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☆ Opinion: I changed my mind about the strength of the prosecution’s case against Donald Trump. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Opinion Stacy Schneider | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The heated exchange between Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche and Cohen marked the biggest blow to the prosecution’s case so far. But the DA also must prove the actual business records crime, for which Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. How I see it, Cohen’s testimony only satisfied half the equation beyond a reasonable doubt. Weisselberg could be the linchpin to validate Cohen’s claims about Trump agreeing to reimburse him through Trump Organization, as a business expense. If so, there would have been no intent to falsify the business records.

Persons: Stacy Schneider, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Cohen, Trump, Todd Blanche, Stormy Daniels, David Pecker, Keith Davidson, Daniels, Hope Hicks, Trump’s, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, Juan Merchan, Pecker, won’t, Madeleine Westerhout Organizations: CNN, Attorney’s, Trump, American Media Inc, Trump Organization, Twitter, Facebook, DC Locations: Manhattan, New York

☆ We asked ChatGPT to be a juror in Donald Trump's hush-money trial. It said it would find him guilty.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Madeline Berg | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewIt will be a jury of 12 ordinary New Yorkers that will decide the fate of former President Donald Trump in his ongoing Manhattan hush-money trial. Using that document, we asked various AI chatbots whether they found Trump guilty. They were told to "choose now whether you would find him guilty or not guilty." AdvertisementBut OpenAI's ChatGPT and Perplexity weighed in — and both said they'd find Trump guilty. "I would vote guilty on the charges of falsifying business records," Perplexity responded definitively.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Trump, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Perplexity, they'd, ChatGPT, Trump's, Cohen, David Pecker, Juan Merchan, chatbots Organizations: Service, Business, Prosecutors, New York, Trump, National Enquirer Locations: Manhattan, —, Trump

Attorneys were at a sidebar as prosecutor Susan Hoffinger began asking Michael Cohen about a Wall Street Journal story from 2018 on American Media Inc., the payments and Cohen's conversation with ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker. "David was very concerned because it was going to affect AMI, it was going to affect him," Cohen said. Cohen says he told Pecker: "I told him that matter was going to be taken care of, and the person of course who was going to be able to do it was Jeff Sessions," who was attorney general at the time. Cohen testifies that he told Pecker that because "that was post my conversation with the president." Hoffinger confirmed with Cohen that he had already had a conversation with Trump about it at that point.

Persons: Susan Hoffinger, Michael Cohen, David Pecker, David, Cohen, Merchan, Pecker, Jeff Sessions, Hoffinger, Trump Organizations: American Media Inc, National Enquirer, AMI

☆ Live Updates: Cohen Will Continue Testifying at Trump Trial After Steady Turn on Stand
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Michael Wilson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Mr. Cohen said that, according to Mr. Trump, she recommended calling it “locker-room talk” to explain it away. Mr. Cohen brought many of those moments to life, describing Mr. Trump’s micromanagement and his campaign’s panic after the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape. Mr. Cohen also bolstered testimony by David Pecker, the former National Enquirer publisher, establishing a deal to suppress unflattering stories about Mr. Trump. “Once I received the money back from Mr. Trump, I would deposit it and no one would be the wiser,” Mr. Cohen said. He also held a news conference blasting Democrats, whom he and Mr. Trump blame for the case, and Mr. Cohen.

Persons: Michael D, Cohen, Donald J, Trump’s, ”, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Daniels, Melania, “, Todd Heisler, ” Mr, Karen McDougal, ” Cohen, Mr, Trump’s micromanagement, David Pecker, Keith Davidson, Daniels’s, ‘, ’, Allen Weisselberg, J.D, Vance of, Vance, Rick Scott of, Ken Paxton, Tommy Tuberville, Michael Cohen, — Organizations: ., New York Times, Playboy, National Enquirer, Republican, Prosecutors Locations: Manhattan, Lower Manhattan, Vance of Ohio, Rick Scott of Florida, Texas, Alabama

☆ The biggest bombshells from Michael Cohen's testimony were all in Trump's own words
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

But in his under-oath testimony for Trump's criminal trial Monday, Cohen placed Trump firmly in the room where it happened. AdvertisementIn 2015, Trump told Cohen he would run for president. When Cohen told Trump about it, his response was, "She's really beautiful," Cohen said. According to Cohen, Trump's goal was to postpone the payment until after the November 2016 election, at which point he didn't think it would matter. "I used quite a few expletives," complaining to Weisselberg, Cohen told jurors.

