DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Opinion | Nixon, Trump and What Justice for All Means in America
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Kevin Boyle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Of the four criminal cases that Donald Trump is facing, the one now unfolding in Manhattan is generally considered the weakest. Worst of all, it doesn’t speak to Mr. Trump’s actions as president, as the other cases do. As a historian who has written about the wrenching events of the 1960s and early 1970s, I can’t help seeing Mr. Trump’s legal troubles through the lens of an earlier Republican president. But unlike Mr. Trump, Mr. Nixon never faced criminal charges himself. For that, justice suffered, and the nation suffered, too.

Persons: Donald Trump, Richard Nixon, Trump, Nixon, Juan Merchan’s Locations: Manhattan

☆ Trump returns to campaign trail for first time since hush money trial began
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Alayna Treene | Kristen Holmes | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump will make his foray back onto the campaign trail Wednesday for the first time since his New York criminal hush money trial began in earnest last month. Trump advisers see openings with critical working class voters unhappy with inflation, and with Arab American voters who disprove of Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. But they are still in the early stages of building out the teams, according two senior Trump campaign advisers, which they say will be a mix of paid staffers and volunteers. “That’s a colossal disaster for him,” one of the senior Trump advisers said, and it is something they plan to message on aggressively in the months ahead. Recent campaign filings with the Federal Election Commission show Biden’s principal campaign committee entered April with $85.5 million, while Trump’s main campaign account had $45.1 million in its war chest.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Joe Biden, Melania, politicking, hasn’t, Juan Merchan, I’m, ” Trump, Biden, Trump’s, Biden’s, “, ”, Nikki Haley, Haley, Freeland Organizations: CNN, Trump, Republican, Arab, CBS, Biden, Republican National Committee, MAGA Inc, Israel, Democratic, Former South Carolina Gov, Michigan’s, GOP, White, Michigan, Republican National, Federal Locations: York, Wisconsin, Michigan, Wilmington , North Carolina, Bedminster , New Jersey, New York City, Georgia, Florida, Midwest, Israel, Pennsylvania, Gaza, “, Waukesha , Wisconsin, Freeland , Michigan, Saginaw County, Grand Rapids, Green

☆ Contempt Fines and Hush-Money Details: 5 Takeaways From Trump’s Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Jesse Mckinley | Kate Christobek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The third week of the criminal trial of Donald J. Trump began with a rebuke: The judge, Juan M. Merchan, held the former president in contempt and fined him $9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order. He also threatened jail time if the violations continue. The lawyer, Keith Davidson, also described an earlier deal to buy the silence of another woman, Karen McDougal, who said she’d had a longer-term affair with Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump, 77, is charged with falsifying 34 business records to hide the payment to Ms. Daniels. He has denied the felony charges, and having had sex with Ms. Daniels and Ms. McDougal.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Juan M, Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, Keith Davidson, Karen McDougal, she’d, Daniels, McDougal

CNN —Judge Juan Merchan handed down his first punishment to Donald Trump for violating the judge’s gag order in the New York hush money trial Tuesday, fining Trump $9,000 for nine violations. Instead, Davidson negotiated a $130,000 hush money deal with Cohen on Daniels’ behalf, and she did not speak out publicly before the 2016 election. In his order, the judge warned Trump that he could be imprisoned if he continues to willfully violate the gag order. “All you have to do is talk to that a**hole Cohen,” Davidson recalled. His son, Eric Trump, attended the trial – the first family member of the former president to appear during the trial.

