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☆ Trump's hush-money trial is almost over. Deliberations could begin Thursday — especially if Trump doesn't testify.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewAfter one week of jury selection and four weeks of prosecution testimony, Donald Trump's New York hush-money trial is now in its home stretch. Then, the defense case will begin. "I'm doing everything possible to avoid big breaks between summations, jury charge, jury instructions, and deliberations," Merchan told the parties Thursday. AP/Christine CornellThursday: Deliberations could beginAgain, if the scheduling stars align, deliberations could begin Thursday, the last trial day before the four-day holiday. AdvertisementBefore deliberations can begin, jurors need to hear the entirety of the defense case — with or without Trump.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Juan Merchan, Trump, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Julia Nikhinson, Cohen, Trump's, Todd Blanche, Susan Hoffinger, Blanche, — Bradley, Smith, Juan Merchan Jane Rosenberg, Christopher Conroy, Merchan's, Conroy, Merchan, Will Trump, Matt Gaetz, Mike Segar, Judge Cannon, Aileen Cannon, Christine Cornell Organizations: Service, Business, AP, Commission, Prosecutors, Reuters, Federal Election, Trump Locations: York, Florida, summations

Here are the takeaways from Day 18 of the Trump hush money trial:A heated confrontation over a key phone callIt took several hours of cross-examination before Blanche finally turned to the evidence directly related to the case. Blanche says the texts show that at 8:04 p.m. Cohen texted Schiller the phone number of the teenager prank calling him. “Was it true for just that phone calls, or was it true for other phone calls too?”“You just said you don’t recall a phone call back in 2016. “Because these phone calls are things that I have been talking about for the last six years. There’s also the possibility, as CNN has reported, that former Cohen attorney Bob Costello could appear.

Persons: Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Blanche, Cohen, Keith Schiller –, Daniels, Barron, Blanche finally, Schiller, “, ”, ” Blanche, Cohen texted Schiller, Keith Schiller, ” Cohen, Keith, ” “, it’s, he’s, Darrell Scott, –, Trump’s, Jean Carroll, Blanche quizzed, Maggie Haberman –, Susan Necheles, Susan Hoffinger, Merchan, There’s, Bob Costello, Costello Organizations: CNN, Trump, Mr, White, Congress, New, New York Times, Prosecutors Locations: Trump, White, New York, summations

☆ Analysis: Cohen gets a breather after bruising cross-examination as Trump looks on
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Blanche took Cohen through a long list of the insults he’s unleashed at Trump since becoming estranged from his former mentor, highlighting his penchant for serial lying. He drew jurors’ attention to a social media post in which Cohen wore a T-shirt that depicted Trump in jail, as he spun a narrative of bias and obsession. A key legal conundrum is whether prosecutors have so far succeeded in validating the legal theory behind the case. That foreboding realization was exacerbated by a new posse of Trump supporters at the courthouse on Tuesday, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. While Cohen’s reluctance to offer yes-and-no answers came across at times as flippant and confrontational, he did not appear to say or do anything to torpedo the prosecution case.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen, don’t, Cohen, ”, Todd Blanche, president’s, didn’t, he’s, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Blanche, ” Cohen, he’d, ” Blanche, douchebag, ” Michael Moore, “, Moore, Juan Merchan, Will Trump’s, ” Shira Scheindlin, CNN’s Jake Tapper, ” Scheindlin, “ Cohen, Mike Johnson, ” Johnson, Andrew McCabe, Cohen’s, ” Moore, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, reimbursements, ’ ” Cohen Organizations: CNN, GOP, Trump, Middle, Middle District of, Louisiana Republican, Defense, FBI Locations: Ohio, Kentucky, Middle District, Middle District of Georgia, New York, Louisiana, Blanche, Manhattan

Attorneys were at a sidebar as prosecutor Susan Hoffinger began asking Michael Cohen about a Wall Street Journal story from 2018 on American Media Inc., the payments and Cohen's conversation with ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker. "David was very concerned because it was going to affect AMI, it was going to affect him," Cohen said. Cohen says he told Pecker: "I told him that matter was going to be taken care of, and the person of course who was going to be able to do it was Jeff Sessions," who was attorney general at the time. Cohen testifies that he told Pecker that because "that was post my conversation with the president." Hoffinger confirmed with Cohen that he had already had a conversation with Trump about it at that point.

