare. - Many of them go on to medical school, some to nursing school. - [Lena] And many get scholarships to do that. - It is a very highly regarded program. - [Lena] Perhaps MaryAnn Black's commitment to healthcare is best reflected in a program called Project Access. It helps uninsured patients, who use Durham's Lincoln Community Health Center, and don't have access to specialty care. - So the reason he is here today is for a follow-up weight check, right? - Project Access is the way for donated specialty care to be coordinated with the providers at Lincoln, to get people the care that they need. - Hey Rylin. - This can sometimes mean that, they don't have to keep being seen over and over again in primary care, but they actually go to a specialist to get something fixed if possible. - Now we're gonna get the temperature. - [Lena] Project Access provides specialty care to more than 2000 patients a year. - It's just a great program and MaryAnn was so essential, in making that program happen. - [Lena] Project Access, the City of Medicine Academy, and Project Search, and all of the people, those programs have helped, are testaments to who MaryAnn Black truly was. - MaryAnn was someone who was very kind, very compassionate, really cared very deeply about this community. She cared deeply about people, about children in particular. - She knew how to handle bureaucracy, but she knew that things to be done for the community, had to be done with the support of the people. - She valued community voice, as much as she did the voice of people, in the power in decision-making towers. And she wanted those two groups to get together, because she knew together, Durham can do all sorts of great things. - [Lena] Next, a look at the life, that made MaryAnn Black who she was. - [MaryAnn Black] I want you to know, that my parents have done everything that they could do, to take care of their children, and to make sure that we received a good education. (upbeat music) (somber, brooding music) - [MaryAnn] There were many years when I questioned what was wrong with me. And why I was treated differently. I grew up in the segregated South. A place that did not allow Negros to become all that we could become. (somber, brooding music) - [Lena] MaryAnn Black grew up in this house in Florence South Carolina in the 40s and 50s. - You used to have to walk to high school. The white kids rode by us, They throw bottles of water on us. They spit on us. (somber, brooding music) - [Lena] But Maryann's parents still tried to make a good life for their children. - When we was growing up, we didn't have a whole lot of money, but what we did have, we made the best use of it. Our parents always taught us to do the best we could. - We had to cook, We had to wash, we had to iron-- - [Lena] MaryAnn did most of the cooking. - She was making upside-down cakes before we ever heard of upside-down cake. - [Lena] Their father was Florence's first African-American police officer. Something that frightened MaryAnn and her siblings. (somber brooding music) - The fear was somebody would kill him. - [Lena] But it sent another message to MaryAnn. - She knew that things could get better and she did what she could to help things to make things better. - [Lena] MaryAnn graduated from Wilson High School in Florence. She earned a bachelor's degree at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina and then went on to earn a master's degree in social work at UNC Chapel Hill. - She wanted to help people. And that was why, she wanted to become a social worker. (melancholy orchestral music) - [MaryAnn] I came to Duke in 1974 and worked as a social worker at the Child Guidance Clinic. I was already trained as a social worker, but being with the psychologists and the psychiatrists and all of the other people there, really enhanced my learning and expanded my ability to do other things in the world. - [Lena] MaryAnn developed a more holistic approach to treating children with behavioral and emotional problems. And developed a mentoring program for them as well. (bouncy piano music) In 1984, she started her own psychotherapy practice - [MaryAnn] My practice filled up very very rapidly. And there were many many people at Duke who referred psychiatrist, psychologist, social workers who referred patients to me because they knew my skill level and did not feel uncomfortable sending patients to me. - [Lena] She would later be named both state and national social worker of the year. (bouncy piano music) - [Lena] In 1990, MaryAnn successfully ran for the Durham County Board of Commissioners. She served 12 years. The last six says Chair. - Very caring person, which certainly came through all the time. Her social work background was always on display. So she cared about how people were feeling and generally was very compassionate person. - [MaryAnn] I enjoyed being a County Commissioner because of all of the learning that you had an opportunity to do and the opportunity to make changes. - [Lena] Early in her tenure, MaryAnn dealt with one of the most controversial issues, County Commissioners would ever face. The merging of the city and County school systems. - That was fraught with all kinds of emotion and bitterness almost in the community, particularly among County residents. - [Lena] MaryAnn helped unify a divided board. - She'd like to see both sides of an issue, and she always wanted to get the other person's thoughts also before coming to a decision itself. - [Lena] That approach served her well in another contentious issue before the board, the lease of Durham Regional Hospital to Duke University Health System. - There were people who were strongly opposed to having Duke be the partner for Durham Regional. MaryAnn Black was an incredibly trusted voice, a steady voice, non partial. She got deeply involved in trying to understand the benefits or potentially the lack of benefits of different partners. Ultimately came to the conclusion that Duke was the right partner. - And MaryAnn really saw that and had the foresight to understand that there would be benefit to this community, to having Duke Health System and then Durham Regional Hospital partner together. (somber, brooding music) - [Lena] In 2002, Dr. Ralph Snyderman president and CEO of Duke University Health System recruited MaryAnn to be his Director of Community Affairs. He later elevated her to associate Vice President of community relations. (bouncy, bass thumping beat) - I knew her, I knew her because I negotiated against her. She was a tough person to negotiate against. And one of the reasons she was so tough is she was so nice. She was so sincere. She deeply believed in what she was doing. She was representing the people of Durham. She was unswerving. - She was the person that ensured that we kept community health and our community partners on the agenda at the highest level of the organization. - She was the person who led the establishment and creation of new endeavors or projects. - That she was the person who helped us be accountable. (helicopter whirring) - At the time, Duke's goal was to go beyond just treating illness and disease at its medical center and work more on promoting better health out in the community. - And we decided to do this we needed to bring in all the constituencies that were involved. And that's where the idea of the summit came up and MaryAnn Black from my perspective was the one who was the point person for that. - [Lena] In fact, MaryAnn started a series of health summits in the community. - She had the people at Duke that have the money and the power, come sit at the table with community organizations and just community residents so that the voices could be shared. Only she and her team could get that done. - [MaryAnn] And we began to talk about what would it take for us to begin to say, "What are the health issues we should tackle." - In any ways this is a legacy of MaryAnn Black bringing all the constituencies together to work, to improve health, as well as to care for people with disease. - The sort of the basis for social work is don't do for others what they can do for themselves, but help them move along and what they want to do. And she sort of applied that to the community. - [Lena] MaryAnn helped forge a partnership between Duke and Lincoln Park Community Health Center that led to the creation of the Lyon Park Clinic in South Central Durham. - And it served those who have lack of funds, no funds, no insurance, sliding scale. People who would normally have to go to the emergency room can come here. - [Lena] The clinic will soon bear MaryAnn's name. - She was a defender of our dream. (crowd chattering) (gavel strikes) - [Lena] In 2017, the local Democratic Party nominated MaryAnn to fill a vacated seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives. Governor Roy Cooper appointed her. - And I think it was a no-brainer - And she's been front and center of all the issues in Durham for the last 30 years, and then it became front and center with all the state issues - [Lena] In the Legislature MaryAnn continued to work on issues related to health and education. Particularly as they related to children. - In the House of Representatives before she spoke she always was careful with her words, wrote out everything, delivered statements impeccably, but she had a real care for everyone. She wasn't representing one constituency. she wanted the good for all. - As an African-American woman, I think she was just brave. And she lived through times where she had to find her voice when it probably wasn't easy as a woman or as a Black woman to have that voice. - She was just the most warm gracious person you'd ever meet. Her warmth and her listening ability brought people together. She worked with people at the house across the aisle better than I did. - [Lena] Which led to some advice from MaryAnn to her new legislative colleague and friend. - Well Marcia you have a lot of passion, but don't forget your grace when you speak on (laughs) it was good motherly advice. (inspirational) - [Lena] Next, the wonderful legacy MaryAnn Black left us, - [MaryAnn] I like to spend the time trying to seek solutions to life problems, enjoying life, enjoying my family, enjoying friends, and yes my job. I have always loved the jobs that I have. (inspirational music) - [Lena] To watch the WRAL documentary "MaryAnn" on demand anytime, go to WRALDocumentary.com and all of these streaming platforms. You can also join the conversation by following @WRALDoc on Facebook and Twitter. - [MaryAnn] My goal is to leave this world a better place. So there is no time for me to be angry. There is no time for me to feel self pity. (sad music) - [Lena] MaryAnn Black spent the last months of her life battling cancer. - MaryAnn was a strong person and MaryAnn did all that she could to help in her illness. - My wife and I, we went to Durham many occasions to see her and we visit her and we did everything we could to help her. - My sister wanted to live. She loved life. And she did everything that she could to live. - [Lena] But on March 25th, 2020, MaryAnn lost her battle to cancer. Among her surviving family is her son Jonathan, who like his mother is a social worker. - She cared a great deal about me and my wellbeing. She was a loving mother, she loved me, unconditional love. And she was a great friend and a mentor as well. - Her passing was tough. She's a very good friend. I really miss her. - Her death when it came may have been expected, but it was still a shock. Every time I looked at her desk while I sit on the floor I miss her terribly. - [Lena] MaryAnn's death came during the pandemic. So there could be no large funeral gathering. - That was one of the saddest mornings I've ever experienced. There would have been hundreds, if not thousands of people coming to her memorial, honoring her, talk stories about her and the love she gave to us. And we wanted to give back. And to have such a kind of a cold gray morning with so few people there, it was really hard. - [Lena] The pandemic was also a reminder of MaryAnn's value to the community. - Sometimes you need a touchstone. Somebody that's been around for awhile, that knows the game, that knows how to get things done. That cares. And she was that in many ways, for a lot of people in Durham. MaryAnn not being here as a touchstone is hard for many of us 'cause we we relied on her to be a leader in times like this. - The quintessential public servant. An amazing individual. - I admired her. She was a good person. In her own quiet way you couldn't help, but feel her strength. - MaryAnn was a very warm person. She was always looking out for others in the best way she could. - For MaryAnn it was all about other people. It was not about MaryAnn, it was about other people. - [Lena] People like Vantrell Holman, who never even knew MaryAnn, but is benefiting from her work on project search. It found him a job opportunity he might not have otherwise had. - He's contributing to help his household. And that's, I would imagine, I hope that's something that really makes him feel good. - I'm helpful, feels good. - That is part of the legacy of MaryAnn Black, a life devoted to helping others, even those she'd never met with an impact that spans across a community and a state through generations to come. - Everyone has dignity and everyone deserves kindness. And MaryAnn certainly led by that example and I think she has really shown us that that's the way for us to continue her legacy. - It's a legacy of caring, not just for Durham, but of caring for North Carolina. - MaryAnn Black's legacy will be one of a heartfelt person for community and meeting community needs. - Relying on the community voice and making sure that the individuals experiencing problems are the ones who are helping create the solutions. And that is her social work degree, and that is really the legacy that she left. - Her legacy will be a lady who stood for truth, conviction, a willingness to help, a willingness to be a problem solver. (inspirational music)