Persons: Juan Merchan, Donald Trump, fining, Daniels, Karen McDougal, Keith Davidson, Trump’s, Michael Cohen, Davidson, Cohen, Trump, –, Merchan, David Pecker, “, ” Merchan, Stormy’s, McDougal, ’, Dylan Howard –, Gina Rodriguez, “ It’s, ” Davidson, Rodriguez, Peggy Peterson, David Dennison, Joshua Steinglass, Dennison, ” Steinglass, ” Cohen, Gary Farro, Daniels ’, Farro, ” Trump, “ Michael Cohen, He’s, Judge Merchan didn't, Jean Carroll, Prosecutors, Melania Trump, Eric Trump, Susie Wiles, Ken Paxton, David McIntosh, Barron’s Organizations: CNN, fining Trump, Trump, AMI, Prosecutors, American Media Inc, Daniels . Records, Bank, Twitter, Club for Growth, Mar Locations: New York, LA, Texas

☆ Fact check: Trump’s misleading claim about the judge and ‘advice of counsel’
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Criminal defendants sometimes employ an “advice of counsel” defense to try to demonstrate that they had not intended to break the law. “Here, I’m not even allowed to say ‘advice of counsel.’ This is a new one to me, ‘advice of counsel,’” Trump told reporters outside the courtroom. “When you have a lawyer and the lawyer does something or advises you on something, you say ‘advice of counsel.’ He said you’re not allowed to say that.”Facts First: Trump’s claim is misleading. An “advice of counsel” defense typically requires the defendant to waive attorney-client privilege. This Court can not endorse such a tactic.”Therefore, Merchan ruled, Trump could not invoke or even suggest a “presence of counsel” defense in the trial.

Persons: Donald Trump, Juan Merchan, Merchan, I’m, ’ ” Trump, ’, you’re, ”, Trump, ” Trump, ” Merchan, Defendant Organizations: CNN, Manhattan

☆ Trump, Venting About Lawyer in His Criminal Trial, Seeks More Aggression
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Maggie Haberman | Jonathan Swan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Donald J. Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial had barely begun when he started to turn his anger toward his lead lawyer, Todd Blanche. Although Mr. Blanche has been Mr. Trump’s favorite lawyer for some time, behind closed doors and in phone calls, the former president has complained repeatedly about him in recent weeks, according to four people familiar with the situation. He has griped that Mr. Blanche, a former federal prosecutor and veteran litigator, has not been following his instructions closely, and has been insufficiently aggressive. Mr. Trump wants him to attack witnesses, attack what the former president sees as a hostile jury pool, and attack the judge, Juan M. Merchan. Mr. Trump, who often complains about legal fees and sometimes refuses to pay them, has also wondered aloud why his lawyers cost so much, according to the people, who all spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive topic.

Persons: Donald J, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Trump’s, litigator, Trump, Juan M, Merchan

☆ Trump can attend his son Barron's high school graduation after all
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Laura Italiano | Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Donald Trump will get a break from his criminal trial to attend Barron's high school graduation. Trump had asked the judge in his hush-money case for the day off. On Tuesday, noting jury selection wrapped up quickly, the judge allowed it. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementFormer President Donald Trump can attend his son Barron's high school graduation after all.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, —, Barron's, Juan Merchan, Merchan didn't Organizations: Service, New, Business

The judge overseeing Donald J. Trump’s criminal case in Manhattan held him in contempt on Tuesday, fining the former president $9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order and warning that he could go to to jail if he continued to attack witnesses and jurors. “The court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders,” the judge, Juan M. Merchan, said as Mr. Trump’s trial reconvened for a third week. He added that while he was “keenly aware of, and protective of, defendant’s First Amendment rights,” he would jail Mr. Trump “if necessary and appropriate.”Justice Merchan determined that Mr. Trump had flouted the gag order by making nine public statements on social media and on his campaign website in which he attacked witnesses and the jury. He ordered Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, to remove the posts by Tuesday afternoon. The judge’s ruling and admonition came one week after a fiery hearing in which prosecutors had argued that Mr. Trump’s statements threatened the trial.

Persons: Donald J, fining, “, ”, Juan M, Merchan, Trump’s, Trump Organizations: Republican Locations: Manhattan

CNN —New York Judge Juan Merchan has fined former President Donald Trump for repeatedly violating the gag order in the hush money trial. Merchan ruled Trump violated the gag order nine times for criticizing expected trial witnesses in posts on social media and his campaign page. Reposts are endorsements, judge saysIn last week’s hearing on gag order violations, Trump’s defense argued that reposts of other people’s words do not violate the gag order and that the posts represent protected political speech in response to attacks. Second, Merchan acknowledged that the gag order does allow Trump to respond to political attacks, but said criticisms of key witnesses were not allowed. This is the first sanction against Trump for violating the gag order in this case.

