DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Hunter Biden demands that Fox News remove ‘intimate’ images from its platforms
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Holmes Lybrand | Dana Bash | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hunter Biden’s legal team has undertaken an aggressive legal and public relations strategy for several months. His lawyers have fired off letters demanding investigations into Hunter Biden’s opponents and filed a series of lawsuits against his detractors. Hunter Biden’s lawyers say they “anticipate” suing Fox but have not yet done so. This stepped-up strategy by Hunter Biden to defend himself against the onslaught of attacks initially stoked anxiety among some of President Biden’s political advisers. Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to those criminal charges.

Persons: CNN — Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s, Hunter Biden, “, Biden, Hunter Biden’s, Hunter, ”, Biden’s, Fox, ” Hunter, Alexander Smirnov, Fox News “, Sean Hannity, Maria Bartiromo, Jesse Watters “, don’t Organizations: CNN, Fox, Fox News, FOX Corp, FOX, FBI, Republican Locations: Delaware, California

☆ Right-Wing Network Retracts False Story About Key Witness in Trump Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Maggie Haberman | Katie Robertson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

One America News, a right-wing cable news network, on Monday retracted a report claiming that Donald J. Trump’s former fixer had been the person who actually had an affair with the porn star whose claims of a sexual relationship with Mr. Trump are key to his criminal trial. The retraction came after the fixer, Michael D. Cohen, hired a leading defamation lawyer to address the false report, which was posted on the network’s website on March 27. The lawyer, Justin Nelson, had represented Dominion Voting Systems in a suit against Fox News that cost that network $787.5 million to settle. Mr. Nelson worked with Mr. Cohen’s longtime lawyer, Danya Perry, in what was a remarkably quick about-face by OAN. There are no monetary damages, but the story is being removed from the website “and all social media,” the network said in a statement on Monday.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Michael D, Cohen, Justin Nelson, Nelson, Cohen’s, Danya Perry Organizations: America, Voting Systems, Fox News, Mr, OAN

☆ 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

☆ Biden is up against nostalgia for Trump’s first term
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

More than half, 55%, of all Americans say they see Trump’s presidency as a success, while 44% see it as a failure. Four years ago, he was able to assail Trump’s time in office from his position as a challenger. Biden won all three in 2020 after Trump won them in 2016 in his victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. In the poll, 92% of Republicans view Trump’s time in office a success, while just 73% of Democrats say Biden’s has been a success. And while 85% of Democrats polled say they back Biden, 91% of Republicans say they support Trump.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, he’s, William Barr, Trump, CNN he’d, Ron DeSantis, Biden, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, ”, Israel, Mike Johnson, Benjamin Netanyahu, underscoring, Hillary Clinton, South Carolina Republican Sen, Lindsey Graham, CNN’s Dana, Nikki Haley, Biden’s, CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Kit Maher, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Trump . Barr, Trump’s, Chris Sununu, Haley, —, Georgia —, ” Biden, He’s, Colin Jost, “, ” Jost, Washington Hilton Organizations: CNN, GOP, Republican Party, Florida Gov, Trump’s, Democratic, Columbia University, National Guard, Israel, DeSantis, CBS, Biden, Trump, Trump ., South Carolina Republican, South Carolina Gov, New, New Hampshire Gov, “, White, Republican, Washington Locations: New York, Gaza, Manhattan, Rafah, Michigan , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, “ State, New Hampshire, Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Israel, American

☆ 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

☆ 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-Checking Trump’s Remarks in the Hush Money Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Linda Qiu | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Donald J. Trump spent the bulk of the past week in a Manhattan courtroom, standing trial as the first American president to face criminal prosecution. He is accused of falsifying business records to cover up an affair with a porn actress ahead of the 2016 election. Even though he did not take the stand as opening statements got underway, he took to the cameras to argue his case each day the court was in session. And they pay it and they call it a legal expense. Actually nobody’s been able to say what you’re supposed to call it.”— in remarks after the trial on Monday

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Said, nobody’s, ” Locations: Manhattan