Jodi Leese Glusco

WRAL Documentary: MaryAnn

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<p>Dress and layers on Tuesday. I'm meteorologist K Campbell in the wr severe weather center, sweater weather is temporarily back. We're talking 35 in the morning in Roxboro, 38 Durham, 39 in Raleigh, we actually had to lower the low temperature. After looking over some of the new model data in this afternoon. 40 in Fayetteville, it's a chilly start to the day but the coldest that we have likely for the rest of the season. We're at 45 though again for the low on Friday. So some of these cooler nights and mornings are in the forecast. I would dress in layers this week and have the extra layer on hand. The normal low is 51 for some perspective satellite and radar showing the cold front that passed earlier. The clouds moving on out of here. We've got high pressure in control tomorrow but then comes our next cold front. So enjoy the sunshine tomorrow. It should be day. But with a chilly northwest wind initially changing to southwest Wednesday is when we have a small chance for rain. It's our only opportunity for rain this week. It's as we get midday that I think we have the best chance of a quick shower blowing through the area. And then by Wednesday night, we'll see that front, quickly clear out of here and some cooler air will follow. If you need to get some yard work done this week. It looks like a pretty good week to knock out some of those outdoor projects. Just that 20% chance of rain on Wednesday, there's a chance it could be raised to 30% but it's not looking like a very significant rain for us. And the rest of the week is looking pretty quiet and dry for your meal planner tomorrow. Breakfast, 43 degrees at chilly start to the day by lunchtime, it's 66 plenty of sunshine. So it should be feeling pretty good out there as long as you're in the sunlight and for very comfortable, 70 degrees. One of those nice in between winter and summer, spring days, you know, we don't get too many of those. So enjoy this week, the afternoons should be pretty nice with highs in the seventies. Then we are warming back up 81 on Sunday, 85 by next Monday. And the long term temperature forecast is showing above normal temperatures as we head through the next couple of weeks.</p>

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Good evening. I'm Gayle. Her, welcome to tonight's drawings for Monday, April 22nd, 2024. Well, let's get started tonight with our Carolina pick three. Our first winning number is a two. Our second number is six and the third number today is three and our pick three. Fireball number is four. Joining me for tonight's showing is our auditor from mcconnell and Jones L LP. Now let's move to the Carolina pick four. Good luck. Everyone who's at first winning pick four. Number, it's a two. Our second number here it comes. It's two again. Third number tonight is three and our fourth number is a nine and our pick for a fireball number is six. We turn now to the Carolina cash five. If no one wins the top prize tonight, tomorrow's our prize is estimated at $451,000. Good luck. Everyone is their first winning cash five number. It is a 39. Our second number 14, 3rd number tonight is 12. Our fourth number is 28 and the final number in our cash five this evening is 31. The North Carolina Education lottery has contributed over $10 billion to education. Get your winning numbers right here every night in your exclusive station for the North Carolina education lottery. Thanks for playing. Have a great night.