Persons: Susan Hoffinger, Michael Cohen, David Pecker, David, Cohen, Merchan, Pecker, Jeff Sessions, Hoffinger, Trump Organizations: American Media Inc, National Enquirer, AMI

☆ Michael Cohen resumes Trump trial testimony with House Speaker Johnson watching
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Trump will be joined at his criminal trial by House Speaker Mike Johnson, and several other Republican politicians, NBC reported. On Monday, Trump's former lawyer and fixer told jurors that Trump had complained, "This is a disaster!" Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) hold a press conference at Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on April 12, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty ImagesCohen testified that Trump told him to, "Just do it," to keep Daniels quiet. "Fantastic," Trump said after being told that effort had succeeded, keeping another woman quiet about claims that could harm his 2016 campaign, Cohen testified.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Susan Hoffinger, Donald Trump's, Stormy Daniels, Jane Rosenberg, Donald Trump, Trump, Mike Johnson, Trump's, Cohen, Joe Raedle, Daniels, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, Karen McDougal, reimbursements Organizations: NBC, Trump, Daniels, Mr, Getty, Trump Organization, National Enquirer Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S, Louisiana, Lago, Palm Beach , Florida

☆ Prosecution seeks to land Trump hush money case as Cohen cross-examination looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“This case is going to turn in large part on the cross-examination of Mr. Cohen. Cohen said that Trump told him: “Women are going to hate me. “This was all about the campaign.” Cohen also testified that Trump said he would not be on the market for long, implying he could get another wife quickly. Throughout his testimony, Cohen said he always kept Trump up to speed with his activities. “Everything required Mr. Trump’s sign-off,” he said, noting the Daniels payment was no exception.

Persons: CNN — “, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s, Cohen, Trump, ” Ryan Goodman, CNN’s Erin Burnett, ” Trump, Bernarda Villalona, “, Donald Trump, ”, “ Michael Cohen, David Schoen, ” Schoen, CNN’s Wolf, quagmire, Joe Biden, Judge Juan Merchan, Cohen –, –, Ohio Sen, J.D, Vance, Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, mulls, “ What’s, Stormy Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, Hoffinger, Daniels, Daniels ’, —, ” Cohen, smirked, Trump’s, ’, ‘, reimbursements Cohen, Allen Weisselberg Organizations: CNN, Prosecutors, Republican, NYU Law, Trump, New, New York Times, Judge, Alabama, GOP, Ohio Republican, Trump Organization, White House Locations: New York, Siena, York, Ohio

☆ Opinion: Did Trump’s defense think this strategy would work on Cohen?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The forceful direct examination of former Trump fixer-turned-star prosecution witness Michael Cohen concluded Tuesday in the Manhattan criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. But the cross was uneven and Cohen, like Stormy Daniels before him, held his own. Whether that will change in the days ahead remains to be seen, but in any event, the cross of Cohen got off to an inauspicious start. ), his anti-Trump podcast (showing bias, but Cohen owned it) and even selling anti-Trump merchandise (showing financial motive, but again failing to get a rise out of Cohen). However, even when Blanche confronted Cohen with his most inflammatory social media comments, such as calling Trump a “dictator douchebag” and a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain,” Cohen was utterly unfazed.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Allen, Weisselberg, Daniels, Norm Eisen, Susan Hoffinger, ”, Hoffinger, “, Blanche, ” Cohen, Susan Necheles, Necheles, Judge Juan Merchan, douchebag ”, mercifully, Blanche’s Organizations: CNN, Trump fixer, Trump, Trump Organization, Trump “, Twitter Locations: Manhattan

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

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

“Sounds like something I would say,” responded Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer. The question set the tone for the cross-examination of the Manhattan district attorney’s key witness in the hush money trial against the former president. For roughly two hours, Blanche began a cross-examination to try to discredit Cohen’s allegations against Trump. Blanche then asked whether Cohen called Trump a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain.”“That also sounds like something that I said,” Cohen said. “You were telling the truth, correct?” Blanche asked in regards to the compliments Cohen gave Trump.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Blanche, Cohen, Cohen “, ”, Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Daniels, Joshua Steinglass, Juan Merchan, ” Cohen, “, Donald Trump, ’ ” Cohen, Trump Blanche, ” Blanche, Blanche . Trump, Robert Mueller’s, Jay Sekulow, –, Susan Hoffinger, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, Sen, J.D, Vance of Ohio, Doug Burgum, Mike Johnson, Byron Donalds, Cory Mills, Vivek Ramaswamy, Johnson, Lara Trump, Eric Trump, ” Ramaswamy, ” Trump Organizations: CNN, Trump, Trump . Assistant, Trump –, Federal, Commission, FBI, Trump Organization, North Dakota Gov, Republican National Committee Locations: Manhattan, Russia, United States, New York, Florida, Louisiana

☆ The biggest bombshells from Michael Cohen's testimony were all in Trump's own words
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

But in his under-oath testimony for Trump's criminal trial Monday, Cohen placed Trump firmly in the room where it happened. AdvertisementIn 2015, Trump told Cohen he would run for president. When Cohen told Trump about it, his response was, "She's really beautiful," Cohen said. According to Cohen, Trump's goal was to postpone the payment until after the November 2016 election, at which point he didn't think it would matter. "I used quite a few expletives," complaining to Weisselberg, Cohen told jurors.

