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☆ The Trump hush money trial might be tawdry but it’s likely the only one he’ll face before the election
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

He learned late Tuesday afternoon that Judge Aileen Cannon, whom he appointed, indefinitely postponed a trial in his classified documents case in Florida. She told the jury Tuesday about a $130,000 hush money payment she received from Cohen before the 2016 election. But prosecutors allege Trump falsified business records to hide it and to mislead voters in an early bout of election interference. The judge complained that the ex-president was “cursing audibly” during Daniels’ testimony and was shaking his head. “Am I correct that you hate President Trump?” Necheles asked.

Persons: CNN —, Stormy Daniels, Donald, —, he’s, Trump, scowling, Daniels, Aileen Cannon, Ty Cobb, Cannon, ” Cobb, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Cannon’s, Trump’s, it’s, Michael Cohen, Cohen, He’s, “, Donald Trump, Norm Eisen, CNN’s Wolf, Judge Juan Merchan, audibly ”, ”, Todd Blanche, Jeremy Herb, Merchan, Susan Necheles, Necheles, ” Necheles, ” Daniels, ‘, Let’s, ’, Daniels —, Eric Trump, ” Trump Organizations: CNN, White, Trump, White House, ” Locations: Florida, Lake Tahoe

☆ Trump's Mar-a-Lago document trial has been delayed again. He now has a chance to dodge it entirely.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago documents trial has been delayed indefinitely. AdvertisementThe judge overseeing Donald Trump's criminal case over his holding onto secret government documents following his presidency delayed the trial indefinitely — giving him the chance to get rid of the charges if he wins the 2024 election. Another criminal case overseen by Smith, in a federal court in Washington, DC, was previously scheduled for March 4. In that case, Smith alleged Trump broke criminal laws through his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump's attorneys have also made immunity arguments in the classified documents case.

Persons: Donald Trump's Mar, It's, —, Donald Trump's, Aileen Cannon, Cannon —, Trump, Carlos de Oliveira, Waltine Nauta —, Jack Smith, de Oliveira, Trump's, Stormy Daniels, — Trump, Smith, MANDEL NGAN, Fani Willis, Juan Merchan, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Merchan, reconvene, Cannon Organizations: Trump, Service, Nauta, Republican, Justice Department, US, Getty Images Locations: Lago, Manhattan, Washington ,, AFP, Getty Images Fulton County, Georgia, York, Florida, New York

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

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

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

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

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

Donald Trump's attorneys moved for a mistrial Tuesday over Stormy Daniels' testimony. AdvertisementDonald Trump's attorneys moved for a mistrial over Stormy Daniels' graphic testimony on Tuesday, but the judge swiftly denied that motion. Merchan added he was "surprised" the former president's defense team did not raise more objections during Daniels' testimony. "There's no way to unring the bell in our view," Blanche had told the court as he called Daniels' testimony "unduly prejudicial." Merchan ultimately ruled that Daniels' testimony did not rise to the level of scuttling the trial.

Persons: Donald, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, —, Donald Trump's, Juan Merchan, Blanche, Merchan, Trump's, Todd Blanche, Trump, Susan Necheles Organizations: Trump, Service, New, Merchan, Prosecutors Locations: Manhattan, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas

☆ Trump classified documents trial postponed indefinitely
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures while he walks with his attorney Todd Blanche, as his criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016 continues, at Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S., May 6, 2024. A federal judge Tuesday indefinitely postponed the criminal classified documents trial of former President Donald Trump, a court filing shows. The trial, on charges that Trump willfully retained classified national security records after leaving the White House and then hid them from federal authorities, was scheduled to start May 20. This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

Persons: Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Stormy Daniels, Trump Organizations: White House Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S

Prosecutors cannot force Donald J. Trump to testify at his criminal trial in Manhattan, but that does not mean they can’t use his words against him. On Tuesday, the prosecutors unearthed a series of damaging excerpts from books that the former president wrote, plucking out passages to help make their case against Mr. Trump. In essence, they called a past version of Mr. Trump to testify against his future self. In his own words, Mr. Trump described how he kept a focus on minute details and watched every penny that left his accounts, corroborating a core component of the prosecution’s case as they argue that he knew that his company falsified business records to cover up a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels, a porn star. On cross-examination, Mr. Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, suggested that a ghost writer had been responsible for these words.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Trump’s, Todd Blanche Locations: Manhattan

