DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Opinion: Trump verdict is a pyrrhic victory for Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Opinion Cnn Contributors | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

CNN —CNN Opinion asked our contributors to weigh in on Trump’s conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Are there really that many voters whose view of Trump as a man, or politician, could be altered by bookkeeping irregularities? How many would-be Trump voters will be swayed against him because of miscategorized business expenses? Instead of validating Trump’s narcissism, Democrats should turn the camera away from Trump and toward the American people. Democrats should make the case that Trump’s policies would decimate the middle class and that ought to be a (metaphorical) crime.

Persons: Patrick Brown, Patrick T, Brown, —, Trump, Attorney Alvin Bragg, ”, Biden, Robert De Niro, Stacy Schneider, Rikers Stacy Schneider, Juan Merchan, Donald Trump, I’ve, Trump’s, There’s, ” Timothy C, Tim Parlatore Tim Parlatore, Michael Cohen’s, Karen McDougal, Daniels, today’s, Timothy C, Paul Begala, ’, Roe, Wade, kowtowing, Vladimir Putin, Bill Clinton’s, Clinton, Jennifer Rodgers, Judge Juan Merchan, Prosecutors, Donald Trump’s, Merchan, Will, it’s, they’d, he’d, “, Joey Jackson, Donald, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Cohen’s Organizations: CNN, Progressives, Trump, haven’t, Attorney, Republicans, Public Policy Center, Economic, Parlatore Law, LLP, Navy, Paul Begala CNN, Social Security, Democratic, Manhattan, NYU School of Law, Columbia Law School, Republican Party, GOP, Team Trump Locations: Manhattan, Washington , DC, New York, Trump, Russian

☆ What happens now that Trump has been convicted in his hush money criminal case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Devan Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Merchan could sentence Trump to probation or up to 4 years on each count in state prison, with a maximum of 20 years. The New York case is no different. Shortly after Trump was convicted, his attorney Todd Blanche asked Merchan for an acquittal of the charges notwithstanding the guilty verdict. Trump’s conviction means little for his three other criminal cases, which will continue to proceed as they were prior to him being found guilty in the New York case. Trump’s federal election subversion criminal case has been on hold while the US Supreme Court considers his claims of presidential immunity.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, –, Juan Merchan, Todd Blanche, Merchan, Richard L, Hasen, ” Hasen, Elie Honig, ” Will, CNN’s Tierney Sneed Organizations: CNN, Trump, University of California, Florida’s GOP, US Locations: York, Los Angeles, U.S, Florida, New York, Manhattan, Georgia, Atlanta

☆ Can Trump still run for president? Can he still vote?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Now that a New York jury has convicted former President Donald Trump of all 34 felony charges of falsifying business records, the next obvious question is: Can a convicted felon run for president? A further question is more complicated: Could Trump, as a felon, vote for himself? And now to the more difficult question …Can a convicted felon vote? Trump is now a Florida resident – and Florida voters, in 2018, overwhelmingly backed a referendum to reenfranchise convicted felons. In New York, after a law passed in 2021, any convicted felon who is not incarcerated is eligible to register to vote.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Juan Merchan, Christine Cornell, Elie Honig, Anthony Guglielmi, ” Guglielmi, Eugene Debs, Debs, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Holmes, Thomas Doherty, –, Woodrow Wilson, Wilson’s, Debs ’, Warren G, Harding, Neil Volz, reenfranchise, Read, ” Volz, CNN’s Tierney Sneed Organizations: CNN, Trump, Republican National Convention, Christine Cornell CNN, Secret, United States Secret Service, Socialist, Brandeis University, Restoration Coalition Locations: New York, Milwaukee, United, Atlanta, Florida, Vermont, Maine, –

The judge left the courtroom, and Trump, his lawyers and the prosecutors remained behind to wait for the end of the day. But everything changed when the judge re-entered the courtroom at 4:36 p.m. with a stunning note: The jury had reached a verdict. The jury needed 30 minutes to fill out the forms, leaving Trump and the attorneys sitting in the courtroom until the judge and jury returned. When the judge returned to the bench, he warned the parties and the audience against “reactions” or “outbursts of any kind” before the jury entered. The jurors were polled one-by-one to confirm this was their verdict, and Trump turned and craned his neck to the right to look at the jurors.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Todd Blanche, Juan Merchan, Merchan, “, ”, Eric, Eric patted, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s, CNN’s Nicki Brown Organizations: CNN, Trump

