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☆ Far-right network OAN retracts false story about Michael Cohen affair with Stormy Daniels
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Cohen and Daniels are both key witnesses against Trump in his ongoing New York state criminal trial. Trump is accused of falsifying business records to cover-up the $130,000 payment that Daniels received so she wouldn’t publicly reveal their alleged affair before the 2016 election. Cohen hired veteran attorney Justin Nelson after OAN published the story last month. The little-watched network has regularly given airtime to baseless conspiracy theories, most prominently in the wake of the 2020 election. OAN still faces a separate defamation lawsuit brought by Nelson’s law firm on behalf of Dominion over its promotion of 2020 election lies.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, Daniels, Trump, wouldn’t, Cohen “, ”, Daniel, ” Cohen, OAN, –, Justin Nelson, Nelson, “, ” Nelson, OAN didn’t Organizations: CNN, Trump Organization, Trump, Smartmatic, Dominion Voting Systems, Fox News, Dominion Locations: New York, Arizona

☆ Trump's jurors hardly look at him. Trial experts say that's a good sign for everyone.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. But the 12 jurors and six alternates hardly look at Trump as they file back and forth past the defense table. Trump is the most famous person on the planet, and the jurors hardly look at him, even from the jury box. Business Insider described this strange-seeming, mutual coyness to veteran Manhattan trial attorneys. "It's very important that the jury see the defendant and the lawyers laughing and smiling together throughout the trial," Lichtman said.

Persons: Trump's, That's, —, Donald Trump's, Trump, Donald Trump, Diana Florence, Florence, Jeremy Saland, Saland, Jesse Watters, Gotti Jr, El Chapo Jeffrey Lichtman, John Gotti Jr, El, Lichtman, El Chapo, it's, Yuki Iwamura, Todd Blanche, Gotti, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels Organizations: Service, Trump, Business, Prosecutors Locations: York, Manhattan, Florence

☆ 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

☆ Opinion: Winds of fate confront Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. To Trump’s delight, the top court’s session dimmed the chances the federal case will go to trial before the election. (Trump has denied the affairs with Daniels and McDougal and has pleaded not guilty to the hush money charges. Here’s why we should tune in anyway 04:27 - Source: CNNAs SE Cupp noted, “Trump and Biden debated twice in 2020. Chris Pizzello/Invision/APCNN anchor Victor Blackwell is a fervent Beyoncé fan but her foray into country music didn’t initially grab him.

Persons: CNN —, Yabushige, Yoshii, ”, “, Toranaga, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Jack Smith, Steve Vladeck, Neil Gorsuch, ” Clay Jones, immunizing Trump, John Roberts, Roberts, ” Vladeck, Joey Jackson, David Pecker, Pecker’s “, Michael Cohen …, Norm Eisen, George T, Conway III, Jill Filipovic, Melania Trump, Melania, Daniels, McDougal, ” Bill Bramhall, Frida Ghitis, Jonathan Greenblatt, ” “, Rev, Serene Jones, Israel … ”, Julian Zelizer, …, Lyndon Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, Richard Daley, Richard Nixon, Fareed Zakaria, Ian Berlin, I’m, Bill Bramhall, Kara Alaimo, ” Alaimo, “ Trump, Biden, CNN’s Jake Tapper, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Chip Bok, Clarissa Wei, Mike Johnson, Sen, John Fetterman of, Johnson, Scott Jennings, it’s, Mark Hannah, “ Biden, ” Biden, Hannah, Deborah Carr, Gerry Turner, Theresa, ’ —, ” Carr, ” Don’t, Terri Gerstein, Hasan Merali, Tess Taylor, Jeff Yang, Dean Obeidallah, Joey Weatherford, Beyoncé, Chris Pizzello, Victor Blackwell, didn’t, ’, Carter, she’s, CNN FlashDocs, Duke Ellington, Sammy Miller, Billy Strayhorn, Ellington, Strayhorn, Michael Ochs, “ Ellington, — Organizations: CNN, Republican, Art Deco New, “, Trump, New, American Media, National Enquirer, Agency, Columbia University , Yale, Defamation League, Hillel, Columbia, Force, Union Theological Seminary, New York City Police Department, Columbia University, Twitter, Facebook, Democratic, Convention, Chicago police, Yale, Real Housewives, Syndicate, Theresa Nist, Nashville’s, Max, Michael Ochs Archives Locations: New York, Washington, Florida, Georgia, Israel, Israeli, Columbia, Gaza, Chicago, Vietnam, Taiwan, China, America, Taipei, ”, Ukraine, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Fetterman, Crimea, Los Angeles, Sugar, Harlem