Persons: —, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump's, Cohen, Trump, Trump's, Daniels, Karen McDougal, Donald Trump, Jon Kopaloff, Curtis Means, Steve Granitz, " Cohen, David Pecker, Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz's, Lee Harvey Oswald, Marco Rubio, Pecker, Melania Trump, — Cohen, TheDirty.com, Keith Davidson, Allen Weisselberg, Brendan McDermid, didn't, Weisselberg, Cohen he'd, Allen, Michael, stiffed, Susan Hoffinger Organizations: Service, Business, Trump, American Media Inc, National Enquirer, AMI, Republican, Washington Post, Manhattan Criminal Court, Reuters, Trump Organization Locations: Manhattan, Trump, Mar, Florida

Michael Cohen is on the witness stand at Donald Trump's hush-money trial in New York. Cohen, Trump's personal-attorney-turned-nemesis, told jurors that Trump gave the warning in 2015, before he announced his presidential run. AdvertisementThat's the story Cohen told jurors after taking the stand at Trump's hush-money trial on Monday. When Trump asked him to work as his attorney at the Trump Organization, "I was honored," testified Cohen, who once boasted he'd take a bullet for the GOP-frontrunner. "It was fantastic," Cohen testified Monday of his decade working for Trump, calling the Trump Organization "a big family."

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's, Cohen, —, Donald Trump, Trump, " Cohen, Trump's, Donald, Von ShitzInPants, bestie, David Pecker, Stormy Daniels, Roy Cohn, Jeff McConney, McConney, Hope Hicks, Hicks, Prosecutors Organizations: Service, Trump Organization, GOP, Trump, Prosecutors, National Enquirer, Trump Tower, Tahoe, FBI Locations: New York, Manhattan, Trump

A courtroom sketch of Michael Cohen while under questioning by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger at Donald Trump's Manhattan hush-money trial. Michael Cohen, the ex-lawyer for former President Donald Trump, departs his home in Manhattan to testify in Trump's criminal hush-money trial. "It was fantastic," Cohen testified Monday of his decade working for Trump, calling the Trump Organization "a big family." Advertisement"Working for him, especially during those 10 years, was an amazing experience in many, many ways," Cohen told the jury. Former President Donald Trump and attorney Emil Bove attend his New York criminal hush-money trial.

Persons: —, Donald, Von ShitzInPants, Cohen, Donald Trump, bestie, Michael Cohen, Susan Hoffinger, Donald Trump's Manhattan, Jane Rosenberg, Trump, Playboy Bunny Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, he'd, Ben, Big Ben, Roethlisberger, McDougal, Mike Segar, " Cohen, Hillary, Melania, David Pecker, Jonathan Ernst, Roy Cohn, Jeff McConney, McConney, Emil Bove, Spencer Platt, Hope Hicks, Hicks, Prosecutors Organizations: Service, GOP, Trump, Business, REUTERS, Prosecutors, National Enquirer, Trump Organization, Trump Tower, Reuters, Tahoe, FBI Locations: New York, Manhattan, Trump, York

Cohen’s testimony ties together the prosecution’s allegations that Trump broke the law by falsifying business records to reimburse Cohen and conceal the hush money payment that Cohen said he made at Trump’s direction. Cohen described his conversations with Trump during the Daniels hush money negotiations, which prosecutors backed up using Cohen’s phone records to show when the two had spoken. Trump,” Cohen said. “Reimbursement of my money,” Cohen said. They joined Trump for the high-profile Cohen testimony, sitting in the gallery behind the former president at the defendant’s table.

Persons: CNN — Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Cohen, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, Todd Blanche, perjurer, David Pecker, Keith Davidson, Karen McDougal, Pecker, Davidson, Dylan Howard, Hope Hicks, “, ” Cohen, ”, Hoffinger, ” Hoffinger, “ Mr, Michael Cohen's, Melania, CNN “, Trump’s, reimbursements Cohen, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, “ David Dennison ”, Peggy Peterson ”, would’ve, ” –, McDougal, glanced, Hicks, Madeleine Westerhout, Cohen’s, wasn’t, Juan Merchan’s, Eric Trump, Susie Wiles, Sen, Rick Scott, J.D, Vance of Ohio, Tommy Tuberville, Nicole Malliotakis, Alina Habba Organizations: CNN, Trump, National Enquirer, Melania Trump, New York, Republican Locations: Yom Kippur, –, Trump, Cohen’s, Republic, Manhattan, Florida, Alabama, Staten, Iowa