Persons: —, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump's, Cohen, Trump, Trump's, Daniels, Karen McDougal, Donald Trump, Jon Kopaloff, Curtis Means, Steve Granitz, " Cohen, David Pecker, Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz's, Lee Harvey Oswald, Marco Rubio, Pecker, Melania Trump, — Cohen, TheDirty.com, Keith Davidson, Allen Weisselberg, Brendan McDermid, didn't, Weisselberg, Cohen he'd, Allen, Michael, stiffed, Susan Hoffinger Organizations: Service, Business, Trump, American Media Inc, National Enquirer, AMI, Republican, Washington Post, Manhattan Criminal Court, Reuters, Trump Organization Locations: Manhattan, Trump, Mar, Florida

Cohen’s testimony ties together the prosecution’s allegations that Trump broke the law by falsifying business records to reimburse Cohen and conceal the hush money payment that Cohen said he made at Trump’s direction. Cohen described his conversations with Trump during the Daniels hush money negotiations, which prosecutors backed up using Cohen’s phone records to show when the two had spoken. Trump,” Cohen said. “Reimbursement of my money,” Cohen said. They joined Trump for the high-profile Cohen testimony, sitting in the gallery behind the former president at the defendant’s table.

Persons: CNN — Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Cohen, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, Todd Blanche, perjurer, David Pecker, Keith Davidson, Karen McDougal, Pecker, Davidson, Dylan Howard, Hope Hicks, “, ” Cohen, ”, Hoffinger, ” Hoffinger, “ Mr, Michael Cohen's, Melania, CNN “, Trump’s, reimbursements Cohen, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, “ David Dennison ”, Peggy Peterson ”, would’ve, ” –, McDougal, glanced, Hicks, Madeleine Westerhout, Cohen’s, wasn’t, Juan Merchan’s, Eric Trump, Susie Wiles, Sen, Rick Scott, J.D, Vance of Ohio, Tommy Tuberville, Nicole Malliotakis, Alina Habba Organizations: CNN, Trump, National Enquirer, Melania Trump, New York, Republican Locations: Yom Kippur, –, Trump, Cohen’s, Republic, Manhattan, Florida, Alabama, Staten, Iowa

☆ Trump lawyer calls Stormy Daniels' testimony 'a dog whistle for rape' in failed mistrial bid
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Laura Italiano | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Trump's lawyers argued that portions of Stormy Daniels' testimony warranted a mistrial. Daniels had testified Tuesday that Trump didn't use a condom during their sexual encounter in 2006. AdvertisementBlanche was complaining about multiple times in Daniels' testimony when she made graphic, highly salacious accusations against Trump that the lawyer said irreparably prejudiced the jury. Merchan said he wished the discussion of the condom didn't come into the trial and wasn't heard by the jury. Advertisement"For the life of me, I don't know why Ms. Necheles didn't object," he said, while the defense attorney looked toward the floor.

Persons: Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Trump's, Todd Blanche, —, Donald Trump, she'd, Trump, Blanche, — Daniels, Keith Schiller, audibly, Susan Hoffinger, Donald Trump's, Jane Rosenberg, Merchan, Necheles, wasn't Organizations: Trump, Service, Wicked Pictures, REUTERS Locations: Manhattan, Tahoe, California

There was one important distinction, the adult-film star suggested: sex with Trump would make a pretty bad porn movie. "Wow," the porn star responded, pausing briefly, then continuing. "Ms. Daniels," Necheles pursued. "I'm asking you if you know what you meant when you said 'flush the orange turd.' The porn star has taunted Trump on Twitter in the past, calling him an "orange turd" and daring him, "Game on, Tiny."