☆ Stormy Daniels Delivers Intense Testimony in Trump’s Trial: 6 Takeaways
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Kate Christobek | Jesse Mckinley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

“The people call Stormy Daniels.”So began the intense and often uncomfortable testimony of Ms. Daniels, who spent almost five hours in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday recounting her story of a 2006 encounter with Donald J. Trump and the ensuing hush-money cover-up that has become the bedrock of the prosecution’s case. Ms. Daniels spoke quickly and at length about her first meeting with Mr. Trump at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, Nev.After the lunch break, Mr. Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche moved for a mistrial, arguing that the prosecution’s questions were designed to embarrass Mr. Trump and prejudice the jury. The judge, Juan M. Merchan, agreed that some of Ms. Daniels’s testimony “may have been better left unsaid,” but denied a mistrial.

Persons: Stormy Daniels, ”, Ms, Daniels, Donald J, Trump, Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Mr, Juan M, Merchan Locations: Manhattan, Lake Tahoe, Nev

☆ Judge said he won’t tolerate Trump’s cursing and headshaking during Daniels’ testimony, transcript shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Laura Dolan | Jack Forrest | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Merchan told Blanche they were speaking at the bench because the judge did not want to embarrass Trump. “One time I noticed when Ms. Daniels was testifying about rolling up the magazine, and presumably smacking your client, and after that point [Trump] shook his head and he looked down. Blanche said he would talk to Trump during the break. Daniels then told jurors that she “spanked” a “rude, arrogant and pompous” Trump “right on the butt” with a copy of one of his magazines. After which, she said, the former president “was much more polite.”CNN’s Jeremy Herb, Lauren del Valle and Kara Scannell contributed to this report.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, audibly, ”, Juan Merchan, Todd Blanche, Daniels, Trump, Michael Cohen, Merchan, Blanche, ” Merchan, ” Trump, “, Jeremy Herb, Lauren del Valle, Kara Scannell Organizations: CNN, Trump Locations: Lake

New York CNN —Prosecutors in Donald Trump’s hush money trial dove into the paper trail at the heart of their case on Monday, revealing to jurors exactly how Michael Cohen was repaid by Trump’s trust and personal accounts in 2017 after he paid hush money to Stormy Daniels. Here are the takeaways from day 12 of the Trump hush money trial:Judge threatens to jail TrumpMerchan began Monday’s session by announcing he found Trump in contempt for violating his gag order a 10th time, after fining him last week for nine violations cited by prosecutors. Both of the witnesses worked for Trump for decades – Tarasoff still works for the Trump Org. Trump fully turned in his chair to watch Tarasoff’s testimony when his attorney, Blanche, began his cross-examination of the Trump Org. was like a “family-run business.”Eric Trump, who is still in charge of the Trump Org., and attorney Alina Habba, who represented Trump Org.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, Juan Merchan, Trump Merchan, Trump, fining, fining Trump, Mr, ” Merchan, ”, ” Trump, Merchan, Daniels, Jeffrey McConney, McConney, Deborah Tarasoff, ” McConney, CNN Tarasoff, Donald J, “, David Pecker, Keith Davidson –, Allen Weisselberg, Daniels ’, Davidson, Cohen –, who’ve, Emil Bove, Weisselberg, ” Tarasoff, Todd Blanche, – Tarasoff, “ You’re, ‘, Blanche, ” Eric Trump, Alina Habba, Tarasoff, Eric Trump Organizations: New, New York CNN — Prosecutors, Trump Organization, Trump, Trump Org, Trust, CNN, White, Trump Revocable Trust, Consultants Locations: New York, Washington, McConney, Sharpie