☆ Election 2024 Biden jokes, Trump still leads and updates from the Sunday shows.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Maggie Astor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

Che told me to say that, and I’m just realizing I was set up.” “Shame, shame, shame on you.” “Shame on you!” “Shame, shame, shame, shame.”President Biden didn’t waste time. “The 2024 election’s in full swing and yes, age is an issue,” Mr. Biden said in a roughly 10-minute speech. He ended it by noting that his grandfather, who recently died, had voted for Mr. Biden in the last election. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois held court with guests as Biden campaign officials talked about recent polls showing Mr. Biden cutting into Mr. Trump’s lead. “My vice president actually endorses me,” Mr. Biden said, referring to former Vice President Mike Pence’s decision not to endorse Mr. Trump.

Persons: Biden, Donald J, —, Donald, Joe, Michael Che, Che, I’m, ”, ” Mr, “, ” “ Donald, Mr, Stormy Daniels, Trump, ‘, ’, Washington Hilton, Hazami Barmada, Evan ”, Evan Gershkovich, “ We’re, Paul Whelan, we’re, Evan, Austin Tice, Deborah, Tice, Haiyun Jiang, The New York Times Kelly O’Donnell, Gershkovich, Ms, O’Donnell, Colin Jost, Advance —, Jost, Jost didn’t, mignon, Lester Holt, Jeffrey D, Al Sharpton, John Fetterman, Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm, Sean Penn, Chuck Schumer, J.B . Pritzker, Trump’s, Robert E, Lee, Mike Pence’s Organizations: White, ’ Association, Israel, Union, ’, Washington Hilton, New York Times, The New York Times, Washington, Wall Street, ., Home, U.S, Journalists, Austin, Wall Street Journal, Credit, NBC News, Staten, Advance, Mr, Black, White House, Hollywood, Democratic, Illinois, Biden, “ Locations: Gaza, New York, York, Russia, Moscow, The U.S, Syria, Pennsylvania, Gettysburg

☆ Biden keeps up his attack on 'sleepy Don' with a slew of jokes aimed at Trump at the White House Correspondents' dinner
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Joe Biden used his speech at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner to mock Donald Trump. AdvertisementOften referred to as Washington's "nerd prom," hundreds of journalists, politicians, and celebrities rubbed shoulders on Saturday evening at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. President Joe Biden jokes about his age and Donald Trump at the 2024 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Trump responded to Biden's Saturday comments on his Truth Social platform, saying, "The White House Correspondents' Dinner was really bad. Later in his White House Correspondents' speech, Biden also delivered some light-hearted jokes at the media's expense.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, —, Trump, Mike Pence, Stormy Daniels, Donald, 81NH5r3hg2, 2bD4ZOo9cl —, Joe, Ron DeSantis, Ron DeSanctimonious, 4ggDwycPlY — Joe Biden, Colin Jost Organizations: White, Correspondents, Association, Trump, Service, Republican, 2bD4ZOo9cl — MSNBC, Florida Gov, Unions Washington DC, Union, New York Times, The New York Times Locations: New York

☆ 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

☆ 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: 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

☆ Kanye West appears to confirm 'Yeezy Porn' site and is planning to work with Stormy Daniels' ex-husband, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Kanye West appears to have confirmed reports that he is launching an adult entertainment studio. The rapper, now known as Ye, shared a now-deleted post about his new venture: "Yeezy Porn." NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementYe, formerly known as Kanye West, appears to have confirmed reports that he's set to launch an adult entertainment site. The six-second clip featured a voice directing followers to "go to yeezy.com," while the screen read: "Yeezy Porn Is Cumming," Rolling Stone reported.

Persons: Kanye, Ye, He's, Stormy Daniels, —, Cumming, Mike Moz, I've, it's, Moz Organizations: Service, Vixen Media, TMZ, Business, Adidas Locations: Chicago