☆ Opinion | Harvey Weinstein and the Limits of ‘She Said, She Said, She Said’
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Jessica Bennett | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Those following Mr. Weinstein’s legal battles always knew there was a possibility that his conviction would be thrown out on appeal. But the nature of the decision, and its focus on several women who testified that Mr. Weinstein had assaulted them, even though none of those allegations had led to charges, revealed something that unsettled me. Until Thursday, it seemed that we had entered a new age of accountability, legal and social, not just for Mr. Weinstein but also for the abusers who’d come after him. Even as the #MeToo movement fell short in some ways, the Weinstein case felt like a cultural marker — an Arthur’s sword in the stone moment, in which something irreversible happened. The monster of #MeToo had been vanquished, and it changed something about the way we understood vulnerability and power.

Persons: Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, Weinstein’s, Weinstein, who’d, MeToo Locations: Manhattan, York

☆ Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs seeks to toss portion of sexual assault and ‘revenge porn’ civil suit
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Elizabeth Wagmeister | Josh Campbell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Attorneys for embattled musician and producer Sean “Diddy” Combs are asking a New York court to throw out portions of a civil suit accusing the rapper and mogul of sexual assault and revenge porn. Around the time, she had appeared with Combs in a music video, per the suit. The lawsuit also alleged Combs had filmed the sexual assault and shown it to others, claiming that days after the alleged assault, a male friend revealed to Dickerson he had viewed video of it. Since November, Combs has faced six separate civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault or other allegations – with one lawsuit since settled. Combs’ attorney, Aaron Dyer, criticized the searches as “a gross overuse of military-level force.”Representatives for Combs had no additional comment on this latest motion when reached by CNN.

Persons: Sean “ Diddy ” Combs, Combs, Joi Dickerson, Neal, ”, Dickerson, “, Combs “, Aaron Dyer, CNN’s Kristina Sgueglia Organizations: CNN, New, Bad Boy Records, ” Locations: New York, State, Los Angeles, Miami

☆ 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

Donald J. Trump is a thrice-married man accused of covering up a sex scandal with a porn star after the world heard him brag about grabbing women by their genitals. But when Mr. Trump’s lawyers introduced him to a jury at his Manhattan criminal trial this week, they dwelt on a different dimension: “He’s a husband. And he’s a person, just like you and just like me.”That half-hour opening statement encapsulated the former president’s influence over his lawyers and their strategy. It reflected specific input from Mr. Trump, people with knowledge of the matter said, and it echoed his absolutist approach to his first criminal trial. And while defendants often offer feedback to their lawyers, this particular hands-on client could hamstring them.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, He’s Organizations: Manhattan

☆ 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

☆ Number of Trump Allies Facing Election Interference Charges Keeps Growing
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Danny Hakim | Richard Fausset | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Fifty-three people who tried to keep former President Donald J. Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election have now been criminally charged. Mr. Trump’s own legal complications are also growing. On Wednesday, he was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in election interference investigations in both Arizona and Michigan. He has already been charged in Georgia while facing two federal prosecutions and a criminal trial in Manhattan related to hush money payments made to a porn star. What’s more, Mr. Trump’s top legal strategist, Boris Epshteyn, was indicted in Arizona on Wednesday.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Kris Mayes, Trump’s, Boris Epshteyn Organizations: Democratic Locations: Arizona, American, Michigan, Georgia, Manhattan

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

☆ 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

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

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

☆ 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

☆ 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

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

☆ How a Playboy Model’s Story of an Affair With Trump Became a Commodity
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Michael Rothfeld | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the middle of the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald J. Trump called David Pecker, publisher of The National Enquirer. The candidate was seeking advice about a former Playboy model who was trying to sell her story of an affair with him, Mr. Pecker told jurors in Mr. Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial. Mr. Pecker suggested a way to silence the model, Karen McDougal. “I think that the story should be purchased,” he said he told Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up the Daniels payment as part of an effort to influence the election.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, David Pecker, Pecker, Trump’s, Karen McDougal, “, ”, Ms, McDougal, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Daniels Organizations: National Enquirer, Playboy

☆ 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

☆ 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 ,

Search resuls for: "Porn"

25 mentions found