Persons: Juan Merchan, Donald Trump, Merchan, Trump, “, ” Trump, ” Merchan, ’, ”, Prosecutors, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Todd Blanche, Cohen, David Pecker Organizations: CNN, New, Trump, Truth, Prosecutors, AMI, New York Locations: New York, New York State

☆ Trump in contempt: hush-money judge orders Trump pay $9,000 for nine gag order violations and warns of jail for future violations
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Trump was found in contempt Thursday for nine violations of his hush-money gag order. The judge's contempt order came in response to Trump's online attacks on witnesses and jurors. Prosecutors have alleged a total of 14 gag violations, all from April. Defense lawyer Todd Blanche had countered in court last Tuesday that Trump had been "trying to comply" with the gag order. "You're losing all credibility with the court," Merchan told the lawyer, his voice frustrated.

Persons: Trump, —, Donald Trump, Juan Merchan, Defendant, Merchan, Read, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, David Pecker —, Gary Farro, Christopher Conroy, Daniels, Conroy, Todd Blanche, Blanche Organizations: Service, Manhattan, New, Prosecutors, National Enquirer, Defense, Trump Locations: New York, Blanche

☆ Opinion: Trump should go to jail if he violates judge’s gag order again
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Merchan sanctioned Trump for violating his gag order for nine posts and reposts on his Truth Social site and campaign website, targeting witnesses and jurors in his Manhattan prosecution. In his written order, summarized from the bench at the start of the trial on Tuesday, the judge also warned Trump that if he persists in violating the gag order, he faces jail time. Perhaps the new sanctions — or those likely to come in response to the newest four allegations of gag order violations — will be the end of it. As I have previously explained, Trump’s argument that the gag order infringes his First Amendment rights is specious. In any event, even if Trump believes those things, that is no excuse under New York law to violate a court order.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, Norm Eisen, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Trump, ” Trump, incarcerate, Nelson Mandela, it’s, —, ”, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Trump’s Organizations: CNN, Trump, Liberal, New, White House Locations: Manhattan, New York

CNN —The third week of the Donald Trump criminal hush money business fraud trial will resume Tuesday with the Manhattan district attorney’s office continuing to be secretive about it its plan of attack. In court, they said they would not give Trump’s legal team much in an effort to avoid subjecting witnesses to Trump’s social media wrath before they take the stand. He described a tabloid media landscape where America Media Inc. did Trump’s bidding ahead of the 2016 election with Cohen as Trump’s liaison. Trump’s longtime assistant Rhona Graff also testified Friday, telling the jury she remembers seeing Daniels at Trump’s office once years before the 2016 election. Graff – whose lawyers are paid for by Trump – testified that she input the contact information for Trump.

Persons: Donald Trump, Michael Cohen’s, Trump, Juan Merchan, he’s, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Merchan, Cohen, Gary Farro’s, Farro, Daniels, Karen McDougal’s, David Pecker, Trump’s, Rhona Graff, McDougal, Graff –, Trump – Organizations: CNN, Prosecutors, Trump, AMI, America Media Inc, Trump Organization Locations: Manhattan, Delaware

☆ Live Updates: Third Week of Trump Criminal Trial to Begin With More Testimony
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Ben Protess | Jonah E. Bromwich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Mr. Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in an effort to conceal the payment. Mr. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denied that he had sex with Ms. Daniels. The week also brought more accusations that Mr. Trump had violated a gag order prohibiting him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors and jurors. Credit... Jefferson Siegel for The New York TimesBut Mr. Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche said his client’s actions were “run-of-the-mill” business. Mr. Trump will use the midweek break to campaign in Wisconsin and Michigan, two battleground states in this year’s election.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Donald Trump’s, David Pecker, Trump’s, Pecker, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Juan M, Merchan, Mr, Prosecutors, Todd Blanche, Jefferson Siegel, “ It’s, Blanche, Cohen, ”, Dave Sanders, Karen McDougal, McDougal, Emil Bove, mutter, Merchan’s, Rhona Graff, Gary Farro, Farro, Hope Hicks Organizations: National Enquirer, Mr, Trump Tower, Prosecutors, The New York, Trump Organization, The New York Times, Playboy, Trump, White House, Republican Locations: Donald Trump’s Manhattan, Manhattan, Trump’s, Wisconsin, Michigan

