Is everything okay with you? I'm beginning to worry.

Of course, there could have been other reasons why he wouldn't want the story to come out.

You're right; there could have been 5,000 other reasons, but if Alvin Bragg can prove he entered into a conspiracy with Pecker/AMI, Cohen, Weisselberg, and others in order to "catch and kill" stories that could hurt him politically, then all those other reasons aren't relevant.

AMI did successfully "catch and kill" a story regarding Trump's 10-month affair with Karen McDougal, and Trump kept Clifford silent by promising her payment while never intending to pay her and then after the election he would call off the NDA (nondisclosure agreement)... until the Access Hollywood tape came out and he ponied up the money for her silence weeks before the election. So whatever other reasons he may have had, he bought the silence of multiple persons via a conspiracy with David Pecker/AMI.

Pecker has already cooperated and testified to the Grand Jury and is a witness for the prosecution:

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/American_Media_Inc._Non-Prosecution_Agreement

Catch ya later, Caddy!

I believe I already addressed your comment [22] from the last column. Was it not to your satisfaction?

At it's core, Trump is basically accused of committing fraud in order to improve his chances of winning the 2016 presidential election.

Indeed.

And, the funny part? He needn't have wasted his money on it, if you know what I mean. :-)

So, if what I've heard turns out to be correct... big if... not just the coverup but also the conspiracy entered into by Trump, Pecker, Cohen, and others before the election in order to influence the election a.k.a. "election interference" and also the conspiracy to cover it up via financial fraud afterwards.

Quick rundown: Conspiracy to "catch and kill" whatever rears its ugly head and promote Trump. Fast forward where Pecker/AMI paid Karen McDougal but wasn't reimbursed by Trump so when it was time to buy the silence of Stephanie Clifford (Daniels), Pecker wouldn't put up the cash because he had already been stiffed by Trump. So an agreement was drawn up by Cohen between Trump and Stephanie Clifford (Daniels), and a date was agreed upon for delivery... which Trump had decided to also stiff her... until the Access Hollywood tape surfaced October 7 and [remember the "outrage" of some Republicans and calling for Trump to throw in the towel in favor of Pence] necessity called.

Ten days later on October 17, three weeks before the 2016 election on November 8, Cohen incorporated Essential Consultants LLC in Delaware who then made a $130,000 payment from Essential Consultants LLC to Clifford's attorney (at the time) Michael Avenatti (now a felon for stealing clients' money, including Clifford, but I digress).

Cut to the chase: If Bragg can prove this conspiracy to "catch and kill" made before the election and the payments that were covered up illegally afterward(easy to prove via receipts in evidence), there are 34 counts of business fraud committed in the commission of another crime, which constitutes a felony in New York.

New York also has election laws:

17-152. Conspiracy to promote or prevent election. Any two or more persons who conspire to promote or prevent the election of any person to a public office by unlawful means and which conspiracy is acted upon by one or more of the parties thereto, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

NY Election Law, Section 17-152 (2016)

*
Anyone interested in reading the "Statement of Facts" of the case from the Manhattan DA, here you go:

https://manhattanda.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-04-SOF.pdf

You cannot confuse my Magic 8 Ball with your trick question. The answer is: "It is certain" Trump will behave himself or not. ;)

Alexa, order popcorn. Heh. :)