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Good evening, America. I'm Michelle Isles. Tonight. We've got another life changing jackpot for you in an estimated amount of $116 million. Get your tickets out. We'll start things off tonight with the number 39 right after that America. We have 12. Let's congratulate Francisco Nunez of North Carolina who won $150,000. Now, your next number up tonight is 16. That's followed by 52 and we're rounded out tonight with 33. Now for your winning powerball number. Good luck, everyone. It is one and your power play multiplier is two. Let's take another look at those winning numbers. Remember there are multiple ways to win. We'll see you back here Wednesday night. Good night. It's time to play America's favorite.

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Good afternoon. I'm Louis Fernandez. Welcome to this afternoon's drawings for Monday, April 22nd, 2024. Let's get started with Carolina pick three. The first pick three number is eight. Second is seven and the third is eight and our pick three fireball number is four. Joining me for this afternoon's drawing is our auditor from mcconnell and Jones L LP. And let's move to the Carolina pick four. The first pick four number is eight. The second is six. The third is eight and the fourth is two and our pick four. Fireball number is three. The North Carolina Education lottery has contributed over $10 billion to education. Thanks for your support. Get your win numbers each day at three and again, 1122 right here.

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NBC News provides a special report on the end of testimony for the day in the trial of Donald Trump.

OCTOBER OF 2016 WHEN SHE CAME FORWARD TO THE "NATIONAL ENQUIRER," THE "NATIONAL ENQUIRER" IN TURN CONTACTED MICHAEL COHEN WHO THEN PAID HER $130,000 JUST TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION THE D.A.'S OFFICE FROM DISTRICT ATTORNEY ALVIN BRAGG'S TEAM HAVE OUTLINED HERE OVER THE COURSE OF 45 MINUTES IN OPENING STATEMENTS THAT THEY INTEND TO SHOW THAT THERE IS A CONSPIRACY, THAT DONALD TRUMP DIRECTED THE PAYMENTS IN 2016 WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION TO STORMY DANIELS, AND THAT HE WOULD THEN IN TURN IN 2017 REIMBURSE MICHAEL COHEN FOR THOSE PAYMENTS. THE WHAT DID DONALD TRUMP KNOW AND DIDN'T KNOW IS AT THE HEART OF THIS CASE. BACK IN 2016 WHEN THIS CASE BECAME PUBLIC, HE INITIALLY DENIED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE STORMY DANIELS PAYMENT OF $130,000, BUT WHAT YOU ARE HEARD FROM HIS DEFENSE TEAM WHEN THEY TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT FORWARD THEIR OPENING STATEMENTS OVER 35 MINUTES, HIS DEFENSE LAWYER OUTLINED THAT DONALD TRUMP WAS A SYMPATHETIC FIGURE IN THIS, THAT HE DID NOT COMMIT ANY CRIME, THAT HE COMPENSATED MICHAEL COHEN AS HIS PERSONAL LAWYER, THAT IT WAS NOT A REPAYMENT TO COVER UP THE STORMY DANIELS' STORY BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION, BUT HE WAS SIMPLY PAYINGIM AS HIS PERSONAL LAWYER. HE TOLD THE JURY -- THIS WAS DONALD TRUMP'S ATTORNEY -- THAT THEY SHOULD IGNORE THE TESTIMONY FROM THE LIKES OF STORMY DANIELS WHEN SHE TAKES THE STAND SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR SALACIOUS MATERIAL ABOUT ALLEGED AFFAIRS AND AN ATTEMPTED HUSH MONEY PAYMENT, BUT NONE OF THAT MATTERS BECAUSE AT THE HEART OF THIS IS OVER FINANCIAL RECORDS AND THAT DONALD TRUMP WAS NOT THE ONE THAT ULTIMATELY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE ACTS. AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE AN INTENSE FIVE TO SEVEN-WEEK TRIAL HERE. TOMORROW THEY WILL RETURN TO COURT FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE WE LOOK AT OTHER WITNESSES INCLUDING STORMY DANIELS AND OF COURSE, MICHAEL COHEN WHOM THE DEFENSE TEAM FOR DONALD TRUMP ALREADY WAS QUESTIONING THE CREDIBILITY OF SAYING THAT MICHAEL COHEN'S TRUE INTENT HERE IS JUST TO GET DONALD TRUMP AND GET HIM INTO JAIL AFTER THOSE TWO, BEING THE FORMER LAWYER, FORMER FIXER, THE TWO OF THEM PARTED WAYS AS ALL OF THIS CAME TO LIGHT IN 2018. FOR DONALD TRUMP AND HIS PART INSIDE OF THAT COURTROOM FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, HE KEPT HIS EYES SHUT, BUT AT OTHER MOMENTS, HE WAS LOOKING AT HIS DEFENSE LAWYER TODD BLANCHE AS HE BEGAN TO MAKE HIS CASE TO THE JURY. AND HE ALSO TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED AT THE GALLERY, LOOKED AT THOSE WHO WERE IN THE ROOM. HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH DAVID PECKER, THAT "NATIONAL ENQUIRER" PUBLISHER WHO WAS A LONG-TIME, ONE-TIME FRIEND OF HIS. THIS FOR HIM IS GOING TO BE A LONG HAUL HERE, BUT ONE THAT COULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO HIM AND HIS LEGAL FATE EITHER BEING FOUND GUILTY OR INNOCENT OR THE VERY REAL POTENTIAL OF A HUNG JURY. THE FIRST WITNESS TAKE THE STAND IN WHAT IS A MONUMENTAL DAY FOR DONALD TRUMP, THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S CRIMINAL TRIAL. >> DID YOU HEAR ANYTHING FROM THE OTHER SIDE THAT SUGGESTS SOMETHING NEW IN HOW THEY WANT TO FRAME THIS CASE FOR THE JURY? >> Reporter: THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY THAT THE PROSECUTION WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING FORWARD BECAUSE IF YOU JUST TAKE DAVID PECKER, THAT MAN WHO WAS AT TRUMP TOWER WITH MICHAEL COHEN, WITH DONALD TRUMP, THE QUESTION WAS WHAT KIND OF TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE WOULD HE BE ABLE TO PROVIDE? BECAUSE HE HAS NEVER DONE A PUBLIC INTERVIEW. HE HAS NEVER PUBLICLY DISCUSSED THIS, BUT WHAT THE PROSECUTION OUTLINED IS THAT THEY HAVE CORROBORATING EVIDENCE THROUGH EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES AND PHONE CALLS. THEY EVEN HAVE GOING BACK