☆ 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

☆ Opinion: Harvey Weinstein’s prosecutors made a huge mistake. Trump’s prosecutors risk repeating it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Opinion Jim Walden | Deanna Paul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Jim Walden Courtesy of Jim WaldenA few days later, New York’s highest court overturned the sex crimes conviction of Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. And the recent dramatic developments in the Weinstein case demonstrate why the presiding judge in the Trump trial, Judge Juan Merchan, needs to reverse his ruling allowing Trump to be questioned about proven misconduct from other cases. If he doesn’t, Trump could have an easy path to having a conviction in the case tossed out. This is essentially what happened in the Weinstein case. If he does not, Trump could get a conviction overturned while the ink hasn’t yet dried on the jury’s verdict.

Persons: Jim Walden, Deanna Paul, Walden, Donald Trump’s Manhattan, Harvey Weinstein, Weinstein, Trump, Juan Merchan, Deanna Paul Meredith Eves Flynn Trump, —, Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, David Pecker, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Daniels, Maggie Haberman, Merchan, Letitia James, E, Jean Carroll, Merchan’s, James Burke, Burke’s Organizations: New, CNN, Republican, Hollywood, Trump, Prosecutors, National Enquirer, New York Times, New York, Manhattan, Appeals Locations: New York

☆ Trump will go from the trial to the trail and back again
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Donald Trump will make his most concentrated effort yet to turn his criminal trial into a political asset in the next two days, heading from the courtroom to the campaign trail and back again. Not surprisingly, a majority of Democrats feel that Trump is being treated more leniently than others, while a majority of Republicans think the opposite. But there’s also a risk Trump’s loose tongue out on the trail could get him into trouble following his alleged violations of Merchan’s gag order. They were also tied in Pennsylvania, a third swing state Biden flipped from Trump four years ago. Trump is following a similar playbook as he fuses his criminal defense as a supposed victim of partisan persecution with his political offensive for a White House comeback.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, They’ve, Michael Cohen, Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, Joe Biden, Juan Merchan, he’s, —, “, ”, David Pecker, Matthew Colangelo, Todd Blanche, It’s, Biden, there’s, “ I’m, Republican Sen, Lindsey Graham of, Joe Biden’s, Mike Johnson Organizations: CNN, White, Trump, Conservative Political, Republicans, Biden, Republican, White House, CBS News, Sunday, GOP, Democratic, Capitol, Democratic Party, Columbia University, National Guard Locations: New York, Wisconsin, Michigan, Trump, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Bedminster , New Jersey, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, “ State, Pennsylvania, Waukesha , Wisconsin, Gaza, Charlottesville , Virginia, Washington

☆ Trump’s Trial Could Bring a Rarity: Consequences for His Words
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Maggie Haberman | Jonah E. Bromwich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“So that’s not true? That’s not true?”The judge in control of Donald J. Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial had just cut off the former president’s lawyer, Todd Blanche. Mr. Blanche had been in the midst of defending a social media post in which his client wrote that a statement that had been public for years “WAS JUST FOUND!”Mr. Blanche had already acknowledged during the Tuesday hearing that Mr. Trump’s post was false. But the judge, Juan M. Merchan, wasn’t satisfied. But this particular defendant, accused by the Manhattan district attorney’s office of falsifying business records to conceal a sex scandal, has spent five decades spewing thousands and thousands of words, sometimes contradicting himself within minutes, sometimes within the same breath, with little concern for the consequences of what he said.

