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Blanche grilled Cohen — the prosecution's star witness in Trump's New York criminal hush-money trial — about the many times that Cohen insulted both Trump and himself on social media. Blanche said as he questioned Cohen about an April 23 TikTok Cohen made just days after the historic trial began. While questioning Cohen, Blanche then asked him about his referring to Trump as "a boorish cartoon misogynist." Michael Cohen, the ex-lawyer for former President Donald Trump, departs his home in Manhattan to testify in Trump's criminal hush-money trial. Prosecutors allege Trump illegally disguised records reimbursing Cohen for a $130,000 hush-money payment made to Daniels ahead of 2016 election.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Blanche, Cohen, Trump, douchebag, TikTok Cohen, Cohen deadpanned, Donald Trump, Mike Segar Cohen's, Juan Merchan, Jvlebw8A1O, Jacob Shamsian ⚖️, Cohen's, Susan Hoffinger, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, reimbursing Cohen Organizations: Service, Business, REUTERS, MeidasTouch Network, Trump, White, Prosecutors Locations: Trump's New York, Manhattan, ., Tahoe

AdvertisementDonald Trump sits next to his attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove during the former president's criminal hush-money trial in Manhattan. Eric Trump listens as his father, Donald Trump, speaks to the media in the courtroom hallway during the former president's criminal hush-money trial. Vance listens as Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Manhattan courthouse where his hush-money trial is taking place. AdvertisementFormer President Donald Trump speaks alongside his wife, former first lady Melania Trump, during a rare joint appearance as they arrived to vote in Florida's primary election. "There was no crime," Donald Trump railed Tuesday as he spoke to reporters in the courtroom hallway.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Michael Cohen —, Vivek Ramaswamy, Mike Johnson, Doug Burgum, Byron Donalds, Cory Mills, Donald Trump's, Eric Trump, Lara Trump, Todd Blanche, Emil Bove, Craig Ruttle, Trump, Johnson, Cohen, Justin Lane, Susan Hoffinger, Ohio Sen, J.D, Vance, Nicole Malliotakis, Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Brenna Bird, Steve Marshall, Mark Peterson, Michael Cohen, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, Ken Paxton, Katie Phang, Jeanine Pirro, Andrew Guiliani, Rudy Giuliani, Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, CNN's Anderson Cooper, Giorgio Viera, reimbursing Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, I've Organizations: Service, Trump, Business, GOP, Mike Johnson , North Dakota Gov, Florida Rep, cochair, Republican, Vance , New York, Alabama, Conservative, Fox News, Getty, Prosecutors, Manhattan, Attorney's Locations: York, Manhattan, Mike Johnson ,, Florida, Cory Mills of Florida, Washington, Donalds, Ohio, Vance ,, Alabama, Iowa, Texas, Tahoe

☆ Trump’s Defense Cast Michael Cohen as Untrustworthy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Todd Blanche, the lead lawyer defending Donald Trump in his New York criminal trial, wasted no time today before aggressively questioning the prosecution’s star witness, Michael Cohen. “Sure,” Cohen replied. The cross-examination, which will continue on Thursday after the trial takes a day off, could prove to be crucial. Cohen is the prosecution’s 19th and final witness, and likely the most important one. During his two days of testimony, he has claimed that Trump knew at the time that the 2016 hush-money payment, which is at the center of the felony charges against him, would be falsely labeled legal expenses.

Persons: Todd Blanche, Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Blanche, Trump’s, Trump, ”, ” Blanche, ” Cohen Organizations: Trump Locations: New York

AdvertisementThe unprecedented criminal trial of a former US president has delivered several stunning moments so far. Jurors get a peek at the 34 records at the heart of the caseTwo weeks into Trump's trial, jurors finally saw the paperwork at the heart of the matter. A courtroom sketch of Stormy Daniels on the witness stand in Donald Trump's hush-money trial. On the stand, Daniels said Trump told her she reminded him of his daughter, commenting on her blond hair and beauty. Trump's legal team requested a mistrial on the basis of Daniel's testimony.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen —, Hope Hicks, Cohen, Daniels, Hicks, Andrew Harnik, Jeffrey McConney, Deborah Tarassoff —, Alvin Bragg, Stephanie Clifford, Donald Trump's, Jane Rosenberg, Juan Merchan, audibly, Merchan, Judge Merchan, MARK PETERSON, Donald, Von ShitzInPantz, Todd Blanche, Joe Biden, Blanche, Cohen's Organizations: Service, Business, White House, Trump, White House Communications, AP, Trump Organization, Prosecutors, Reuters, Truth, Manhattan Criminal, Getty Locations: Manhattan, Lake Tahoe, New York City