Mr. Pecker was also asked whether he believed Mr. Trump was concerned that his wife or family would find out about the affairs. director, and Reince Priebus, who was chairman of the Republican National Committee, Mr. Pecker reassured Mr. Trump that everything was fine. Mr. Trump then told the group that Mr. Pecker probably “knows more than anyone else in this room.”“It was a joke,” Mr. Pecker testified, adding, “They didn’t laugh.”Pecker did a lot for Trump, who could be hard to please. Mr. Pecker variously described Mr. Trump as becoming “very angry” and “very aggravated.”Still, Mr. Pecker said he felt no ill will. Mr. Pecker described a 2002 meeting in which Mr. Schwarzenegger asked Mr. Pecker not to run negative stories about him before his run for governor of California.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump, David Pecker, Pecker, Karen McDougal, Daniels, McDougal, Trump’s, Michael D, Cohen, Marion Curtis, “, Mr, McDougal —, —, ” Mr, ”, Ahmed Gaber, James Comey, Reince Priebus, ” Pecker, Emil Bove, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Schwarzenegger Organizations: National Enquirer, AMI, ., Associated, Prosecutors, Trump, White, The New York Times, Republican National Committee, Mr, Republican Locations: Trump’s, California

CNN —Jurors will now have a three-day weekend to think about what they heard during the first full week of testimony in the historic Donald Trump hush money trial. In one instance, Bove pointed to FBI notes from a 2018 interview, where agents had written that Pecker testified Trump did not thank him or AMI during a January 6, 2017, meeting at Trump Tower. In that interview, Pecker testified that Trump had in fact thanked him during that 2017 Trump Tower meeting. Trump cracks a smile for his longtime assistantTrump’s longtime assistant Rhona Graff testified for less than an hour. He replied, “Of course I do.”Graff no longer works for Trump, but she spoke positively about her experience at the Trump Organization and having Trump as a boss.

Persons: Donald Trump, David Pecker, pummel, Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen, Trump’s, Rhona Graff, Cohen, Trump, Karen McDougal’s, Banker Gary Farro, Daniels, Farro, He’s, Emil Bove, Pecker, Bove, McDougal, Prosecutors, Joshua Steinglass, Steinglass, Karen McDougal, ”, Graff, Susan Necheles, ” Graff, “, humanize Trump, ” Trump, Hope Hicks Organizations: CNN, American Media Inc, National Enquirer, Trump Organization, Trump, First Republic Bank, AMI, Trump Tower, Trump Org, ” Defense Locations: Delaware

☆ Trump wishes Melania happy birthday from the hallway outside his NY criminal trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In front of television cameras and a gaggle of journalists, former President Donald Trump wished his wife, Melania Trump, a very happy birthday Friday morning, moments before he entered the courtroom for his criminal hush-money trial. "I want to start by wishing my wife Melania a very happy birthday," he told reporters in the downtown Manhattan courthouse hallway. Trump is spending the day in Manhattan's criminal court, where he's on trial for charges alleging that he falsified business documents to disguise payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. AdvertisementTrump did not address why Melania Trump, or any of his other family members, have not attended the trial to support him. Trump said he listened to the arguments Thursday night, after his court day in Manhattan, and "thought it was really great."

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Jason Miller, Boris Epshteyn, Waltine Nauta, Epshteyn, David Pecker, Pecker, Daniels, Karen McDougal Organizations: Service, Hallmark, Business, National Enquirer Locations: Manhattan, Florida, Arizona, Trump's Florida

The criminal trial of Donald J. Trump on Friday will feature the continued cross-examination of the prosecution’s first witness, David Pecker, as defense lawyers try to discredit the idea that there had been a plot to protect Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. On Thursday, Mr. Pecker, the former publisher of The National Enquirer, described his own involvement in the suppression of the stories of two women who claimed to have had sex with Mr. Trump: Karen McDougal, a Playboy model, and Stormy Daniels, the porn star whose 2016 hush-money payoff is at the root of the prosecution’s case. Mr. Trump, 77, is charged with falsifying 34 business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to Ms. Daniels, who has said they had a sexual encounter in 2006 and was shopping that story in the weeks before the 2016 presidential election. Mr. Trump, the first American president to face criminal trial, has denied the accusations and the sexual encounter with Ms. Daniels.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, David Pecker, Trump’s, Pecker, Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, Daniels Organizations: National Enquirer

☆ 5 Takeaways From the Second Week of Donald J. Trump’s Criminal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Kate Christobek | Jesse Mckinley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The second week of Donald Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial was dominated by four days of testimony by David Pecker, the former publisher of The National Enquirer, who detailed his efforts to safeguard Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Mr. Pecker, a longtime associate of the former president, talked at length about a “catch and kill” scheme that he said he had entered into with Mr. Trump and his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, during a 2015 meeting at Trump Tower. The publisher said he would purchase the rights to unsavory stories he had no intention of running. 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.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, David Pecker, Trump’s, Pecker, Trump, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Daniels Organizations: National Enquirer, Mr, Trump Tower Locations: Donald Trump’s Manhattan