Persons: —, Daniels, Donald Trump, Trump, Susan Necheles, I'd, Necheles, she's, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Ms, Susan Hoffinger, Cohen Organizations: Service, Business, Trump, Donald Trump . Manhattan, Twitter, Daniels Locations: Manhattan, Lake Tahoe, Jail

Stormy Daniels took the stand at Trump's hush-money trial Tuesday. "My name is Stormy Daniels," the porn star at the center of the historic trial said as she swore to tell the truth while at the witness stand of a Manhattan courtroom, just 20 feet from Trump. Daniels told the jury she directed her first adult film at age 23. Advertisement"They marked it down in the books, the check was signed," Trump told reporters before he headed into the courtroom. Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger explained that there will be details in Daniels' testimony about how the porn star "ended up having a sexual encounter" with Trump.

Persons: Stormy Daniels, Trump, Daniels, —, Donald Trump's, Stephanie Clifford, Susan Hoffinger, Daniels —, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Michael Cohen, fumed, Cohen, We're, Susan Necheles, Juan Merchan, It's, Necheles, Merchan, Hoffinger Organizations: Service, Trump, Prosecutors, Attorney, Trump Organization, New Locations: Trump, Manhattan, Trump's, Lake Tahoe, Israel

☆ Opinion: Stormy Daniels clears up hush money events for jury while clouding Trump’s defense
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

We can break down Daniels’ testimony by five critical “C” components:Curiosity: From the moment Daniels entered the room on stage right, the jury’s eyes — indeed, all eyes in the courtroom — were on her. Character: Assistant District Attorney Susan Hoffinger spent the first 15 minutes or so of direct examination introducing Daniels to the jury. Join us on Twitter and FacebookCross: As with every witness in this trial, the defense, in this case the able Susan Necheles, landed some blows. More fundamentally, Necheles challenged the witness’ credibility on the 2006 encounter with Trump, pointing out that Daniels had previously denied it as recently as 2018. The widely anticipated testimony of Stormy Daniels did not disappoint.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, CNN —, Stormy Daniels, Norm Eisen, Norm Eisen Daniels, Trump, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, ”, Hoffinger, Juan Merchan, Michael Cohen, Susan Necheles, Necheles Organizations: CNN, Trump, Prosecutors, Texas, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Manhattan, Baton Rouge , Louisiana

☆ Judge threatens Trump with contempt for 'cursing audibly' during Stormy Daniels testimony, new trial transcript shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In a private sidebar conversation, Donald Trump's hush-money judge said he acted out while Stormy Daniels testified. Trump was "cursing audibly" and "uttered a vulgarity" while Daniels answered questions for jurors, the judge said. "I understand that your client is upset at this point, but he is cursing audibly, and he is shaking his head visually and that's contemptuous," Merchan told Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche. AdvertisementDonald Trump was "cursing audibly" during testimony from Stormy Daniels, according to New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. The judge also said Trump "uttered a vulgarity" when Daniels testified about "The Apprentice."

Persons: Donald Trump's, Stormy Daniels, Trump, audibly, Daniels, —, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Todd Blanche, Donald Trump, Susan Hoffinger, Hoffinger, Blanche, Jean Carroll's, Lewis Kaplan, Carroll, Kaplan Organizations: Service, New, Trump, New York, NBC Locations: Lake Tahoe , California, New, Manhattan, Trump's

But some of the details Daniels described were so explicit that Judge Juan Merchan cut her off at several points. “How can we come back from this in a way that’s fair to President Trump?” Blanche challenged. “Am I correct that you hate President Trump?” Necheles asked“Yes,” Daniels said. “It’s also cost me a lot of money,” Daniels responded. “You are looking to extort money from President Trump,” Necheles asked.

Persons: Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump, Daniels, Trump, Juan Merchan, Merchan, “, Michael Cohen, Susan Necheles, ” Trump, ”, Trump “, didn’t, ” Daniels, Kaitlan Collins, Gina Rodriguez, Rodriguez, –, Peggy Peterson, David Dennison, Cohen, Jimmy Kimmel, she’s, Susan Hoffinger, Judge, Todd Blanche, Blanche, ” Blanche, CNN Hoffinger, ” Merchan, Necheles didn’t, ” Necheles, “ You’ve, Necheles, “ I’ve, “ It’s, Keith Davidson Organizations: CNN, Trump, AMI, Defense Locations: Trump’s, Las Vegas