☆ Trump's 'multi-tasking' defense is falling apart in court
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementThis is one of the arguments Donald Trump's lawyers have advanced in his defense for his hush-money trial: Trump didn't do anything wrong. Cohen met with Allen Weisselberg, the now-former Trump Organization CFO, in January of 2017 to hash out how he'd get reimbursed by Trump and the Trump Organization, according to records shown at trial. Occasionally, he'd write "VOID" on one he didn't want to be paid, according to Trump Organization employee Deborah Tarassoff. If Trump had a question about a check, he'd talk with a Trump Organization employee about it, Westerhout testified. Advertisement"Am I correct that when he would sign checks, he was often multitasking?"

Persons: —, Donald, Trump, Michael Cohen, reimbursing Michael Cohen —, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Cohen, Hope Hicks, Hicks, Susan Necheles, Madeleine Westerhout, Necheles, Westerhout, he's, — Trump, Allen Weisselberg, he'd, Weisselberg, Jeffrey McConney, Trump's, Keith Schiller, Deborah Tarassoff, Tarassoff, Rhona Graff, Donald Trump, Westerhout didn't, Rebecca Manochio, Manochio, Graff, what's Organizations: Service, Business, FBI, The Manhattan, Attorney's, Trump Organization, Wall Street, Trump, Washington Post, FedEx, White, Manhattan, New York Locations: United States, New York, North Korea, Russia, Manhattan, Washington, DC, New York City, Westchester

☆ Trump's worst rebukes from NY judges were all for attacks on women who made him look bad in court
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Cowbells herald a third Trump outburstDonald Trump at his criminal hush-money trial with lawyers Todd Blanche, left, and Emil Bove. I will not tolerate that," state Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan complained of Trump to defense lawyer Todd Blanche, his voice raised. Then there was Stormy DanielsA courtroom sketch of Stormy Daniels on the witness stand in Donald Trump's hush-money trial. Defense lawyer Susan Necheles questions Stormy Daniels as Donald Trump and Judge Juan Merchan look on. Advertisement"As recently as, I believe, Wednesday night, he was on TikTok," Blanche, the defense lawyer, complained to Merchan before court broke for the week on Friday.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Trump, riled Trump, they're, Debbie Walsh, Walsh, Donald Trump's, Allison Greenfield, enemies.i Curtis, David Dee Delgado, Arthur Engoron, who'd, Greenfield, Jean Carroll Donald Trump, Jean Carroll, Andrew Kelly, Luiz C . Ribeiro, Lewis Kaplan, audibly —, Carroll, Roberta Kaplan, Cowbells, Todd Blanche, Emil Bove, Jabin, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniel, Joe Biden's, Juan Merchan, Stormy Daniels, Jane Rosenberg, Daniels, swatting Trump, Merchan, audibly, — Daniels, Blanche, Susan Necheles, Mary Altaffer, Michael Cohen Cohen — Trump's, fining Trump, Cohen, he's, MAGA Organizations: Service, Business, Trump, Center for American Women, REUTERS, New York Daily News, Tribune, Getty, Reuters, GOP, AP Locations: Manhattan, York, New, New York City, Lake Tahoe, New York

☆ Critical days of Trump trial will test whether he can exercise discipline and restraint
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Her evidence on Tuesday was deeply embarrassing for Trump and drew an aggressive cross-examination from his attorney trying to shatter Daniels’ credibility. Merchan also instructed Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, to rein in his client after complaining that the defendant had cursed audibly and shaken his head during Daniels’ testimony. So far, Trump — who has launched searing attacks on the judge — has managed to refrain from openly attacking Daniels since she took the stand. And her appearance is only an appetizer for expected explosive evidence in the coming days of the biggest star witness, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen. The coming days will therefore require qualities that Trump has always struggled to demonstrate in a riotous life in business and politics: restraint and self-discipline.