TO OCTOBER 26th OF 2016 A PHONE CALL, TWO PHONE CALLS THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND MICHAEL COHEN IN WHICH THEY ALLEGE THAT MICHAEL COHEN JUST AFTER THOSE PHONE CALLS WENT TO A BANK, SET UP A BANK ACCOUNT IN THE FOLLOWING DAY, WIRED $130,000 TO STORMY DANIELS. SO THE PROSECUTION IS MAKING THE CASE THAT THIS IS MORE THAN JUST THE TESTIMONY OF MICHAEL COHEN BUT WE HAVE THE RECORDS. THE QUESTION IS DO THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO MAKE DONALD TRUMP THE TRUE CRIMINAL DEFENDANT HERE AS HIS DEFENSE TEAM HAS MADE THE CASE, LESTER, THAT THIS WAS A MATTER OF FINANCING AND THAT THOSE IN THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THOSE FINANCIAL RECORDS, IT WAS INCUMBENT ON THEM ON HOW THOSE RECORDS WERE ACTUALLY MAINTAINED AND THAT LEGAL, WHICH IS AT THE HEART OF THE FINANCIAL FRAUD ALLEGATIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE AGAINST DONALD TRUMP HERE, THAT THOSE DENOTATIONS OF LEGAL EXPENSES WERE FAIR AND JUST BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT DONALD TRUMP THOUGHT THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY USING MICHAEL COHEN FOR AND THAT THE IDEA OF REPAYING HIM FOR A HUSH MONEY PAYMENT WAS NOT AT THE FOREFRONT OF DONALD TRUMP'S MIND WHILE HE WAS SITTING IN THE OVAL OFFICE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF 2017. >> ALL RIGHT, VAUGHN, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO STAND BY. LET ME BRING IN FOR MORE, OUR SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT HALLIE JACKSON, AND NBC NEWS LEGAL ANALYST, DANNY CEVALLOS. GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE. HALLIE, FIRST OFF, FRAME WHAT WE HAVE HEARD TODAY. >> THE PROSECUTION IS ESSENTIALLY LOOKING TO LAY OUT THE CASE, AND YOU HEARD THIS COME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE OPENING STATEMENTS TODAY, THAT THIS GOES BEYOND SIMPLY WHAT WE ALL SHORTHAND IT AS THE HUSH MONEY TRIAL, THAT THIS WAS ABOUT ELECTION INTERFERENCE. THEY DID SOMETHING INTERESTING, THEY TOOK THIS PHRASE THAT IN MANY WAYS THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS CO-OPTED, THIS IDEA OF ELECTION FRAUD AND THEY TRIED TO FLIP IT AND USE IT AGAINST DONALD TRUMP IN THESE OPENING STATEMENTS, DESCRIBING WHAT HE DID AS ILLEGAL ELECTION FRAUD, THAT HE TRIED TO COVER UP ALONG WITH MICHAEL COHEN AND DAVID PECKER THIS, YOU KNOW, MONEY TO COVER UP AN ALLEGED SEX SCANDAL. WHAT THE DEFENSE DID WAS TRY TO TAKE THAT BACK. YOU HEARD THIS VERY INTERESTING LINE FROM TODD BLANCHE, THE LEAD ATTORNEY THERE FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT WHO SAID SPOILER ALERT, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH TRYING TO INFLUENCE AN ELECTION. IT'S CALLED DEMOCRACY. KIND OF AN EXTRAORDINARY LINE TO HEAR FROM THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S TEAM, AND SO THE DEFENSE CAME BACK, BLANCHE SAID THAT, BUT ALSO TRIED TO MAKE DONALD TRUMP SEEM SUPER RELATABLE. THAT WAS STRIKING AT SEVERAL MOMENTS FOR THE DEFENSE'S OPENING STATEMENTS TALKING ABOUT, SURE, HE'S THE FORMER PRESIDENT, BUT HEY, HE'S JUST LIKE US. HE'S A FATHER. HE'S A HUSBAND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL NEW YORKERS HERE. WE ALL GET IT. TRYING TO ESTABLISH THAT PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE JURY IN HOPES THAT THAT COULD SERVE THE DEFENSE TEAM OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SIX WEEKS THERE. WHAT I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING FOR, YOU ASKED ABOUT WHAT COULD BE NEW HERE, AND YOU HEARD VAUGHN ALLUDE TO SOME OF THIS, THE PROSECUTION HAS RECEIPTS. THEY'RE ALLUDING TO A TAPE WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S VOICE ON IT. THEY'RE ALLUDING TO A PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE OVAL OFFICE OF DONALD TRUMP WITH MICHAEL COHEN. THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO PROVE THAT MICHAEL COHEN, STORMY DANIELS, THAT THE PAPER DOCUMENTS, THE EVIDENCE, THE PAPER TRAIL PROVES THEIR CASE. >> SO DANNY, THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, THE DEFENSE IS GOING TO SAY THERE'S NO CRIME HERE? >> THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAN THAT. THEY ACTUALLY OPENED WITH HE'S INNOCENT. WHICH IS AN INTERESTING CHOICE OF WORDS. INNOCENCE IS NOT DETERMINED AT CRIMINAL TRIAL, GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY. SOMETIMES IF YOU FEEL THAT YOUR CASE IS PARTICULARLY STRONG, YOU MAY TRY TO ESSENTIALLY ARGUE INNOCENCE TO THE JURY. MY CLIENT IS SO NOT GUILTY THAT HE'S INNOCENT, AND THEY ESSENTIALLY OPENED WITH THAT. WE ALREADY GOT A PREVIEW AND THERE WERE NO SURPRISES. THEY'RE GOING TO POINT TO MICHAEL COHEN AS SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT CREDIBLE. THEY'RE GOING TO POINT TO STORMY DANIELS AS SOMEONE WHO IS NOT CREDIBLE, ALTHOUGH YOU COULD ARGUE THAT STORMY DANIELS IS ALMOST NOT NECESSARY AS A WITNESS IN THIS CASE. HER INVOLVEMENT IS KIND OF TANGENTIAL. THE AFFAIR ITSELF IS NOT CRITICAL TO WHETHER OR NOT IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED FOR THIS CASE. SO REALLY WHAT WE GOOD PREVIEW OF IS EXACTLY WHAT WE EXPECTED FROM THE PROSECUTION. THEY GOT OUT IN FRONT OF WHAT THEY CONSIDER THEIR MICHAEL COHEN ISSUE, THAT HE MIGHT HAVE CREDIBILITY  ISSUES. IN THE SPECTRUM OF COOPERATING WITNESSES, MICHAEL COHEN, WHO IS NOT TECHNICALLY A COOPERATING WITNESS, HE'S PROBABLY ON THE LOW END OF LACK OF CREDIBILITY. MOST COOPERATES WITNESSES ARE BROUGHT IN FROM THE PRISON IN SHACKLES, AND THEY HAVE TONS OF ISSUES WITH CREDIBILITY AND CRIMINALITY. BUT AS THE PROSECUTION WILL SAY, AS THEY ALWAYS SAY, IT'S A STANDARD LINE, WE DIDN'T CHOOSE THIS WITNESS. THE DEFENDANT CHOSE THIS WITNESS. BUT, YOU KNOW, AS THIS -- THE OPENINGS COME TO A