“It was Michael Cohen,” Davidson responded. Cohen is the only witness who will testify about Trump’s alleged involvement in both the decision to pay Daniels and the plan to reimburse Cohen for advancing the money. Prosecutors allege that during the February meeting, Trump and Cohen agreed how Cohen would be paid back. Arguably the most negative assessment of Cohen came from Davidson, who negotiated the hush money deal with Cohen on Daniels’ behalf in 2016. “There were times where Mr. Cohen did things that you felt were not helpful to what you were trying to accomplish, right?” Bove asked Trump’s 2016 campaign press secretary.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, David Pecker, Hope Hicks, “, Daniels, Keith Davidson, Daniels ’, Gina Rodriguez –, “ Gina, Keith, ’ ” Davidson, ”, Joshua Steinglass, ” Davidson, Trump, Trump’s, Pecker, ” Steinglass, Todd Blanche, Elie Honig, Cohen’s, antagonizing Trump, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Cohen ’, Emil Bove, ” Pecker, Bove, Gary Farro, ” Farro, Davidson, ” Cohen, Christ, I’m, I’ve, ’ ”, Jeff McConney, ” McConney, Matthew Colangelo, Hicks, –, ” Bove, ” Hicks Organizations: CNN, Trump, National Enquirer, American Media Inc, Prosecutors, Office, Daniels, Trump Organization Locations: Manhattan, Trump’s New York, Moscow, thedirty.com, Washington

☆ Opinion: Michael Cohen has lied. Here’s why the Trump jury can believe him
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Pecker explained that for the scheme to further benefit Trump’s campaign, he later set in motion the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. Trump claimed Cohen made the payment on his own and not at Trump’s direction, but Hicks did not believe him. He testified that he was under the belief that Cohen needed Trump’s approval to wire any funds and that Trump was the source. Former Trump Organization accountant Deborah Tarasoff also told the jury that Trump was directly involved in reimbursing Cohen. She spoke at length about how Trump continued to focus on personal and Trump Organization business minutiae while in the White House.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, CNN — Michael Cohen, Trump, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Norm Eisen, Daniels, David Pecker, Pecker, Hope Hicks, ” Hicks, Hicks, Allen Weisselberg, ” Trump, Weisselberg, Keith Davidson, Davidson, Deborah Tarasoff, reimbursing Cohen, Tarasoff, Donald J, Eric Trump, Reimbursing Cohen Cohen, Trump’s, Jeffrey McConney, I’ve, ” McConney, Madeleine Westerhout, Westerhout, Sally Franklin, ” Organizations: CNN, Trump, American Media, National Enquirer, Trump Organization, Trump Revocable Trust, White House, White, Twitter, Facebook, Random, “ Trump, The Trump Organization Locations: Trump’s Manhattan, Manhattan, Trump, “

☆ Senior Trump White House aide resumes testimony in criminal hush money case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Madeleine Westerhout, a former Trump executive assistant, departs Manhattan Criminal Court on May 09, 2024 in New York City. A former top White House aide with deep knowledge of how Donald Trump operated in the Oval Office resumed testifying Friday in the former president's criminal hush money trial. Angela Weiss | Via ReutersWesterhout painted a flattering portrait of Trump, praising his work ethic and his relationship with his wife, Melania Trump. Her description of Trump as a devoted husband cut sharply against the testimony of porn star Stormy Daniels. Over seven hours of testimony, Daniels graphically detailed a one-night stand with Trump.

Persons: Madeleine Westerhout, Michael M, Donald Trump, Lorne Michaels, Tom Brady, Serena Williams, David Pecker, Michael Cohen, Trump, Angela Weiss, Via Reuters Westerhout, Melania Trump, Westerhout, Stormy Daniels, Daniels Organizations: Trump, Santiago, White, Oval, Manhattan Criminal, Via Reuters Locations: Manhattan, New York City