Persons: Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Daniels, Judge Juan Merchan, Merchan, Todd Blanche, —, Michael Cohen, Cohen, he’d, ” Daniels, Sarah Matthews, CNN’s Jim Acosta, “, He’s, ” Matthews, Matthews, ” Trump, he’s, Arthur Engoron, Engoron, Trump’s, Jean Carroll Organizations: CNN, Trump, Trump —, White, Trump White House, Prosecutors, Trump Organization Locations: Florida, Lake Tahoe, misbehave

☆ Opinion: How one text exchange gave Trump an ominous day in court
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Norm Eisen Courtesy Norm EisenIn Donald Trump’s Manhattan election interference trial, the case is coming in better than expected, and that is ominous for the former president. The prosecution asked Davidson to explain the meaning of a text he had sent to Howard that evening. As the election was about to be called for Trump, Davidson sent a text to Howard asking, “What have we done?”Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked Davidson what the meaning of those words were. It also highlighted the stakes here: Unlike Trump’s 2020 election interference cases pending in Georgia and federal court, the unlawful effort to impact the election alleged in this case might have actually worked. I was watching the jury closely when Davidson spoke, and they were riveted.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, CNN CNN —, Norm Eisen, Donald Trump’s, Keith Davidson, Davidson, Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Michael Cohen, Daniels, David Pecker, Cohen, Dylan Howard —, Howard, Joshua Steinglass, ”, Matthew Colangelo Organizations: CNN, CNN CNN, American Media, Inc, National Enquirer, Trump, Twitter Locations: ”, Donald Trump’s Manhattan, Georgia

☆ Trump Faces Possible $10,000 Contempt Fine as Trial Resumes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Ben Protess | Jonah E. Bromwich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mr. Trump, the first former president to face criminal prosecution, is accused of falsifying records to cover up the hush-money payment, which was made to a porn star, Stormy Daniels. The $130,000 payment — made by Mr. Trump’s fixer, Michael D. Cohen — silenced Ms. Daniels’s story of a sexual encounter with Mr. Trump. The prosecutors requested a $1,000 fine for each of Mr. Trump’s 10 statements that they say ran afoul of the order — including attacks on Ms. Daniels and Mr. Cohen, as well as the jury. Also on Tuesday, prosecutors are expected to wrap up their questioning of Gary Farro, a banker who helped Mr. Cohen open the account that he used to pay Ms. Daniels. Mr. Trump’s lawyers will then cross-examine Mr. Farro.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Michael D, Cohen —, Juan M, Daniels, Cohen, Gary Farro, Farro

☆ Former National Enquirer boss reveals sleazy tactics the tabloid used to protect Donald Trump and smear his rivals
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But on Tuesday, former National Enquirer boss David Pecker lifted the curtain on the actual media collusion that took place in the 2016 election. Pecker revealed in granular detail how Trump worked hand-in-hand with the infamous national tabloid to boost his candidacy and, perhaps far more importantly, simultaneously smear his political opponents with shameful lies and innuendo. Meanwhile, Pecker worked with Cohen to smear Trump’s Republican rivals in the 2016 primary, including Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio. At times, Pecker said that Cohen went as far as to contact him and direct the Enquirer to attack Trump’s GOP rivals. When the Enquirer published negative stories about Bill and Hillary Clinton, Pecker said that Trump was elated.

Persons: Donald Trump, David Pecker, Pecker, Trump, “, ” Pecker, Michael Cohen, Karen McDougal’s, ”, Dino Sajudin, Cohen, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, “ Michael Cohen, — Michael Cohen —, Hillary Clinton, Dylan Howard, we’re, Rupert Murdoch’s, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: New York CNN, Democratic Party, National Enquirer, Trump Organization, Trump, GOP, Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News, MAGA Media, Fox, Fox News Locations: New York, Pecker, Manhattan

☆ Trump thought hush money was risky because 'It always gets out,' National Enquirer exec testifies. In this case, Trump was right.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"It always gets out," Pecker testified Trump told him. "It always gets out," Trump explained of his hesitancy, according to the trial's first witness, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker. Advertisement"I think the story should be purchased and you should buy it," Pecker told jurors, describing what he told Trump about McDougal's accusations during a June, 2016 phone call. But Trump wanted nothing to do with the McDougal payoff, Pecker said Tuesday, his second day on the witness stand. But Trump is now on trial for a second hush-money payment that prosecutors say has Trump's fingerprints all over it — the payment to Daniels.