CLOSE, I THINK ALL EYES ARE ON THE STAR WITNESS, AND I DON'T THINK I MEAN MICHAEL COHEN ANYMORE. I THINK DAVID PECKER IS GOING TO BE A CRITICAL WITNESS BECAUSE, NUMBER ONE, HE CORROBORATES MICHAEL COHEN. HE ESTABLISHES THE ALLEGED CONSPIRACY, AND HE CORROBORATES A LOT OF DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO SUPPORT WITNESSES LIKE MICHAEL COHEN. THE GOVERNMENT, THE PROSECUTION HAS A WAY OF MAKING MICHAEL COHEN'S LACK OF CREDIBILITY A MINIMAL ISSUE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GOING RIGHT IN THAT DIRECTION. >> THE PROSECUTION MADE AN EFFORT TO POOUT THAT DAVID PECKER HAD BROUGHT A LAWYER TO THE COURTROOM WITH HIM. IS THERE SOME STRATEGY IN THAT? >> NOT NECESSARILY. WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS IF YOU'RE THE STATE AND YOU HAVE A COOPERATING WITNESS, YOU DON'T WANT TO LOOK LIKE YOU'RE TOO HAND IF HAND WITH THAT WITNESS. I'LL GIVE YOU SOME OF THE STANDARD LINES AS A DEFENSE ATTORNEY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HIT THAT COOPERATING WITNESS WITH, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY FRAME THEM AS DOING ANYTHING THEY CAN TO PLEASE THEIR CAPTORS AND THEIR CAPTORS ARE THE GOVERNMENT WHO HAVE OFFERED THEM A DEAL. THEY'VE GOTTEN HAND IN HAND WITH THE DEVIL. THEY'RE TOO COZY WITH PROSECUTORS. THIS IS A COMMON THEME WHEN YOU'RE ATTACKING CORROBORATING WITNESSES OR PEOPLE TESTIFYING FOR THE GOVERNMENT. THE STATE WILL HAVE PREPARED THEIR WITNESSES FOR THIS. THEY'LL HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT IN CROSS EXAMINATION, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT YOU'LL SEE. >> I WANT TO GO BACK TO VAUGHN FOR AMOMENT. WE KNOW THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAD ED A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT HE WOULD TESTIFY. I ASSUME THAT DECISION OFFICIALLY IS STILL WEEKS AWAY, BUT WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THAT? >> Reporter: RIGHT, DONALD TRUMP'S CREDIBILITY, LESTER, IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL HERE FOR THIS JURY WHEN THEY'RE DETERMINING THE EXTENT TO WHICH HE IS GUILTY OR INNOCENT HERE. AND YOU SAID TWO TIMES NOW ALREADY IN THE LAST WEEK HE HAS MADE CLEAR THAT HE WOULD TESTIFY IN HIS OWN DEFENSE, BUT THERE ARE NUMEROUS QUESTIONS THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS NEVER PUBLICLY OR PRIVATELY, INCLUDING INSIDE OF A COURTROOM, ANSWERED WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPECIFICS OF THIS CASE. AND ONE OF THOSE COMES DOWN TO THE FACT THAT IN JANUAUARY OF 2018, THAT IS WHEN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL FIRST REPORTED ABOUT THE MICHAEL COHEN AND STORMY DANIELS $130,000 ARRANGEMENT, MORE THAN A YEAR INTO HIS PRESIDENCY, JANUARY OF 2018, WHEN DONALD TRUMP WAS FIRST ASKED ABOUT IT IN APRIL OF 2018 ON AIR FORCE ONE, HALLIE WAS COVERING HIS WHITE HOUSE AT THE TIME. DONALD TRUMP WAS ASKED SPECIFICALLY, DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE $130,000 PAYMENT TO STORMY DANIELS. DONALD TRUMP REPLIED NO. HE THEN WENT ON TO SAY, QUOTE, YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK MICHAEL COHEN. MICHAEL IS MY ATTORNEY. YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK MICHAEL, AND SO DONALD D TRUMPILL HAVE TO WEIGH KNOWING THAT HE WILL GET THESE QUESTIONS AND DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PROSECUTION HAS IN TERMS OF EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY FROM THE LIKES OF DAVID PECKER, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO REPLAY THOSE VERY COMMENTS FROM DONALD TRUMP IN 2018 AND PUT THEM SIDE BY SIDE TO COMMENTS THAT HE MADE IN 2016. ONE OTHER NOTE ON HIS CREDIBILITY, THERE IS A MAJOR DECISION EARLIER THIS MORNING AS WELL BY THE JUDGE. JUDGE MERCHAN MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT THE PROSECUTION WILL BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE TO THE JURY PREVIOUS TRIAL DETERMINATIONS AGAINST DONALD TRUMP, NAMELY TWO OF THOSE BEING IN JUST THE LAST YEAR, THE E. JEAN CARROLL DEFAMATION CASE AS WELL AS THE CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL IN WHICH JUDGE ENGORON JUST THIS YEAR FOUND THAT HE AND THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION HAD ENGAGED REPEATEDLY IN FINANCIAL FRAUD. THOSE CASES WHICH THE JUDGE IS GOING TO ALLOW THE PROSECUTION TO BRING FORWARD IN FRONT OF THE JURY WILL ALLOW THEM TO TELL THE JURY THAT DONALD TRUMP'S CREDIBILITY AND HIS PENCHANT FOR LYING AND NOT BEING WHOLLY TRUTHFUL ARE GOING TO BE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THAT DONALD TRUMP'S DEFENSE AND HIS LEGAL TEAM'S DEFENSE ARE NOT ALL THAT CREDIBLE WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIM IN THE ENTIRETY OF THE LAST DECADE THAT STARTED IN AUGUST 2015, WHEN THAT TRUMP TOWER MEETING WHICH DONALD TRUMP HAS NOT PUBLICLY COMMENTED ON, ALL THE WAY INTO 2017 WHEN DAVID PECKER, THE "NATIONAL ENQUIRER" PUBLISHER WAS INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE FOR A DINNER THAT THE D.A.'S OFFICE SAYS WAS ARRANGED FOR DONALD TRUMP, THE THEN PRESIDENT, TO THANK DAVID PECKER FOR HIS EFFORTS TO SQUASH THOSE SALACIOUS STORIES FROM KAREN McDOUGAL AND STORMY DANIELS. >> WE'RE SEEING FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP, THERE HE IS, OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE OR OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM. HE'S PREPARING TO LEAVE AS HE OFTEN DOES. HE ADDRESSES THEAMERAS GATHERED THERE. DANNY, LET ME BRING YOU BACK INTO THE CONVERSATION. THERE IS ANOTHER MATTER THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT FACED. THAT'S THE QUESTION OF THE GAG ORDER AND WHETHER HE HAS RECENTLY VIOLATED THAT. THAT'S GOING TO COME BACK UP TOMORROW, CORRECT? >> YES, AND LAST WEEK I SUSPECT THAT JUSTICE MERCHAN SAID IT FOR MORE THAN A WEEK OUT BECAUSE OF A COUPLE DIFFERENT REASONS. NUMBER ONE, HE HAD HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF POTENTIAL JURORS TO GET THROUGH, AND HE WANTED TO GET THE PARTY STARTED. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, BACK THEN, MONDAY MORNING -- MONDAY MORNING LAST WEEK WAS MIRED IN ARGUMENTS AND MOTIONS AND I SUSPECT THE JUSTICE WANTED TO JUST PUSH IT OFF TO NEXT WEEK SO THEY COULD GET THROUGH JURY SELECTION, AND THEN ALSO, THERE WAS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT BY THAT NEXT WEEK, BY TOMORROW THERE WOULD BE MORE VIOLATIONS OF THE GAG ORDER, AND THEY COULD PROBABLY JUST BE CONSOLIDATED. BUT AT THE TIME, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY SEVEN CLAIMED VIOLATIONS. THAT HEARING WILL GO ON TOMORROW, AND HERE'S WHAT I SUSPECT. LOOK FOR THE PEOPLE, THE PROSECUTORS, TO ASK FOR MINIMAL PENALTIES AT THE OUTSET. A LOT OF FOLKS SAY A THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHAT DOES THAT MATTER TO DONALD TRUMP? WELL, THESE VIOLATIONS AND THE PUNISHMENTS ARE INCREMENTAL. REALLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS SETTING A FLOOR. SURE, START HIM OUT WITH A THOUSAND DOLLARS, $5,000, IT DOESN'T MATTER, BUT THIS SPECTRUM, THIS PATH STARTS FROM ADMONITIONS. IT GOES TO FINES, AND EVENTUALLY, AT THE END OF THE ROAD IS INCARCERATION FOR SOMEBODY WHO VIOLATES OR IS HELD IN CONTEMPT BY THE COURT. NOW, THAT WOULD BE A MONUMENTAL DECISION AND A DIFFICULT DECISION BY THE JUDGE, BUT I THINK THE STATE IS SHOWING THAT THEY WANT TO MOVE IN INCREMENTS BUT THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE IF THERE ARE VIOLATIONS OF THE GAG ORDER. >> HALLIE, HOW IS THIS AFFECTING THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT? THE FORMER PRESIDENT LIKES TO MENTION THAT HE WOULD OTHERWISE BE OUT CAMPAIGNING RIGHT NOW. >> WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE RUBBER MEET THE ROAD ON THAT FRONT. COURT IS NOT IN SESSION ON WEDNESDAY. HE COULD DO CAMPAIGN EVENTS ON THOSE DAYS OR THE WEEKEND. THIS PAST WEEKEND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A CAMPAIGN RALLY. IT WAS ESSENTIALLY A WASHOUT, RAINED OUT, IT HAD TO BE CANCELED BECAUSE OF WEATHER. WHICH IS AN INDICATION SOMETIMES THINGS JUST POP UP. IT'S NOT ALWAYS IN YOUR CONTROL WHEN YOU'RE A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. TO GET REAL INSIGHT ON HOW THIS CASE WILL AFFECT HIM IN THE GENERAL ELECTION. REMEMBER, IN THE PRIMARY, ALL OF HIS LEGAL ISSUES WERE A BOON TO HIM. IT RALLIED HIS REPUBLICAN BASE AROUND HIM AND HELPED HIM GET THAT PRESUMPTIVE GOP NOMINATION ALL BUT LOCKED UP HERE. WHAT HAPPENS IN A GENERAL ELECTION. WE MAY NOT KNOW FOR A BIT YET. WE CAN LOOK AT NUMBERS OUT PR OUR NBC NEWS POLLING SHOWING THAT ABOUT 50% OF PEOPLE, AND THIS IS POLLING IN JUST THE LAST 24 HOURS, BELIEVE THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS BEING TREATED FAIRLY BY THE SAME STANDARD OF LAW AS YOU OR ME OR ANYBODY ELSE. 43% DISAGREE. THEY BELIEVE THAT DONALD TRUMP IS BEING TREATED UNFAIRLY, SEEMING TO ECHO WHAT HE HAS BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG TT HE IS IN MANY WAYS THE VICTIM OF POLITICAL PERSECUTION. THE CONVERSATION YOU WERE JUST HAVING WITH DANNY ABOUT THAT GAG ORDER, THE FORMER PRESIDENT SEIZED THAT THROUGH THE LENS THROUGH WHICH HE SEES SO MANY OF HIS LEAGUE PROBLEMS AS AN ISSUE OF UNFAIRNESS AGAINST HIM. HE HAS SAID THIS ON TRUTH SOCIAL, THIS ISN'T FAIR, THEY CAN TALK ABOUT ME BUT I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THEM. HE HAS ILED AGAINST THAT AGAIN AND AGAIN. KEEP IN MIND, IT'S A PARTIAL GAG ORDER. HE DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEAK AGAINST THE JUDGE OR MAKE COMMENTS IN A CAMPAIGN RALLY SETTING RELATED TO THAT, BUT THE POLITICAL IMPOLITICAL OCCASIONS I THINK ARE GOING TO BE REALLY TOLD, WHEN WE DO GET A VERDICT AND WE GET POLLING IN THE FIELD AFTER THAT. >> WE SAW FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ADDRESSING THE CAMERAS A MOMENT AGO. ANY IDEA WHAT HE SAID? >> Reporter: YEAH, HE'S STILL ADDRESSING THE CAMERAS IN REALTIME, AND HE I SHOULD NOTE OVER THE LAST WEEK THROUGH JURY SELECTION WOULD OFTEN GIVE ABOUT FIVE, 15 SECONDS OF QUICK REMARKS OR COMMENTS TO THE PRESS, BUT THIS IS HIS MOST PROLONGED COMMENTARY WE HAVE SEEN YET. AND LARGE AMOUNT OF IT HAS SO FAR BEEN FOCUSED ON MICHAEL COHEN, OF COURSE WHO WAS HIS LONG-TIME PERSONAL LAWYER, AND HE IS UNDERCUTTING MICHAEL COHEN'S REPUTATION. WE SHOULD NOTE THAT, IN FACT, IT WAS CAMPAIGN FINANCES VIOLATIONS THAT WERE PART OF WHAT LED TO A GUILTY PLEA F FROM MICHAEL COHEN BACK IN 2018 WHILE DONALD TRUMP WAS SERVING AS PRESIDENT, AND IT WAS A LONG-STANDING DOJ POLICY TO NOT PROSECUTE A SITTING PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. BUT THAT IS WHEN MICHAEL COHEN FOR THE ACTS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLEGED AS PART OF THE ACTUAL HUSH MONEY SCHEME, LED TO MICHAEL COHEN SERVING PRISON TIME. AND MICHAEL COHEN HAS BEEN VERY PUBLIC AND VOCAL IN THE YEARS SINCE ABOUT HIS FRUSTRATIONS AS TO WHY PROSECUTORS AFTER DONALD TRUMP LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE, GO AFTER DONALD TRUMP FOR THE ALLEGED CRIMES, AND NOW WHAT YOU ARE HEARING IS MICHAEL COHEN WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT HE IS GOING TO BE A WITNESS, YOU'RE HEARING DONALD TRUMP CALL INTO QUESTION HIS CREDIBILITY AND SOMEBODY WHO ONLY HAS THE INTENT OF UNDERCUTTING HIM NOW THROUGH THIS PROCESS. >> VAUGHN, THANKS VERY MUCH, SO THE OPENING STATEMENTS ARE DONE. THE FIRST WITNESS ON THE STAND TODAY, THAT CONCLUDES THIS NBC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT. MUCH MORE ON OUR STREAMINGNG