☆ Trump Hush-Money Trial Sees 'Falsified' Documents at Heart of Case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Those witnesses, longtime Trump Organization employees Jeffrey McConney and Deborah Tarassoff, handled the checks, invoices, and other records that comprise the 34 business records the Manhattan district attorney's office alleges Trump illegally falsified. He was sentenced to five months in jail in 2022 for a Trump Organization felony payroll tax-fraud prosecution, and is now serving another five-month sentence for felony perjury in last year's Trump Organization civil fraud trial. The Trump Organization needed to reimburse Cohen for some money, McConney testified that Weissberg told him. Yet another Trump Organization employee would FedEx the checks to Trump in DC, he testified. In the afternoon, prosecutor Christopher Conroy slogged through more records with Tarasoff, who said she has worked at the Trump Organization for 24 years.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Jeffrey McConney, Deborah Tarassoff, Trump, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Daniels, Melania Trump, McConney, Cohen, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, Weissberg, Colangelo, Keith Davidson —, Jeffrey McConney's, pic.twitter.com, c2d9IQyKe5, Jacob Shamsian ⚖️, Dear Allen, Christopher Conroy slogged, Tarasoff, Todd Blanche, yawn, Conroy, Tarassoff, he'd Organizations: Service, Prosecutors, Trump, Business, Trump Organization, Attorney, Tahoe, White, FedEx Locations: Donald Trump's Manhattan, Manhattan, Weisselberg, Florida, Trump, New York, DC, Sharpie

☆ Cohen had 39,745 contacts stored in his iPhone, analyst tells Trump's hush-money trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Michael Cohen was found to have 39,745 contacts stored in his cellphone, said a data analyst. Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, is set to testify against the former president's New York trial. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementProsecutors at Donald Trump's hush money trial wrapped up Thursday's proceedings with testimony from a digital data analyst who works for the Manhattan District Attorney. Douglas Daus, testified he had extracted data from two iPhones belonging to Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, and so-called "fixer"One device had 39,745 contacts, which Daus described as "unusual."

Persons: Michael Cohen, Karen McDougal, Cohen, Trump's, —, Donald Trump's, Douglas Daus, Daus, I've, Hope Hicks, Trump, Allen Weisselberg, Lady Melania Trump, Jane Rosenberg, David, David Pecker, Todd Blanche, Donald, Von ShitzInPantz Organizations: Service, Manhattan, New, Attorney's, Associated Press, Trump Organization, Reuters, Trump, Playboy, American Media, fixer Locations: York, New York County

☆ Trump Trial Live Updates: Witness Who Extracted Secret Recordings to Return to the Stand
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Matthew Haag | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Before the tape was revealed, Mr. Trump’s legal team aggressively attacked the credibility of Mr. Davidson during a cross-examination that quickly turned hostile. Frequently, Mr. Davidson would respond, “I don’t recall.”Mr. Bove confronted Mr. Davidson about his “fuzzy” memory and Mr. Davidson responded forcefully that his answers had been truthful. Image The jury heard a recording, made by Michael D. Cohen, Mr. Trump’s longtime fixer, during the 2016 campaign. That included one in which Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen discussed a hush-money deal for Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who was trying to sell a story about an affair with Mr. Trump. The potential witness list has several major names, including Ms. Daniels, Mr. Cohen and Hope Hicks, who is Mr. Trump’s former spokeswoman.

Persons: Keith Davidson, Stormy Daniels, Donald J, Juan M, Trump, Merchan, Daniels, Davidson, Michael D, Cohen, Mr, Emil Bove, ” Mr, Bove, ”, “, Trump’s, Maansi Srivastava, Davidson’s, Justice Merchan, Alvin L, Bragg, Todd Blanche, ” Trump, Blanche, Doug Mills, Biden’s, Biden, We’re, Douglas Daus, Karen McDougal, Hope Hicks Organizations: Trump, Prosecutors, Trump White House, New York, ., White, Playboy Locations: Manhattan, Michigan, Wisconsin

CNN —Judge Juan Merchan held another gag order hearing Thursday morning to consider the prosecution’s four additional allegations against former President Donald Trump in the hush money trial. Trump earlier this week was fined $9,000 for nine violations of the gag order. Here’s what to know:Prosecutors allege several gag order violations• Trump is impacting the fairness of the trial: “His statements are corrosive to this proceeding and the fair administration of justice,” prosecutor Chris Conroy said. • On comments about David Pecker: Blanche argued that Trump calling former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker “nice” didn’t violate the gag order. They’re not subject to the gag order.