Here are the takeaways from day 15 of the Trump hush money trial:Cohen is on deckCohen is expected to take the stand Monday, putting him face-to-face with his former boss. With Cohen’s testimony implicating Trump, however, comes all of the baggage that accompanies the former president’s longtime fixer. Judge to Cohen: Please stop talkingAhead of Cohen’s expected testimony, Trump attorney Todd Blanche urged Judge Juan Merchan to order Cohen to stop talking about the trial and Trump. Video Ad Feedback Pollster: Trump's trial won't affect votes in November 03:46 - Source: CNNMerchan has already said he cannot gag witnesses in the case. Prosecutors introduce key text and call records into evidenceAfter Westerhout left the stand, prosecutors spent the rest of the day calling a series of custodial witnesses to introduce cell phone records into evidence.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen, Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Cohen, Daniels, He’s, Alvin Bragg’s, Cohen’s, Todd Blanche, Judge Juan Merchan, Blanche, ” Blanche, Joshua Steinglass, ”, CNN Merchan, Merchan, “, ” Cohen, White, Madeleine Westerhout, Susan Necheles, Westerhout, didn’t, ” Westerhout, she’d, Allen Weisselberg, ” Necheles, she’s “, Weisselberg, Cohen reimbursements, Stormy Daniels ’, Gina Rodriguez, Dylan Howard, Howard, Rodriguez, David Pecker, “ We’re, ” Rodriguez texted Howard, “ Keith, Davidson, ” Howard, ” Rodriguez, Steinglass, ” Merchan, wasn’t Organizations: CNN, White, Prosecutors, Trump, Manhattan, White House, Trump Org ., National Enquirer, American Media Inc, Trump Org Locations: Manhattan

CNN —Judge Juan Merchan has found former President Donald Trump in contempt for violating the gag order in his hush money trial for the 10th time and said he’ll consider jail time going forward. Last week, the judge fined Trump $9,000 for nine previous violations of the judge’s gag order. Violations of the gag order are punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, by jail time of up to 30 days, or both. In a statement, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung called the gag order “unconstitutional and un-American” and criticized the judge and his ruling. In a written ruling, the judge said those comments violated the gag order.

Persons: Juan Merchan, Donald Trump, he’ll, “, ” Merchan, “ Mr, Trump, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Steven Cheung, ”, Crooked Joe Biden, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Merchan, ” Trump, “ Defendant, ” Prosecutors, David Pecker Organizations: CNN, Trump, Prosecutors, “, Real America’s Locations: United States, New York

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 trial witness David Pecker targeted by 'swatting' at his home, Reuters reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, who testified at Donald Trump's criminal trial last month, was targeted in a fake emergency the same day he took the stand in New York, according to police records seen by Reuters. The previously unreported April 25 "swatting" incident, or filing of a false report to trigger a potentially dangerous response, is one in a wave of violent threats against U.S. officials and other public figures in recent years. Jamal gave the address of the crime as Pecker's home in Greenwich, Connecticut. It appeared to be the first report of a swatting attempt against someone testifying in the Republican presidential candidate's 12-day-old hush money trial. The hoax email "Jamal" sent about Pecker's home came from the address nobody@dizum.com, the Greenwich police report said, describing the email address as untraceable.

Persons: David Pecker, Donald Trump's, Stormy Daniels, Jamal, Pecker, Elkan Abramowitz Organizations: National Enquirer, Former National Enquirer, Reuters, U.S, Greenwich Police Department, Republican, Trump, Greenwich police Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S, New York, Greenwich , Connecticut, Greenwich

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

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

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

☆ Trump hush-money porn star trial: Here's what's happened so far
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Former US President Donald Trump attends his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, on May 2, 2024. The historic hush-money trial, which still has another three to five weeks to go, marks the first-ever criminal trial of an ex-U.S. president. Fined $9,000 for contempt of courtFormer US President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom at Manhattan criminal court in New York, US, on Friday, May 3, 2024. Prosecutors dig inRepublican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump shouts during a campaign event in Freeland, Michigan, U.S. May 1, 2024. Pecker, who said that he purchased the story in order to bury it, said that Trump never reimbursed the company.

Persons: Donald Trump, Doug Mills, He's, he's, Juan Merchan, Trump, Merchan, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Joe Biden, —, doesn't, Trump's protestation, Chris Conroy, Brendan Mcdermid, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, David Pecker, Pecker, Donald Trump's, Timothy A, Clary, Cohen, Karen McDougal, Rhona Graff, McDougal, Gary Farro, Keith Davidson, Davidson, Hope Hicks, Alex Wong Organizations: Manhattan Criminal, Afp, Getty, Manhattan Supreme, Reuters, Attorney, Trump, Truth Social, Republican, National Enquirer, American Media, White House, Capitol Locations: New York City, Manhattan, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Waukesha , Wisconsin, Freeland , Michigan, U.S, Republic, Washington , DC