☆ 5 Takeaways From David Pecker’s Testimony in Trump’s Criminal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Jesse Mckinley | Kate Christobek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The criminal trial of Donald Trump featured vivid testimony on Thursday about a plot to protect his first presidential campaign and the beginnings of a tough cross-examination of the prosecution’s initial witness, David Pecker. Mr. Trump, 77, is charged with falsifying 34 business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to Ms. Daniels, who has said they had a sexual encounter in 2006 and was shopping that story in the weeks before the 2016 presidential election. He has denied the charges and having sex with Ms. Daniels and Ms. McDougal; the former president could face probation or prison if convicted. Here are five takeaways from Mr. Trump’s seventh day on trial:Pecker teed up falsified records charges. As part of a so-called catch-and-kill scheme, Mr. Pecker testified that his company, AMI, paid Ms. McDougal $150,000 to purchase her story, with no intention of publishing anything about an affair with Mr. Trump.

Persons: Donald Trump, David Pecker, Pecker, Trump, Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, McDougal, Trump’s Organizations: National Enquirer, AMI

☆ Trump Case Testimony Expected to Turn to Hush-Money Deal With Porn Star
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Jonah E. Bromwich | Ben Protess | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mr. Pecker, whose magazine had previously bought and buried two other salacious stories on Mr. Trump’s behalf, decided not to pay Ms. Daniels for her account of a sexual encounter with Mr. Trump. Instead, Mr. Pecker is expected to explain how he and a top editor brought the story to Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer and fixer, Michael D. Cohen, who then paid Ms. Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet. Mr. Trump, who later reimbursed Mr. Cohen, denies that he and Ms. Daniels had sex. The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which brought the case, has said that Mr. Pecker was one member of a conspiracy that also involved Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen. Mr. Pecker has supported that story, saying that the three men reached a secret agreement in 2015 in which The National Enquirer would promote positive stories about Mr. Trump and, importantly for the prosecution’s case, suppress negative ones.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, David Pecker, Stormy Daniels, Pecker, Trump’s, Daniels, Michael D, Cohen Organizations: Manhattan, National Enquirer, National Locations: Manhattan

☆ The National Enquirer, Reeling From Trump, Still Can’t Find a Buyer
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Katie Robertson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For five years, the owner of The National Enquirer has been trying to find a buyer to take it off its hands. But repeated attempts at a sale have turned into a tabloid-worthy saga of its own. The embattled publication is back in the spotlight because of the hush-money trial of former president Donald J. Trump, which centers on the “catch and kill” practices The National Enquirer deployed in an attempt to bolster Mr. Trump’s chances in the 2016 election. David Pecker, the former publisher of The Enquirer and a longtime friend of Mr. Trump’s, is the prosecution’s first witness and will testify again on Thursday. His testimony so far has detailed just how enmeshed The Enquirer was with the Trump campaign, a relationship that saw Mr. Pecker pushed out and that contributed to a tangled web of aborted deals as its owner tried to unload it over the last few years.

Persons: Donald J, Trump’s, Trump, Stormy Daniels, David Pecker, Mr, Pecker Organizations: National Enquirer, Trump, The Locations: U.S, New York

☆ CNN Poll: Few think Trump is being treated the same as other defendants
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Jennifer Agiesta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —As the first criminal prosecution of a former American president began just 13% nationwide feel Donald Trump is being treated the same as other criminal defendants, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS finds. Most of the country was divided over whether he is being treated more harshly (34%) or more leniently (34%) than other defendants. Most Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say Trump is being treated more leniently than other defendants by the criminal justice system (61%), while Republicans and Republican-leaning independents largely say he’s being treated more harshly than others (67%). A broad majority of Democratic-aligned Americans say Trump’s behavior during the trial thus far has been inappropriate (72%), though Republicans haven’t leapt to his defense. Only 46% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say Trump’s conduct has been appropriate, with 15% saying it’s been inappropriate and 39% that they haven’t heard enough to say.