Persons: Donald J, Todd Blanche, Mr, Blanche, Trump’s, Juan M, wasn’t, Merchan Locations: Manhattan

☆ 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

☆ Old, unused, and 'twisty' — meet the obscure NY election-conspiracy law that just might get Trump convicted
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Attorneys specializing in state election law believe the statute has never been prosecuted. Jeenah Moon-Pool/Getty ImagesTwo highly respected law professors specializing in New York election law said the same. "I think it's very smart of prosecutors to use this state law, whether it's been used before or not," said Jeffrey M. Wice, who teaches state election law at New York Law School. Related storiesThese same three "underlying crimes" — using state election law, federal election law, and state tax law — were again given equal prominence here in a February 15 decision by Merchan. "You're having an underlying crime within an underlying crime to get to that felony," Connor told BI.

Persons: Alvin Bragg's, Trump, —, Donald Trump's, Donald Trump, Law Trump, Stormy Daniels, Joshua Steinglass, Juan Merchan, Steinglass, I've, Sen, Martin Connor, Joseph T, Burns, that's, it's, Jeffrey M, Wice, — Merchan, Alvin K, Trump's, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Michael Cohen, Daniels, Cohen, Connor, Prosecutors, Jerry H, he's, Goldfeder, Cozen O'Connor Organizations: Service, Manhattan, New York, Court, New, Republican, Democratic NY, Erie, Erie County Republican, New York Law School, Attorney, National Enquirer, Trump, Fordham Law, Democracy Locations: Manhattan, New York, Brooklyn, Erie County, Buffalo , New York

☆ Fact check: Trump’s false courthouse claims about his trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Here’s a fact check of four of the claims he made about the trial. (For this particular article, we’ll leave aside the false claims he made in the courthouse about a variety of other subjects.) It is an armed camp to keep people away.” And he said in comments inside the courthouse on Thursday: “This courthouse is locked down; there’s not a person within five blocks.”Facts First: Trump’s claims are all false. Facts First: As he has before, Trump made Merchan’s gag order sound far broader than it is. The gag order does not prohibit Trump from declaring the case a sham or from sharing others’ claims that the case is a sham.

Persons: Donald Trump, Here’s, we’ll, Trump, it’s, Michael Cohen’s, Michael Cohen “, ” Cohen, “, ”, Cohen, Trump’s, ” Trump, Judge Juan Merchan’s, Merchan, you’re, “ I’m, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Bragg, Biden, Alvin Bragg’s, Matthew Colangelo, Colangelo Organizations: Washington CNN, New York Times, Trump, CNN, Monday, Republican, Intelligence, Manhattan, Attorney, Biden, Justice Department Locations: Lower Manhattan, Moscow, Russia, ”, Manhattan, York’s

☆ Opinion: Trump attorney gives David Pecker an embarrassing courtroom apology
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Indeed, Bove was forced to apologize to Pecker in front of the jury to open the day. Bove got Pecker to concede that the National Enquirer did “catch and kill” stories to bury damaging information about high-profile people all the time. Bove also contrasted Pecker’s testimony with what was in the FBI notes of Pecker’s first 2018 interview with the feds. And Bove intimated that Pecker cannot directly connect Trump to the allegedly illegal payments then-Trump fixer Michael Cohen made to Daniels at a later date. As for Trump’s recognition of yours truly, it happened again as he left the courtroom Friday for the mid-day break.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Trump, Donald Trump, David Pecker, Norm Eisen, Emil Bove, Bove, Stormy Daniels, —, Juan Merchan, Bove’s, Pecker, Daniels, Hope Hicks, Merchan, Trump’s, ” Merchan, blunting, Pecker’s, Michael Cohen Organizations: CNN, Trump, National Enquirer, White House Communications, Twitter Locations: New York, Manhattan, Washington, York, —, Trump

☆ Trump trial: Defense continues cross-examination of National Enquirer publisher David Pecker: Live updates
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom at Manhattan criminal court in New York on April 26, 2024. Defense attorneys for former President Donald Trump continued the cross-examination Friday of former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, who has given three days of damning testimony for the prosecution in Trump's New York criminal hush money trial. Pecker's cross-examination began Thursday afternoon, when attorneys for Trump started a line of questions designed to poke holes in Pecker's credibility. The effort drew objections from prosecutors late Thursday afternoon, which New York Judge Juan Merchan said would be dealt with on Friday. Entering the courtroom Friday morning, Trump said he thought things went "very well" in the trial on Thursday.