☆ Too busy for hush money? Trump debuts longshot 'multi-tasking' defense during testimony by longtime assistant Rhona Graff
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The now-retired assistant, Rhona Graff, told jurors that Trump was prone to "multi-tasking" and sometimes would be on the phone at the same time he signed checks. The testimony was elicited during Graff's cross-examination by Trump attorney Susan Necheles. Related storiesThe nine checks are the only records bearing Trump's signature out of 34 checks, invoices, and business-ledger records he allegedly falsified. After Trump signed each check, it would be FedExed back to the Trump Organization's Trump Tower headquarters, scanned into the company records, and then cut and mailed to Cohen. — respectful boss to me," Graff told jurors of working alongside Trump in the Trump Organization headquarters on the 25th-floor of Trump Tower.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Rhona Graff, Trump, Trump's, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Susan Necheles, Necheles, Graff, Susan Hoffinger, Juan Merchan, Cohen, Alvin Bragg, Bragg, Daniels, Karen McDougal, McDougal, Playboy Bunny Organizations: Service, Business, GOP, Manhattan, Trump, Court, Trump Organization, White, Prosecutors, Trump Tower Locations: New York, Trump

☆ Opinion: As Trump trial opens, attorneys have to make deft first moves
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Editor’s Note: Norman Eisen is a CNN legal analyst and editor of “Trying Trump: A Guide to His First Election Interference Criminal Trial.” He served as counsel to the House Judiciary Committee for the first impeachment and trial of Trump. CNN —I will be joining the line Monday morning to witness opening statements in the first-ever criminal trial of a former American president. As a trial lawyer, I always would rather the jury hear about any problems with witnesses from me first, together with the solution. If the DA wants to build a bridge for the jury into what Trump was thinking, Blanche wants to preemptively destroy it. But before that I’ll be back to you with an evaluation of how both sides did for the next installment of my trial diary.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Trump, CNN —, Norm Eisen, Donald Trump –, Juan Merchan, Alvin Bragg’s, Matthew Colangelo, Susan Hoffinger, Joshua Steinglass, it’s, It’s, –, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, David Pecker –, Todd Blanche, he’s, Blanche, Cohen, Daniels, I’ll Organizations: CNN, Norm Eisen Journalists, Justice Department, New York, American Media, National Enquirer Locations: American, Manhattan

Mr. Cohen’s second day was bumpier. Under questioning from one of Mr. Trump’s lawyers, Mr. Cohen appeared flustered and admitted to several past lies, including before a judge when he was sentenced to prison for federal crimes in 2018. The two-day spectacle offered a preview of how Mr. Cohen, who once idolized Mr. Trump but now loathes him, might perform on the bigger stage of the criminal trial. It also captured the trade-offs for prosecutors of calling a witness like Mr. Cohen, a felon who can nonetheless offer an insider’s account of Mr. Trump’s conduct. Mr. Cohen became so worried about the lack of assistance that his lawyer, E. Danya Perry, prepared him to object on his own behalf.

Persons: Cohen’s, Cohen, flustered, Trump, Mr, Trump’s, Hoffinger, Necheles, Todd Blanche, Alvin L, Danya Perry Locations: Manhattan

☆ 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

☆ Michael Cohen and the Manhattan DA's Trump probe: It's complicated.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

There are no security guards or obscuring metal gates when Cohen arrives for his weekly Trump probe sit-downs — just a dozen or so news cameras. "No," Cohen told The Daily Beast last April. By Bragg's sixth week on the job, the new DA, who'd never even met Cohen, told Pomerantz he "could not see a world" in which Cohen could be called as a DA witness. "Alvin Bragg is operating at Alvin Bragg's pace," Cohen told MSNBC on another appearance, after that 16th meeting. "The district attorney, and the team, I find them to be incredibly, incredibly competent and decent people," Cohen told Insider.

☆ Allen Weisselberg could get more time since the Trump Org guilty verdict required jurors to find he lied
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

A judge could rule Weisselberg violated the deal because jurors, by their verdict, found he lied. He has been promised a five-month jail sentence as part of his August plea deal. But that deal required Weisselberg, 75, to testify truthfully against former President Donald Trump's real-estate company, where he's worked since the 1970s. "Weisselberg says over and over, 'I, together with the Trump Organization,'" Florence, now in private practice, noted of his guilty plea. Trump Organization lawyers have already promised to appeal the verdict itself.

☆ 5 reasons to applaud the smart, speedy jury that convicted the Trump Organization of tax fraud
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

A Manhattan jury convicted Donald Trump's company of all 17 tax-fraud counts on Tuesday. But he would not implicate anyone named Trump — not Donald Trump, who he worked for since the 1980s. And not any of Trump's three eldest kids — Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, or Ivanka Trump, who have all served as Trump Organization executive vice presidents. Back during jury selection in late October, defense lawyers had the darnedest time finding Manhattan residents who didn't hate Donald Trump. They certainly did not look like Donald Trump's C-suite of well-paid, white-collar white men.

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