Persons: Donald Trump's Manhattan, David Pecker, Pecker, Trump, —, Donald Trump, Model Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, Alvin Bragg's, Daniels, Bragg, McDougal, Michael Cohen —, Cohen, Melania Trump, Barron, Pecker's Organizations: Service, National Enquirer, Trump Organization, Trump Org

☆ Trump's NY hush money trial may be delayed a month or more by a last-minute evidence feud: court docs
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Trump's felony hush money trial had been scheduled to begin March 25 in Manhattan. Talk of delay was triggered by federal prosecutors producing 73,000 pages of long-awaited evidence. AdvertisementDonald Trump's felony hush money trial, long scheduled to begin March 25, may be delayed by a month or longer due to federal officials' last-minute production of 73,000 pages of evidence concerning their 2018 prosecution of Michael Cohen. The defense has only dragged its feet in seeking the same evidence, prosecutors said. The assistant prosecutor blamed the late, ongoing evidence dump — and the resulting need for a delay — on federal prosecutors and the Trump defense.

Persons: —, Donald, Michael Cohen, Juan Merchan, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Trump, Matthew Colangelo, Colangelo, Cohen —, Cohen, Donald Trump, Eduardo Munoz, Joe Raedle, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Melania Trump, Barron Trump, Merchan Organizations: Prosecutors, Service, Manhattan, New, Defense, Trump, Attorney, US, Trump fixer, REUTERS, US Attorney's Office Locations: Manhattan, tranches, Lake Tahoe

Former President Donald Trump's attorneys are asking the judge presiding over his impending criminal trial in New York to delay the trial until after the U.S. Supreme Court issues its ruling on the scope of presidential immunity. If granted, the longshot bid would delay the trial, which is scheduled to start March 25, by several weeks, if not months. While actress Stormy Daniels received the money from Trump's attorney Michael Cohen before he became president, Trump's payments to Cohen — and the allegedly falsified business records — came after he was in the White House. His lawyers contend Judge Juan Merchan should delay the trial until after the Supreme Court issues its ruling on the scope of presidential immunity in the federal election interference case against the former president. The high court is scheduled to hear arguments in that case on April 25.

Persons: Donald Trump, Donald, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen, Cohen —, —, Judge Juan Merchan Organizations: Fox News, Greenville Convention Center, U.S, Supreme Locations: Greenville, Greenville , South Carolina, New York

☆ Trump loses big in NY hush-money hearing, as judge rejects all efforts to dodge or delay March 25 trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Laura Italiano | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Trump appeared in his Manhattan felony hush-money case, and learned his trial date remains March 25. Trump had asked to delay the March 25 trial, insisting through his lawyer that he was too busy campaigning and fighting his three other felony cases. Judge Juan Manuel Merchan is expected to rule whether the trial will begin as scheduled on March 25. Cohen sent his own $130,000, borrowed on a home equity line of credit, to Daniels to ensure she would not go public with her claim of an affair with Trump, prosecutors allege. Read Manhattan prosecutors' 99-page rebuttal to Trump's dismissal motion here.

Persons: Trump, he's, —, Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Trump's, Blanche, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Stormy Daniels, Judge Juan Manuel Merchan, Brendan McDermid, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Daniels, Michael Cohen — Trump's, Cohen, he'd Organizations: Service, Republican, Manhattan Criminal, Court, Attorney, Prosecutors, Trump Organization, Read Manhattan Locations: Manhattan, Florida, New York City

Mr. Trump posted a picture of her with Senator Chuck Schumer, accusing her of partisanship and saying she was “running this case against me.”Though the order is limited, Mr. Trump violated it twice in less than a week. Mr. Cohen spent two days on the stand testifying that Mr. Trump had lied about the value of his properties. Mr. Cohen spoke calmly and confidently as he recounted Mr. Trump’s obsession with his net worth. Mr. Cohen said he had not, prompting Mr. Trump and one of his lawyers, Alina Habba, to throw their hands up in victory. Outside the courtroom, Mr. Trump declared that Mr. Cohen had been “proven to be a liar.”Trump took the stand unexpectedly.