NBC News Special Report: Witness testifies after opening statements in Trump trial

A 12-person jury in Manhattan is set to hear opening statements Monday from prosecutors and defense lawyers in the first of four criminal cases against Donald Trump.

<p>&gt;&gt; Announcer: THIS IS AN NBC NEWS "SPECIAL REPORT." HERE'S CRAIG MELVIN. &gt;&gt;&gt; AND A GOOD MONDAY MORNING. WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR WITH BREAKING NEWS AND A HISTORIC MOMENT AS WELL WITH OPENING STATEMENTS SET TO START IN FORMER-PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S NEW YORK HUSH MONEY TRIAL. THE PRESIDENT HAS ARRIVED AT THE COURTHOUSE. THIS, OF COURSE, IS THE FIRST TIME A FORMER PRESIDENT AND A PRESUMPTIVE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT IS STANDING TRIAL FOR CRIMINAL CHARGES. MR. TRUMP HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO 34 COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS. THOSE COUNTS ARE RELATED TO A 2016 PAYMENT MADE TO ADULT FILM STAR STORMY DANIELS TO KEEP HER QUIET ABOUT AN ALLEGED SEXUAL ENCOUNTER, ALL OF WHICH THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS DENIED. TODAY'S OPENING STATEMENTS COMING A WEEK AFTER THE TRIAL STARTED WITH JURY SELECTION. NOW THOSE 12 JURORS AND 6 ALTERNATES ARE SET TO HEAR THE CASE AGAINST HIM AND HIS TEAM'S DEFENSE IN A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR OUR COUNTRY'S LEGAL LANDSCAPE. WE START NOW WITH OUR SENIOR LEGAL CORRESPONDENT LAURA JARRETT. SHE HAS MADE HER WAY TO THAT COURTHOUSE THERE IN LOWER MANHATTAN. LAURA, WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING TO SEE AND HEAR INSIDE THAT COURTROOM THIS MORNING? &gt;&gt; Reporter: WELL, CRAIG, IT WAS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO THAT DONALD TRUMP STEPPED INTO THE COURTHOUSE HERE BEHIND ME FOR HIS ARRAIGNMENT. TODAY HE WALKS IN AS A CRIMINAL DEFENDANT FOR HIS OPENING STATEMENTS IN HIS FIRST CRIMINAL TRIAL. A REMARKABLE MOMENT FOR MR. TRUMP, FOR THE 12 JURORS SET TO SIT IN JUDGMENT OF HIM, AND FOR THE COUNTRY A REMARKABLE TEST, AS YOU SAID, FOR OUR LEGAL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE. THOSE 34 COUNTS, TECHNICALLY ABOUT FALSIFICATION OF BUSINESS RECORDS, BUT THE STORY THAT THE PROSECUTORS HERE WANT TO TELL, CRAIG, IS FAR BROADER THAN THAT, FAR MORE AMBITIOUS. THE STORY THAT THEY WANT TO TELL, A ROADMAP IF YOU WILL THAT THEY WANT TO LAYOUT TODAY IN OPENING STATEMENTS IS ABOUT ELECTION INTERFERENCE AND THEY'RE TELLING THEHE TRU CAMPAIGN IN 2016 WAS REELING FROM THE RELEASE OF THE "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD" TAPE AND SO DESPERATE TO MAKE SURE THEY COULD SHORE UP THE FEMALE VOTE THEY TRIED TO BURY THE STORY OF STORMY DANIELS, A STORY THAT COULD HAVE UPENDED THE CAMPAIGN. SO IN PROSECUTOR'S TELLING, MR. TRUMP DIRECTED HIS FORMER FIXER, MIKE AN COHEN, TO PAY HER OFF WITH $130,000. THAT PAYMENT IS MADE DAYS BEFORE VOTERS WENT TO THE POLL BUT, OF COURSE, THE VOTERS FOUND OUT ABOUT I ANYWAY. THE DEFENSE TEAM IS GOING TO LAYOUT HOW MR. TRUMP DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PLOT, THIS ALLEGED ORCHESTRATION, THAT MR. TRUMP WASN'T INVOLVED IN IT AND THAT MR. COHEN DID IT ON HIS OWN. THE DEFENSE TEAM WANTS TO SAY, CRAIG, IF ALL OF THIS HAPPENED THE WAY PROSECUTORS SAY, WHICH THEY DENY, WAS ACTUALLY BEING FALSIFIED, THE INTERNAL CRIME ARE BUSINESS RECORDS THAT WOULD NEVER HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT OF DAY. SO HOW COULD THE VOTERS HAVE BEEN FOOLED? THAT'S THE DUELLING NARRATIVES WE WILL SEE PLAY OUT IN OPENING STATEMENTS, CRAIG. &gt;&gt; AFTER OPENING STATEMENTS, THE FIRST WITNESS WE'VE BEEN TOLD A MAN NAMED DAVID PECKER. EXPLAIN HOW HE FITS INTO ALL OF THIS AND WHAT IS THE PROSECUTION HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH BY CALLING HIM FIRST? &gt;&gt; Reporter: IT IS AN INTERESTING STRATEGIC MOVE REALLY, CRACK, BECAUSE DAVID PECKER WAS THE FORMER LEADER OF AMI, WHICH IS THE PARENT COMPANY OF ""THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER"." EVERYONE KNOWS THAT TABLOID. THE REASON PROSECUTORS WANT HIM IS BECAUSE HE ALLOWS THEM TO PUT MR. TRUMP IN ROOM FOR WHEN THE SCHEME HAPPENED IN 2015, AND PROSECUTORS TELLING, THEY'RE GOING TO TELL THE JURY HERE MR. TRUMP, MR. COHEN AND DAVID PECKER SAT IN A ROOM AND THEY DECIDED TO TRY TO CATCH AND KILL BAD STORIES THAT COULD HAVE HURT MR. TRUMP. THEY'RE GOING TO SAY IT WAS MR. PECKER AND MR. TRUMP AND MR. HEN WHO DECIDED TO TAKE AND BUY THE STORIES TO MAKE SURE OTHER PEOPLE COULDN'T PUBLICIZE THEM. MR. TRUMP DOESN'T DENY THAT MEETING HAPPENED. HE CAN'T. BUT HE IS GOING TO DENY THERE WAS ANYTHING ILLEGAL ABOUT IT, CRAIG. &gt;&gt; LAURA JARRETT FOR US THERE AT THE COURTHOUSE. LAURA, THANK YOU. LET'S BRING IN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT HALLIE JACKSON AND NBC NEWS LEGAL ANALYST DANNY CEVALLOS. WE WILL HEAR FROM DANNY PECKER BUT THE AFOREMENTIONED MICHAEL COHEN, THE PRESIDENT'S FORMER FIXER, A MAN WHO WROTE A BOOK CALLED "REVENGE" ABOUT HIS FORMER BOSS. HE IS ALSO A CONVICTED FELON. &gt;&gt; MUCH HAS BEEN MADE OF HIS LACK OF CREDIBILITY AND HE HAS THAT PROBLEM, BUT PROSECUTORS ROUTINELY USE COOPERATING WITNESSES WITH MUCH WORSE CHARACTER ISSUES THAN MICHAEL COHEN. YOU WILL HAVE TRIALS AND I HAVE HAD THESE WHERE THE COOPERATING WITNESS COMES IN IN SHACKLES AND PRISON GEAR. THE POINT IS PROSECUTORS OFTEN GO TO OTHER BAD GUYS TO GET TESTIMONY AGAINST THE DEFENDANT BAD GUY THAT THEY WANT TO CONVICT. THIS IS NOTHING NEW. THE PROSECUTION'S ALREADY BEEN SEEDING THE JURY, PREPPING THEM FOR THE FACT, HEY, YOU MAY HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE CREDIBILITY ISSUES IN THIS CASE, BUT THE STATE HERE AS A LOT OF CORROBORATING EVIDENCE. I THINK THAT COMES A LOT IN THE FORM OF DAVID PECKER, WHO I THINK IS QUIETLY GOING TO BE REALLY THE GOVERNMENT'S STAR WITNESS HERE, NOT SO MUCH MICHAEL COHEN. &gt;&gt; HALLIE JACKSON, OF COURSE, THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER OPINION -- PENDING CASES THE PRESIDENT IS DEALING WITH. SO FAR IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE AFFECTED HIM AT ALL POLITICALLY. DO WE EXPECT IT TO CHANGE ANYTHING IN THAT REGARD? &gt;&gt; HUGE QUESTION AND SOMETHING WE WILL NOT GET AN ANSWER UNTIL AFTER THE VERDICT COMES DOWN LATER ON IN THE SPRING. YOU ARE CORRECT, CRAIG. HIS LEGAL ISSUES DID NOT PHASE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS WHO OVERINGLY BACKED FORMER-PRESIDENT TRUMP. HERE IS SOMETHING I'M WATCHING FROM THE LATEST NBC NEWS POLLING. WE ARE CALLING IT SHORT-HANDING THIS AS THE HUSH MONEY TRIAL TO DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM THE OTHER TRIAL, THE OTHER LEGAL ISSUES THE FORMER PRESIDENT FACES. THE PROSECUTION IS HOPING TO HAVE PEOPLE THINK ABOUT IT NOT AS A HUSH MONEY TRIAL BUT AS SOMETHING BIGGER THAN A SEX SCANDAL BUT AN ELECTION INTERFERENCE TRIAL. WHY DOES IT MATTER? WHEN YOU LOOK AT ISSUES THAT VOTERS SAY MATTER TO THEM AND VOTERS COME NOVEMBER, IT IS INFLATION AND IMGRANGS. NO SURPRISE. THOSE ARE STALWARTS, ALWAYS BIG ISSUES. THIRD, THEY SAY THREATS TO DEMOCRACY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING THE COUNTRY. IF PROSECUTORS ARE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION, THERE YOU SEE THE FORMER PRESIDENT WALKING IN, THAT COULD SWAY FOLKS. &gt;&gt; WE HAVE "MEET THE PRESS" MODERATOR KRISTEN WELKER JOINING US FROM WASHINGTON. KRISTEN, GOOD MORNING TO YOU. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT PRESIDENT. PRESIDENT BIDEN, SO FAR IT WOULD SEEM AS IF THE STRATEGY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE HAS BEEN PRETTY MUCH A HANDS-OFF APPROACH. WE HAVEN'T HEARD THE CURRENT PRESIDENT TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S LEGAL TROUBLES. DO WE EXPECT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THIS TIME AROUND? &gt;&gt; ABSOLUTELY NOT, CRAIG. I EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE THIS WEEK. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IT HAS BEEN A HANDS-OFF APPROACH. LAST WEEK PRESIDENT BIDEN ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN BATTLEGROUND PENNSYLVANIA TALKING ABOUT ONE OF TOP ISSUES FOR VOTERS, THE ECONOMY. THIS WEEK HIS BIG SPEECH IS GOING TO FOCUS ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN BATTLEGROUND FLORIDA, IN TRUMP'S HOME TURF. HE WILL BE BLASTING THAT SIX-WEEK BAN IN THE STATE THERE. THE STRATEGY, CRAIG, IS TWO FOLD. ONE TO TRY TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON THE ISSUES AS AN ATTEMPT TO CAST HIMSELF AS A STEADY LEADER, AS THE PERSON WHO IS THE OPPOSITE OF BRINGING CHAOS, AND ALSO TO TRY TO LIVE UP TO THE PROMISE HE MADE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL BACK IN 2020, THAT HE WOULDN'T INTERVENE IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. SO I ANTICIPATE WE WILL SEE THIS PLAY OUT. LOOK AT OUR LATEST NBC NEWS POLL, SHOWS THAT HE IS NARROWING THE GAP WITH FORMER-PRESIDENT TRUMP NOW JUST TRAILING HIM BY TWO POINTS AS OPPOSED TO FIVE LAST TIME WE TOOK THE POLL, CRAIG. &gt;&gt; MODERATOR OF "MEET THE PRESS," KRISTEN WELKER. BIG THANKS TO YOU. THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE SPECIAL REPORT. WE WILL HAVE MORE ON OUR STREAMING NETWORK, "NBC NEWS NOW" ONLINE AND ON NBCNews.com. THE FULL AND COMPREHENSIVE WRAP</p>

NBC News: Opening statements begin in Trump's hush money trial

Tuesday and Friday Mega Millions Drawing.

>> ACROSS AMERICA WITH MEGA JACKPOTS, IT'S MEGA MILLIONS. >> GET EM, CAROL. BLACK MEN IS FRIDAY, APRIL 19TH AND TONIGHT'S MEGA MILLIONS JACKPOT IS AN ESTIMATED ANNUITY TIES 178 MILLION DOLLARS. SO THE JACKPOT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS THAT ALL 5 WHITE PLUS THE GOLD MEGA BALL. GET OUT YOUR TICKETS. GOOD LUCK. THE FIRST NUMBER. IT'S 46 THAT'S FOLLOWED BY 34. THEN WE HAVE 30. UP NEXT IS 19 AND OUR FINAL WHITE BALL IS 58 AND THE GOLD MEGA BALL. IS 3 WINNING NUMBERS AGAIN. ARE 46 34 30 1958.

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