☆ 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

☆ Who is Hope Hicks, longtime Trump aide who is testifying in NY hush money case?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Michelle Shen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Washington CNN —Hope Hicks, once a longtime trusted aide in Donald Trump’s inner circle, is testifying Friday in the New York hush money trial after being subpoenaed. As CNN reported previously, Hicks appeared before the grand jury last year before Trump was indicted, as did Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway. According to reporting from “The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021,” Trump is quoted as saying, “Well, Hope doesn’t believe in me.”“No, I don’t,” Hicks replied, according to the book. “Nobody’s convinced me otherwise.”In October 2022, Hicks testified before the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. In a video clip played by the committee, Hicks testified about a conversation she had with Trump after the election, regarding his baseless claims of election fraud.

Persons: Washington CNN — Hope Hicks, Donald Trump’s, “, ” Hicks, Hicks, Trump, Kellyanne Conway, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Rob Porter, Trump’s, Porter, ” Trump, Hope doesn’t, ”, “ Nobody’s, Trump “, ’ ” Hicks, Daniels, ” Cohen, Prosecutors, upended, –, David Pecker, Dylan Howard, Stephanie Clifford, I’ve, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jerry Nadler, Nadler, ’ Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Trump, Trump Organization, White, House Intelligence, Fox News, Trump White, House, Capitol, Politico, US, of, American Media Inc, AMI, National Enquirer, FBI, ” Prosecutors, Democratic Rep, New York Democrat Locations: New York, Southern, of New York, Trump’s

☆ Trump trial resumes after infamous Cohen phone call tape is played for jury
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Former U.S. President Donald Trump attends the first day of his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 15, 2024 in New York City. The lawyer, Keith Davidson, negotiated six-figure hush money deals for porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal ahead of the 2016 presidential election. On the night Trump won that election, Davidson texted the Enquirer's then-editor in chief, "What have we done?" But he added that he and the top editor, Dylan Howard, understood at the time that "our activities may have in some way assisted the presidential campaign of Donald Trump." Jurors heard a recording of Trump saying asking Cohen, "So what do we got to pay for this — 150?"

Persons: Donald Trump, Keith Davidson, Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, Trump, Daniels, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Judge Juan Merchan, Merchan, Davidson, Trump's, Michael Cohen, David Pecker, Dylan Howard, Douglas Daus, Cohen, McDougal Organizations: U.S, Manhattan Criminal, Prosecutors, New, Trump, Manhattan, Attorney, National Enquirer, American Media Locations: New York City, New York

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

"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

☆ Opinion: How one text exchange gave Trump an ominous day in court
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Norm Eisen Courtesy Norm EisenIn Donald Trump’s Manhattan election interference trial, the case is coming in better than expected, and that is ominous for the former president. The prosecution asked Davidson to explain the meaning of a text he had sent to Howard that evening. As the election was about to be called for Trump, Davidson sent a text to Howard asking, “What have we done?”Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked Davidson what the meaning of those words were. It also highlighted the stakes here: Unlike Trump’s 2020 election interference cases pending in Georgia and federal court, the unlawful effort to impact the election alleged in this case might have actually worked. I was watching the jury closely when Davidson spoke, and they were riveted.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, CNN CNN —, Norm Eisen, Donald Trump’s, Keith Davidson, Davidson, Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Michael Cohen, Daniels, David Pecker, Cohen, Dylan Howard —, Howard, Joshua Steinglass, ”, Matthew Colangelo Organizations: CNN, CNN CNN, American Media, Inc, National Enquirer, Trump, Twitter Locations: ”, Donald Trump’s Manhattan, Georgia

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

☆ The Words That Have Defined This Week in Donald J. Trump’s Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Wesley Parnell | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

During the past week in Donald Trump’s criminal trial, there has been talk of trysts and the trade in the secrets of the rich and famous. If convicted, Mr. Trump could face probation or up to four years behind bars. Prosecutors hoped to show that the payments originated with Mr. Trump. On Thursday, Mr. Pecker testified that after the tabloid’s parent company, American Media Inc., paid a Playboy model to stay quiet, Mr. Trump did not immediately reimburse him. Mr. Pecker said he asked Mr. Cohen, “Who is going to pay for it?” Mr. Pecker said the former fixer-turned-state-witness responded: “Don’t worry.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Michael D, Cohen, Daniels, ’ David Pecker, Pecker, Mr, “, ” Organizations: SPAN, National Enquirer, Prosecutors, Mr, American Media Inc

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