Persons: Juan Merchan, Donald Trump, Merchan, Trump, • Trump, Chris Conroy, “, Conroy, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, •, ” Trump, “ Cohen, ” Blanche, Daniels, ” Merchan, David Pecker, “ It’s, Pecker, “ They’re Organizations: CNN, Prosecutors, Trump, National Enquirer, • Trump

☆ Live Updates: Stormy Daniels's Lawyer to Return to Stand in Trump Criminal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Matthew Haag | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

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. The tabloid had agreed to buy negative stories about Mr. Trump and then bury them. Image Michael D. Cohen, Mr. Trump’s former fixer, was the point of contact for a lawyer seeking to sell stories. Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, is planning rallies in Wisconsin and Michigan — both battleground states — on Wednesday.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Juan M, Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, Keith Davidson, Karen McDougal, she’d, Daniels, McDougal, Davidson, Dylan Howard, . Bauer, Griffin, ”, Howard, Mr, Ms, Michael D, Cohen, Justice Merchan, Michael Cohen, Gary Farro, Dave Sanders, Todd Blanche, Farro, Blanche, Cohen “, Melania Trump, Barron’s, Merchan Organizations: National Enquirer, Trump, Trump . Credit, Getty, Trump Organization, First Republic Bank, The New York Times, Prosecutors, SPAN, Republican Locations: Los Angeles, Trump ., Wisconsin, Michigan

"Everybody can say anything they want except for President Trump!" AdvertisementBiden "mocked President Trump," Blanche complained to the judge, quoting into the record a joke the president had made at the White House Correspondents' dinner on Saturday. Likewise, Trump's ex-personal attorney-turned-nemesis, Michael Cohen, can take whatever potshot he chooses, Blanche told the judge. pic.twitter.com/FVsWbRnNkB — Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) April 22, 2024"Everybody can say anything they want except for President Trump," Blanche told the judge. Related storiesProsecutors are asking that Trump be fined another $4,000, the maximum allowed, for the four on-camera statements Trump made last week.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Trump, Michael Cohen's Donald, Von, —, Donald Trump —, Todd Blanche, Joe Biden, Biden, Blanche, Donald, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Juan Merchan, Trump's, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Von ShitzInPantz, FVsWbRnNkB — Michael Cohen, Merchan, He's, Christopher Conroy, Conroy, David Pecker, They're Organizations: Service, White, Correspondents, GOP, Trump, New, National Enquirer Locations: New York

Without saying so specifically, the upshot from Trump’s attorney was that the Trump deals followed a pattern that bordered on extortion. The upshot from Trump’s attorney was that the Trump deals followed a pattern that bordered on extortion. After the lunch break, Trump attorney Susan Necheles said Trump’s legal team feels the gag order is ambiguous about whether Trump can repost article written by lawyers analyzing the trial. During Tuesday’s session, Davidson testified that he ended up getting involved with the Daniels deal because Cohen was being so difficult. “The moral of the story was: No one wanted to talk to Cohen,” Davidson said.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, ” Trump, Emil Bove, Keith Davidson, – Hulk Hogan, Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen, Tila Tequila –, Davidson, Michael Cohen, Daniels, Judge Juan Merchan, Trump, Karen McDougal, Bove, Cohen, McDougal, ” Davidson, Hulk Hogan, “, ”, Hogan, ” Bove, Joshua Steinglass, ” Merchan, Merchan, Chris Conroy, David Pecker, “ He’s, ” Conroy, Conroy, Trump “, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Susan Necheles, “ I’m, Trump’s, ’, ’ ” Cohen, Daniels “, they’d, ” Prosecutors, Daniels ’, Witnesses, Michael Cohen Davidson, Cohen –, –, ‘, I’m, I’ve, ’ ” Davidson, Cohen’s, Pecker, he’s, Hunt Organizations: CNN, Trump, AMI, Bove, Democratic, ” Locations: Washington

☆ Trump thinks his lawyer is insufficiently aggressive toward the judge, jury, and witnesses
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Donald Trump feels his lead defense lawyer hasn't been aggressive enough, per The New York Times. Trump is currently facing his first criminal trial in Manhattan. AdvertisementFormer President Donald Trump thinks the lawyer representing him in his hush-money trial isn't combative enough, The New York Times reported on Tuesday. Todd Blanche, an ex-federal prosecutor turned white-collar defense lawyer, is currently representing Trump as his lead lawyer. Trump had once praised Blanche, saying that he was an intelligent and good lawyer, The Times said in a report on April 4.

Persons: Donald Trump, hasn't, Trump, —, he's, Stormy Daniels, Todd Blanche, Blanche Organizations: New York Times, Service, Trump, Times, Business Locations: Manhattan

☆ 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

☆ 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, 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

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 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 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

☆ 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

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