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☆ 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

☆ Opinion: Trump trial prosecutors in hush money case rack up points
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

He was a financial professional at the Trump Organization for decades who proved to be an effective guide to the second phase of the prosecution’s case. The controller agreed that he “rarely spoke” with Trump while at the Trump Organization, never spoke to Cohen about these issues and was never asked by Trump to make the questioned business entries. Join us on Twitter and FacebookA similar back-and-forth unfolded after the lunch break, including when another member of the Trump Organization accounting staff, accounts payable supervisor Deborah Tarasoff, testified. While we have a ways to go on both halves of the case, prosecutors are scoring more points so far. So while Trump can feel good about his team’s effort, he can’t be very encouraged about where the overall scoreboard stands.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, Juan Merchan’s, Jeffrey McConney, Norm Eisen, McConney, David Pecker, Trump, Matthew Colangelo, Allen Weisselberg, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, Emil Bove, Deborah Tarasoff, District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Hope Hicks Organizations: CNN, Trump Organization, National Enquirer, Assistant, Trump, Cohen, Twitter, Facebook, District Attorney, White House

☆ Opinion: Hope Hicks’ testimony was a nightmare for Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —It’s a cliché to say that electricity surged through a courtroom — but it did when Hope Hicks took the stand Friday morning for her testimony in the election interference trial of former President Donald Trump. That is because as special counsel for the first Trump impeachment, I took her testimony on the alleged 2016 election influence scheme. When I took Hicks’ testimony for the impeachment proceedings, I found her to be a compelling witness, and the same was true Friday. Trump appeared to nod off repeatedly, including during Hicks’ testimony about how she first learned of the Daniels story. !” Asleep or awake, for Trump, Hicks’ testimony was a nightmare.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, CNN —, Hope Hicks, Norm Eisen, Hicks, ”, Trump, Stormy Daniels, –, Daniels, ” Hicks, Matthew Colangelo, Michael Cohen, Cohen, — Organizations: CNN, Trump, Washington Post, Twitter, Facebook Locations: East

☆ 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

☆ Opinion: Even if Trump can’t stay awake this week, the jury will have reason to
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Welcome to week two of the Trump 2016 election interference trial. And the case Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg brought is, at heart, a documents case – Trump has been charged with 34 counts of felony record falsification, actions allegedly taken to cover up hush money payoffs connected to the 2016 election. But as demonstrated by longtime Trump assistant Rhona Graff’s testimony Friday afternoon, the methodical nature of the testimony and evidence doesn’t mean it will be dull for the jury. The testimony of Gary Farro, Cohen’s onetime banker, is emblematic of what we are likely to hear from other witnesses this week. When defense counsel elicited from Graff on cross-examination that Trump was a good boss, she became a free character witness.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, David Pecker, Norm Eisen, Attorney Alvin Bragg, – Trump, Rhona Graff’s, Trump’s, paramours, Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, Pecker, Dallas ”, ” –, Trump, Michael Cohen, Daniels, Gary Farro, Cohen’s, Farro, Graff, Cohen, Rebecca Mangold, McDougal, Mangold, It’s, Team Trump Organizations: CNN, National Enquirer, Attorney, Trump, Dallas, Prosecutors, Team, DA Locations: Manhattan

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ Opinion: Trump’s refusal to follow gag order could cost him
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Norm Eisen Courtesy Norm EisenTuesday morning, however, will be something I have never seen before in my three decades of criminal law practice. Seven of the 10 came after Trump was put on notice of the gag order hearing and were rolled into it. As the Court found in issuing the gag order, Trump’s history of attacking his perceived foes presents a serious threat to the safety of witnesses and jurors (among others) and thus to the integrity of the trial. Moreover, the comments at issue concern the trial and are not in regard to Trump’s presidential campaign – at all. The judge may split the baby and order sanctions for some but not all of Trump’s statements.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Trump, Donald Trump’s, Norm Eisen, Juan Merchan, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Daniels, Michael Cohen, Merchan, they’re, Emil Bove, Cohen “, Mr, Cohen, ” Organizations: CNN, Trump, Attorney, TRUMP Locations: York

☆ 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

☆ Opinion: Both sides brought their A-game for opening of Trump’s trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Opening statements, followed by a few minutes of testimony from the first witness, concluded Monday in the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. Norm Eisen Courtesy Norm EisenMy takeaway: The prosecution has the upper hand based on the evidence and the law, and Trump knows it. As expected, prosecutor Matthew Colangelo hammered home his theory of the case: that it is all about election interference and its cover-up. Colangelo made the complex simple, going through the chronology of evidence that prosecutors will present to prove the election interference. ACT THREE: A payment to another person with a damaging story — Karen McDougal, who alleged she had an affair with Trump.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, Norm Eisen, Trump, Matthew Colangelo, ”, Colangelo, David Pecker, Pecker, Michael Cohen, Dino Sajudin, Karen McDougal, Hope Hicks, Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, Daniels, Todd Blanche, Blanche, ” Blanche, Juan Merchan, –, “ Trump, couldn’t, Hicks Organizations: CNN, ACT ONE, Trump, American Media, National Enquirer, ACT FOUR, White House, ACT FIVE, Trump Organization, ” Locations: Trump