☆ Trump found guilty in hush money trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A Manhattan jury found Donald Trump guilty of all 34 charges of falsifying business records Thursday, an unprecedented and historic verdict that makes Trump the first former president in American history to be convicted of a felony. And if he defeats President Joe Biden in November, he will be the first sitting president in history to be a convicted felon. The verdict in the hush money trial was announced after jurors deliberated for nearly 12 hours over two days. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks to the media after a jury found former President Donald Trump guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, on Thursday, May 30, in New York. “There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box,” Biden wrote on X, linking to a fundraising page.

Persons: Donald Trump, he’s, Joe Biden, ” Trump, ”, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Bragg, Donald J, Seth Wenig, Daniels, Juan Merchan, Todd Blanche, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, “, ” Blanche, Biden, ” Biden, ” Michael Tyler, Hunt, Mike Johnson, Kaanita Iyer, Annie Grayer, Celina Tabor, Kara Scannell, Lauren del Valle, Laura Dolan Organizations: CNN, Trump, White, CNN Manhattan, Attorney, Democrat, Manhattan, Republican National Convention, GOP, “ Locations: Manhattan, “, New York, Milwaukee, Celina

☆ Trump trial live updates: Jury to re-hear David Pecker testimony on second day of deliberations
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Editor's note: This is developing news and will be updated throughout the day. The 12-member jury also has asked to re-hear the instructions on the law it received Wednesday from Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan before they began their first day of deliberations. The judge sent them home for the day after saying they would hear those requests on Thursday. Prosecutors, and Cohen, say that hid the fact that it was actually to prevent Daniels from harming Trump's then-wobbling campaign. "Mother Teresa could not beat these charges," Trump told reporters after jurors began deliberating Tuesday.

Persons: David Pecker, Emil Bove, Donald Trump's, Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump, Trump's, Michael Cohen, Juan Merchan, Trump, reimbursements, Cohen, Daniels, Teresa, Joe Biden Organizations: Republican, Manhattan, Prosecutors Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S, New York, Pecker's

☆ The tense tick, tick, tick of jury deliberations at Trump’s first criminal trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Trump’s vigilAs Merchan laid out his instructions for the first time on Wednesday, Trump watched from the defense lawyers’ table. Trump’s routine — aimed at voters as he seeks to delegitimize the case before the jury makes up its mind — is getting old. One new wrinkle Wednesday was his warning that the jury instructions could doom his defense. These charges are rigged.”The jury hears none of this, so it’s clear Trump is playing an outside political game. Two of the jurors are attorneys and could potentially give deliberations some structure, according to Jeff Swartz, a former Florida judge.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, tugging, David Pecker, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, ’, Daniels, Juan Merchan, what’s, doesn’t, it’s, Elie Honig, Merchan, Todd Blanche, —, CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Joe Biden, “, Theresa, Jeff Swartz, ” Swartz, ” Organizations: CNN, mull, Trump, Prosecutors, Manhattan, Attorney’s Office, New York City —, Boeing, GOP Locations: Manhattan, Ireland, New York, New York City, West Harlem, Florida

CNN —The jury in Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial finished its first day of deliberations Wednesday without reaching a verdict after meeting for more than four-and-a-half hours. ET to resume deliberations, but the 12 men and women will also again hear from Judge Juan Merchan. Jurors also want to re-hear Merchan’s instructions on the law that he had given them earlier Wednesday morning. The testimony the jurors are requesting relates to interactions Trump had directly with Pecker. While most federal judges will send the actual document with the jury as it deliberates, New York state courts forbid this practice.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Juan Merchan, David Pecker, Michael Cohen, Trump, Karen McDougal’s, Cohen, Pecker, Joe Biden, Merchan, Stormy Daniels, ” Merchan, Elie Honig, “, ” Honig, ”, They’ve Organizations: CNN, National Enquirer, AMI, Trump, New Locations: York, New York, Manhattan

☆ Judgment day looms for Donald Trump in New York
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Donald Trump, who built a mystique as the brash epitome of power, has never been more powerless to dictate his own fate. In order to convict Trump, jurors must first decide that he falsified financial documents and did so with the express purpose of committing another crime. That was evidenced, today by the Biden campaign themselves holding a rally here,” Don Trump Jr. said. “You cannot convict President Trump,” Blanche said, before repeating himself for emphasis while impressing on the jury the gravity of the historic deliberation that lies before them. “You may say, who cares if Mr. Trump slept with a porn star 10 years before the 2016 election?