Persons: Donald Trump, David Pecker, Pecker's, Trump, Juan Merchan Organizations: U.S, National Enquirer, New York Locations: Manhattan, New York, Trump's New York

☆ Trump trial split screen: Hush money case resumes with David Pecker testimony as Supreme Court hears immunity claim
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Former U.S. President Donald Trump waits for the start of proceedings in Manhattan criminal court on April 23, 2024. The New York criminal trial of Donald Trump is set to resume Thursday with more testimony from David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer and a key player in the former president's alleged hush money scheme. Trump is required to be in Manhattan Supreme Court for his criminal trial. Judge Juan Merchan denied Trump's request to skip at least part of the trial day Thursday to attend the Supreme Court oral arguments. "I made the decision to buy the story because of the potential embarrassment to the campaign and Mr. Trump," he testified.

Persons: Donald Trump, David Pecker, Pecker, Trump, Joe Biden, Judge Juan Merchan, Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen Organizations: U.S, The New, National Enquirer, Trump, Washington , D.C Locations: Manhattan, The New York, Washington ,

“As we walked out, President Trump asked me, ‘How’s Karen doing, how’s Karen doing?’ So, I said, ‘She’s doing well, she’s quiet, everything’s going good.’” Pecker said. I thought you had this under control.”Pecker also received a call from Trump after McDougal was interviewed by CNN’s Anderson Cooper in March 2018. Pecker told Trump on the call that he had amended McDougal’s agreement on speaking to other media. “But the US Supreme Court had a monumental hearing on immunity and the immunity having to do with presidential immunity. “So, you ran articles about President Trump because it was good for business?” Bove asked.

Persons: David Pecker, Donald Trump’s, Karen McDougal’s, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen, Pecker, Cohen, Daniels, McDougal, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Trump’s, ‘ How’s Karen, how’s Karen, ‘ She’s, ” Pecker, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, “, Chris Conroy, ” Conroy, CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Jackson, CNN Trump, ” Trump, Emil Bove, Quizzing, Bove, Dino Sajudin, ” Bove, Stelter, Bove’s, –, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Schwarzenegger, Ari Emanuel, Mark Wahlberg, Rahm Emanuel, Tiger Woods, Woods, ”, Wahlberg Organizations: CNN, Former American Media Inc, Trump, AMI, White House, Wall, Office, National Enquirer, National, Pecker, California, Chicago, ” CNN Locations: Manhattan, Washington, New York, New York City, Bedminster, CNN’s, Japan

Mr. Trump’s top lawyer said in response that Mr. Trump was simply defending himself from political attacks. The tabloid discovered that the story was apparently false, but paid $30,000 anyway, “because of the potential embarrassment” it could have caused Mr. Trump, Mr. Pecker said. When he proposed the magazine, Mr. Pecker said, Mr. Trump’s biggest question was, “Who’s going to pay for it?”Trump’s short leash could get shorter. For their part, prosecutors said they were not seeking to jail Mr. Trump, but wanted him to be fined. When Mr. Blanche finished his argument, Mr. Trump immediately beckoned him over before he snatched a piece of paper off the defense table.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Juan M, Merchan, Trump’s, ”, Justice Merchan, Todd Blanche, “ you’re, David Pecker, Mr, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, —, Pecker, Michael D, Cohen, Marion Curtis, Pecker’s, Trump “ Donald, “ Who’s, Christopher Conroy, Michael Cohen, “, ” Mr, Conroy, Blanche, Mark Peterson Organizations: National Enquirer, ” Prosecutors, Republican, Trump, Credit, Associated, Trump Mr Locations: Manhattan, York, Washington, New York

Search resuls for: "Juan M"

25 mentions found