☆ Opinion: Trump trial isn’t a hush money case, but an election interference one
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

We should call it an “election interference” trial going forward. Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass skillfully advanced the election interference theory by structuring his evidentiary points in chronological order within that frame. Trump’s alleged 2020 attempt to overthrow our government distorts perceptions of how serious the charges related to the 2016 election are. How can we call this an election interference trial, they ask, if the election was already over when the 34 alleged document falsification crimes occurred? It is an election interference one and we should say so.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, Juan Merchan, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Joshua Steinglass, Steinglass, Michael Cohen, David Pecker, Daniels, Cohen, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jack Smith, Fani Willis, Trump’s, Bragg Organizations: CNN, Trump, ”, American Media, National Enquirer, DA, Attorney, Fulton, Twitter Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Manhattan

If she does not course-correct, she’s headed for another shellacking by the circuit – and possible removal from the case. That statute outlines the parameters between a president’s official and personal records, and sets up processes for how official documents are preserved. If this were true, the mere fact that Trump took the documents with him from the White House would inherently turn them into personal records. Importantly, Smith asked Cannon to let both parties know “promptly” how she viewed the law. Ejecting her from the case would be extremely unusual and Smith does not mention seeking it in his papers.

Persons: Norman Eisen, Trump, Danya Perry, Perry Guha, Joshua Kolb, Jack Smith, Donald Trump’s, Smith, Aileen Cannon, Donald, Cannon, she’s, counterarguments, Cannon’s, ”, fashioning, “ Organizations: Democrats, Brookings, New, Public, CNN, Appeals, Circuit, Trump, Records, National Archives, Records Administration, White Locations: Lago, Bedminster , New Jersey

☆ Opinion: Trump’s facing a legal one-two punch
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | Andrew Warren | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Contrary to the popular view that former President Donald Trump has successfully delayed accountability, this week he’s facing a one-two punch that has the potential to inflict lasting damage. Some say that this case, too, serves as an example of Trump’s success at delaying prosecution against him. On March 18, Trump’s lawyers told the court that it was a “practical impossibility” to secure such a large bond. The bottom line, however, is that the New York attorney general is likely going to continue putting liens on Trump’s properties. Whatever delays may be present in those jurisdictions, or in Florida’s Mar-a-Lago documents case, in New York the former president is facing serious hits.

Persons: Norman Eisen, Barack Obama’s, Andrew Warren, Donald Trump, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Letitia James, Norm Eisen, Bragg, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Michael Cohen, –, Cohen, SDNY, Judge Juan Merchan, Donald , Jr, Eric, Judge Arthur Engoron, James, general’s Organizations: CNN, US Department of Justice, New, Manhattan, Attorney, New York, Trump, Andrew Warren State, US, Office, Southern, of, Trump Organization, Seven, NY, DC Locations: Hillsborough County , Florida, New York, of New York, Westchester County , NY, Springs, Manhattan, New York City, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Georgia, Florida’s Mar

☆ Opinion: Biden impeachment inquiry is a Trump vendetta and nothing more
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Hilary Krieger | Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

That should be no surprise considering that a consistent proponent of this inquiry was former President Donald Trump. I make that judgment based on my work as a scholar of impeachment and also as a practitioner who helped lead the first Trump impeachment and trial as counsel to the House Judiciary Committee. McCarthy bitterly — and now hypocritically — criticized former Speaker Nancy Pelosi for announcing the first Trump impeachment before a vote (she later scheduled one). That includes examples like the inquiry into President Richard Nixon and the second Trump impeachment. The proposed Biden impeachment is a revenge mission and nothing more.

Persons: Norman Eisen, Trump, Obama, Kevin McCarthy’s, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, Biden, ” Trump, impeaching Biden, Paul Morigi, McCarthy, McCarthy’s, —, Nancy Pelosi, Devon Archer, Archer, Hunter, House Republicans ’ “, ”, Hunter Biden, “, Richard Nixon, Nixon, Joe Biden, Trump’s Organizations: Democrats, White, CNN, CNN —, Social, Republicans, Biden, House Republicans, Committee, Twitter Locations: Czech Republic, —, Ukraine, Ukrainian, States, United States

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