Persons: Donald Trump, Judge Juan Merchan, “, Joshua Steinglass, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Daniels, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, ”, Blanche, there’s, Joe Biden, Robert De Niro, Biden, —, Don Jr, Eric, ” Don Trump Jr, it’s, Pop Michael Jackson, That’s, Trump’s, Michael Cohen Trump, histrionics, ” Blanche, Cohen, Steinglass Organizations: CNN, Prosecutors, Trump, Hollywood, Capitol, Biden, GOP Locations: New York City, York, New York

☆ Trump trial jury set to begin deliberations in New York criminal hush money case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 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 16, 2024. Jurors in the criminal hush money trial of former President Donald Trump are set to begin deliberating a potential verdict Wednesday, after they receive instructions from a judge in a New York courtroom. Trump's lawyer and a prosecutor gave closing arguments all day Tuesday and into the early evening. The case marks the first time a former U.S. president has faced criminal charges. Cohen testified at trial in Manhattan Supreme Court that he paid Daniels at Trump's direction to buy her silence about an alleged one-time sexual tryst with Trump in 2006.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Joe Biden, Michael Cohen, Daniels, Cohen, Hillary Clinton, Trump's, Juan Merchan Organizations: Manhattan Criminal, Republican, Trump Organization, Prosecutors, Democratic Locations: New York City, New York, U.S, Manhattan

CNN —After months of either ignoring or poking fun at former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial, the Biden campaign on Tuesday decided for the first time to stage a news conference about Trump’s record outside the courthouse where closing arguments were taking place. In their view, Trump’s trial would speak for itself, reintroducing the former president and the chaos that surrounds him to voters who may have tuned him out. “The entire news media is camped out here, day in and day out,” campaign communications director Michael Tyler said, explaining the choice to address reporters outside the lower Manhattan courthouse. Biden campaign officials are still grappling with the reality, this person said, that a substantial part of the population still doesn’t see that the choice on Election Day will be between Biden and Trump. “We knew Trump was out of control when he was president,” De Niro says over a shot of Trump behind the Resolute Desk.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Biden, Robert De Niro, Trump, ” De Niro, That’s, Michael Tyler, De Niro, Michael Fanone, Harry Dunn, “, Donald Trump, United States —, ” Fanone, Jason Miller, Steven Cheung, Karoline Leavitt, Miller, ” Miller, Juan Merchan, ”, won’t, Harris, Niro, ” Dunn, We’ve, –, Biden’s, Aquilino Gonell, Danny Hodges, Dunn, Gonell, Hodges, CNN’s Kate Sullivan Organizations: CNN, White, Capitol, Trump, United, Top Trump, Biden, ”, Resolute, Metropolitan Police, US Capitol Police, Capitol Police, DC’s Metropolitan Police Department Locations: Manhattan, United States, White, —, Washington, DC

☆ Trump braces for final act of his historic criminal trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Donald Trump’s first criminal trial has arrived at its dramatic final act with lawyers for both sides primed on Tuesday to hammer home their cases before jurors consider a verdict that could make history. They argued during the trial that there was no evidence of criminal intent. The trial has not gripped the attention of the country as it might have were television cameras allowed in the courtroom. And Trump used his multiple criminal indictments to his political advantage in clearing the Republican nominating field. The time off only seems to have escalated Trump’s fury as one of the defining weeks of his life dawns.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Juan Merchan, Trump, president’s, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, CNN’s Kara Scannell, Joshua Steinglass, Blanche, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, ”, Elliot Williams, “, ” Cohen, Jeremy Saland, you’d, Matthew Colangelo, Daniels, David Pecker, Hope Hicks, Joe Biden, Yorkers, Mike Johnson, Biden, he’s, Merchan, ” Trump, Jean Carroll Organizations: CNN, Manhattan, Attorney, Democrat, “ CNN, Trump, White House, Prosecutors, Justice Department, Republican Locations: New York