Persons: Donald J, Michael D, Cohen, Trump, —, Arthur F, Engoron, Justice Engoron, Allison Greenfield, Chuck Schumer, ”, Cohen —, Trump’s, flustered, Alina Habba, ” Trump, Greenfield, “ Organizations: Mr, ” Locations: Greenfield

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge said Thursday he would take a fuller look at Donald Trump’s out-of-court comments and reconsider a $10,000 fine he imposed on the former president a day earlier at his civil fraud trial. The development came after Trump’s lawyers urged Judge Arthur Engoron to rethink the penalty. She sits next to Engoron, and Trump’s lawyers had groused a bit earlier about the clerk’s facial expressions and role in the case. Trump’s lawyers insisted anew Thursday that Trump was talking about Cohen. They pointed out that right after his reference to the person “sitting alongside” the judge, Trump said: “We are doing very well, the facts are speaking very loud.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Arthur Engoron, Engoron, Trump, Michael Cohen —, Cohen, ”, Christopher Kise, “, ” Kise, I’ve, Letitia James, Allen Weisselberg, James Organizations: Trump, Republican, Democrat, New York Locations: York, New York

But near the center of each case are lawyers who pledged public fealty to Mr. Trump — until they very publicly did not. And because Mr. Trump has such a tenuous relationship with the truth, those lieutenants often spread a message that prosecutors and investigators consider to be outright lies. And while Mr. Trump is quick to blame his betrayers — Mr. Cohen is “proven to be a liar,” he said outside the courtroom this week — his predicament was born from his own lopsided approach to relationships. Mr. Trump has a history of disavowing people who were once close to him and find themselves in trouble. Their relationships, a one-way street flowing in Mr. Trump’s direction, appeared to work for a time.

Persons: Trump, Letitia James, Mr, Cohen, ”, Cohen — Organizations: Mr Locations: Georgia, Manhattan, New York, East

☆ Michael Cohen's fraud trial bombshell: Trump had me inflate his total assets based on a number he 'arbitrarily' picked
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Cohen was called as a key witness in Trump's New York civil fraud trial. "And my responsibility, along with Allen Weisselberg, primarily, was to reverse engineer" the value of Trump Organization assets, Cohen added, "in order to achieve the number that Mr. Trump tasked us." Asked by Faherty what he meant by "whatever number," Cohen did not miss a beat in answering. AdvertisementAdvertisementIt's James' investigation that led to the fraud lawsuit against Trump, Trump Organization, and four longtime company executives – including Trump's two eldest sons – that is now being tried. Throughout his testimony, Cohen repeatedly referred to Trump by full name, "Donald J. Trump," even as Faherty asked him who was his legal client and his Trump Organization employer prior to 2019.

Persons: Trump, Michael Cohen, Cohen, —, Donald Trump, general's, Cohen intoned, Colleen Faherty, Letitia James, Allen Weisselberg, James, –, Manhattan DA's Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Trump . Cohen, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, Donald J, Faherty Organizations: Service, Mr, New York, Trump Organization, Manhattan District, Trump, Manhattan, Trump . Locations: Trump's New York, Manhattan, New York

☆ Ben Cohen — Columnist at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Ben Cohen | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ben CohenBen Cohen writes the Science of Success column for The Wall Street Journal about what makes people, teams and ideas work in business, culture and beyond. Before starting this weekly column, Ben was a sports reporter at the Journal for more than a decade, chronicling the strategies and oddities of the NBA as the league was transformed by the starpower of LeBron James and shooting of Stephen Curry. He's covered almost every sport, including three Olympics Games, college football and the NCAA basketball tournament, and he won a New York Press Club award for feature writing for a story about a private chess match. Ben is also the author of “The Hot Hand,” a book about the mystery, science and magic of streaks. He joined the Journal as an intern after graduating from Duke University and lives in New York with his family.

Persons: Ben Cohen Ben Cohen, Ben, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, He's Organizations: Wall Street Journal, NBA, Olympics Games, NCAA, New York Press, Journal, Duke University Locations: New York

☆ Michael Cohen and the Trump Organization just cut a deal to settle his lawsuit over unpaid legal bills
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Michael Cohen and the Trump Organization cut a deal to settle his lawsuit. It's not clear how much money the Trump Organization paid to settle the case. He alleged the Trump Organization should have covered legal fees for his role in various scandals, lawsuits, and investigations that stemmed from his work for Trump. But his son Donald Trump Jr., an executive at the Trump Organization, had agreed to show up as a witness. Cohen's lawyers argued that Trump Jr. had knowledge of the agreement between Cohen and the Trump Organization to cover legal bills, and that Trump Jr. had his own legal bills covered for some of the same investigations.