Persons: Donald Trump, SSRS, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Honig, there’s, it’s, haven’t, CNN’s Ariel Edwards, Levy, Ed Wu Organizations: CNN, Republican, Trump, Biden, Capitol, Republican Party, Democratic, Republicans Locations: American

☆ The Links Between Trump and 3 Hush-Money Deals
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Molly Cook Escobar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The Links Between Trump and 3 Hush-Money DealsThe first criminal trial of former President Donald J. Trump has resurfaced three potential sex scandals that he faced ahead of the 2016 presidential election and buried with the help of allies. Manhattan prosecutors charged him in relation to the one involving the porn star Stormy Daniels; he pleaded not guilty and has said the three stories are untrue. Two other hush-money deals were made as part of a “catch and kill” effort by The National Enquirer. While those episodes are not formally part of the charges Mr. Trump is facing, prosecutors will argue that they were part of the effort to bury negative news about Mr. Trump to influence the election. Those deals involve Karen McDougal, who said she had an affair with Mr. Trump in 2006-7, and Dino Sajudin, a former doorman who in 2015 tried to sell an apparently false tip about Mr. Trump fathering a child out of wedlock.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels David Pecker, Karen McDougal Dino Sajudin, Donald Trump, David Pecker, Stormy Daniels Karen McDougal Dino Sajudin, Daniels, Karen McDougal, Dino Sajudin Organizations: Trump, National Enquirer, The New York Times Locations: Manhattan

☆ Stormy Daniels’s Attempt to Sell Her Story Began the Road to Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Michael Rothfeld | More About Michael Rothfeld | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Stormy Daniels tried to benefit from Donald J. Trump’s political momentum in early 2016, setting off the saga that ultimately resulted in his criminal trial. Mr. Howard thought her story had little value because it had already been written about on a gossip site in 2011. At the time, she had publicly denied the encounter. A month before the presidential election, her story’s value suddenly increased. On Oct. 7, 2016, The Washington Post published a recording of Mr. Trump on the set of “Access Hollywood” talking about groping women.

Persons: Stormy Daniels, Donald J, Dylan Howard, Trump, Daniels, Howard Organizations: National Enquirer, Washington Post Locations: Lake Tahoe, Nev

☆ Trump feared for campaign, not family, as sex scandals were caught and killed, ex-Enquirer CEO tells hush-money jury
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

When a porn star and Playboy Bunny both came forward, Trump feared for voters, not family, Pecker told jurors. Then, in swift succession and with the 2016 election just months away, a Playboy Bunny and a porn star appeared with more sex scandals. But in the months before the 2016 election, all Trump worried about was his voters, Pecker testified on his third day on the stand. "I thought his concern was with the campaign," Pecker added. Pecker told jurors he had been investigated by California officials for just this sort of thing more than a decade before Trump's 2016 campaign.

Persons: David Pecker, Playboy Bunny, Trump, Pecker, —, Donald Trump, Dino Sajudin, Bunny Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, Joshua Steinglass, Steinglass, Daniels, Michael Cohen, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Bragg, Dylan Howard, Trump's, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Arnold, Howard, Howard texted, Cohen, Karen, McDougal, Michael, Jeff Sessions Organizations: National Enquirer, Service, Trump, Enquirer, Trump Organization, Attorney, American Media International, AMI, Prosecutors, McDougal's, Federal, Commission Locations: Manhattan, California, Australia

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

It's unclear when the Supreme Court will release its decision on Trump's claims. Trump's trial was supposed to have begun last month, but depending on how the Supreme Court rules in this case, it could be delayed past the election. As of now, Trump's Manhattan hush-money trial is his only criminal trial to have started. Trump could not attend oral arguments at the Supreme Court due to the New York trial, in which he stands charged with 34 counts of business fraud related to hush-money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels. Their ruling could have sweeping effects on the future of the presidency, particularly if they accept some of Trump's argument that a Nixon-era Supreme Court decision on civil immunity applies to criminal charges as well.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Sonia Sotomayor, D, John Sauer, Sauer, Saur, Sotomayor interjected, he's, Sotomayer, Jack Smith, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Smith, Nixon, Joe Biden Organizations: Service, Business, Trump Locations: Manhattan, York

☆ The man who audited Trump's social media company misspelled his own name in 14 different ways: FT
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe accountant hired to audit former President Donald Trump's social media company seemed to have a lot of trouble spelling his name, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. But others, like Blake F Borgers and Ben F Vonesh, were entirely different names. Representatives for BF Borgers and Trump Media & Technology Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours. In November, Borgers' firm was also removed from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' peer review program. Trump Media shares had initially soared when it went public, only to crash by nearly 40% in a matter of weeks.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Ben F Borgers, Ben F Brogers, Ben F orgers, Blake F Borgers, Ben F Vonesh, Borgers, Brown, WithumSmith, Trump, Forbes, Jean Carroll, he's, Stormy Daniels Organizations: Service, Financial Times, Public Company, Business, BF Borgers, Trump Media & Technology Group, BI, Bloomberg, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Trump, Trump Media, New Locations: New York, Manhattan, Mar

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