Persons: Michael Cohen, It's, Hunter Winstead, Cohen — Donald Trump's, Trump Organization —, Joel Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Stephanie Clifford, Mueller, Cohen, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Trump Organizations: Trump Organization, Service, Trump, FBI, New York, Trump Jr Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York, Manhattan

☆ Trump Criminal Case Likely to Remain in N.Y. State Court, Judge Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Jonah E. Bromwich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The payment to a porn star, Stormy Daniels, was made on Mr. Trump's behalf by his former fixer, Michael D. Cohen, to buy her silence about a tryst she said she had with Mr. Trump. Once Mr. Trump was elected, he reimbursed Mr. Cohen. Mr. Bragg’s prosecutors have accused Mr. Trump of falsifying business records to disguise the purpose of the reimbursements. Mr. Trump’s lawyers would have had to convince Judge Hellerstein, who sits in Manhattan, that the accusations were related in some way to Mr. Trump’s official duties as president. At one point, in a phrase that echoed Mr. Colangelo, the judge said of Mr. Cohen that “he was hired as a private matter to take care of private matters.”

Persons: Stormy Daniels, Michael D, Cohen, Trump, Judge Hellerstein, Todd Blanche, Trump’s, Cohen —, —, Matthew Colangelo, ” Judge Hellerstein, Colangelo, Mr, “, ” Locations: Manhattan

☆ Bitter, virtual Trump promises a Manhattan judge he won't harass or attack hush-money witnesses
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

He also shook his head in apparent disgust when told he'll be in contempt if he uses DA evidence to harass witnesses. Trump shook his head "no" in apparent disgust when the judge told his lawyer, Todd Blanche, that he risks sanctions and a finding of contempt if he violates the order. "He is free to do anything that does not violate the specific terms of this protective order," the judge told Blanche. The protective order bars Trump from using the prosecution's most sensitive evidence for anything other than his own defense. "I have less than zero confidence," Cohen told Insider of Trump's ability to abide by the protective order and restrain himself from using sensitive evidence to attack witnesses.

Persons: Trump, he'll, —, Donald Trump, Juan Merchan, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Merchan, Tuesday's, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Catherine McCaw, Michael Cohen —, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Daniels Organizations: Service, New York, Attorney, Trump, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Prosecutors, Trump Organization Locations: Manhattan, United States

☆ John Edwards and Donald Trump were both accused of paying money to women who said they had affairs with them. But the cases are quite different.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Like Donald Trump, John Edwards was accused of paying off a mistress during a campaign. Edwards was charged with campaign finance violations over the payments but wasn't convicted. For one, Trump has not been charged with violating federal campaign finance laws. It may well be true that the Edwards precedent is why the Justice Department didn't charge Trump with a campaign finance violation. Bragg does not need to prove that Trump broke federal campaign finance laws; he needs to prove that he falsified business records, which is a crime no matter the reason.

☆ Video shows no one held the door for Donald Trump before he was arraigned in court
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Former President Donald Trump had to open a door for himself on his way to be arraigned. A video shows Trump moving through the Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday afternoon. Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury last week, a first for an ex-president. The video, posted on Twitter by The Associated Press, captures the moment Trump entered the courtroom for his arraignment. Unlike his time as president, or the presumed treatment he gets at Mar-a-Lago, no one held the door open for Trump.

☆ Trump's indictment doesn't just depend on Michael Cohen, involves more than one paid-off woman, and allegedly happened when he was president
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Madison Hall | John L. Dorman | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

State attorneys and former prosecutors worried that Trump's indictment would solely revolve around Michael Cohen as a witness. But Trump's indictment depends on more than Cohen — the NY DA alleges Trump paid off another woman, too. Mark Bederow, a former prosecutor, previously told Insider that resting an indictment of this caliber solely on Cohen would be disastrous. "You wouldn't rely on Michael Cohen to tell you the time of day unless you corroborated it with a clock. Like Daniels, prosecutors allege that Trump, Pecker, and Cohen teamed up to silence former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal in June 2016.

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