Cohen testified that Trump bodyguard Keith Schiller put Trump on the phone so Cohen could tell him he was going forward with the Daniels payment. Blanche also said that prosecutors offered no evidence connecting Trump to the payment to Daniels outside of Cohen’s testimony. They speak in coded language, and they speak fast,” Steinglass said of Cohen and Trump. “Trump is deputizing Cohen right in front of Pecker so that Pecker knows that any go ahead from Cohen is a go head from Trump. When the “Access Hollywood” story came out in October 2016, Steinglass said that Trump and the campaign went into panic mode.

Persons: ”, Donald Trump, Michael Cohen –, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, Juan Merchan, Michael Cohen’s, Todd Blanche, Trump’s, Blanche, Tom Brady, ” Blanche, Keith Schiller, Trump, Daniels, Schiller, texted Schiller, “, Michael Cohen, Merchan, there’s, Joshua Steinglass, David Pecker, ” Steinglass, Steinglass, “ Hey, Keith, how’s, Karen McDougal, “ Trump, deputizing Cohen, Donald J, Pecker, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, Jeff McConney, “ I’m, –, Dino, McDougal Organizations: CNN — Prosecutors, Trump, Defense, ” Prosecutors, CNN, AMI, ”, Trump Organization, Trump Org, ” Defense, Trump . Trump Locations: Trump’s New York, Trump, Weisselberg

☆ Closing arguments for Trump’s hush money trial begin Tuesday. Here’s what to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-26 | by ( Devan Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But prosecutors will have an extra degree of difficulty with a long break ahead of closing arguments, as jurors will have been away from the case since Tuesday. “This, more than even your typical case, is going to be a closing case,” he added. The star witness in this case are the documents, and the documents speak for themselves.”Trump’s attorneys will present their closing arguments first on Tuesday, followed by the arguments from prosecutors. They will say this is a documents case,” he explained, going on to describe the various accounting documents presented during the trial. Still, the closing arguments from each side will be carefully crafted to win not only a verdict in their favor, but also to mark each attorneys’ place in the historic trial, Villalona mused.

Persons: CNN —, Donald Trump, Trump, Attorney Alvin Bragg’s, “, ”, Elie Honig, Bernarda Villalona, Juan Merchan, David Pecker, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Robert Costello, Cohen, Daniels, Merchan, Honig, ‘ Michael Cohen’s, Allen Weisselberg, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, “ Trump, …, Pecker, ’, Agnifilo, Villalona, CNN’s Jeremy Herb, Kara Scannell, Lauren del Valle Organizations: CNN, Attorney, Former New York, Trump Organization, Trump, Trump Org ., Attorney’s Locations: York, Manhattan, New York

☆ Opinion: Alito’s second red flag
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-26 | by ( Kirsi Goldynia | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

This is not the first time Alito has found himself in hot water over displaying a controversial flag on his property. The upside-down flag, a signal of distress, was adopted by Trump supporters who believed the false claim that the election had been stolen. (Alito said his wife had raised the upside-down flag in response to a disagreement with a neighbor. The discovery also comes at a time when the Supreme Court will be making a decision about Trump’s claims of sweeping presidential immunity, his get-out-of-jail-free card for the federal cases he faces. “The notion that the Supreme Court can be trusted to be an arbiter above partisan politics has suffered major blows in recent years.

Persons: ”, Scott Peck, Samuel Alito, “, Alito, Joe Biden’s, Trump, Julian Zelizer, Walt Handelsman, Michael J, Broyde, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Donald Trump, ‘, ’, ” Nikki Haley’s, Nikki Haley’s, Nikki Haley, Haley, Nancy Pelosi, She’s, Joe Biden ‘, I’ve, ” Clay Jones, Drew Sheneman, Judge Juan Merchan, Robert Costello, Michael Cohen, Norm Eisen, Costello, ’ Merchan, cautioning, …, Eisen, Sunak, Rishi Sunak, Henry Nicholls, Holly Thomas, Sunak —, Thomas, Joel Pett, Adolf Hitler, Ruth Ben, Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Said Ben, Anna Sauerbrey, Sauerbrey, Biden, America —, Richard Curtis ’, Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Laura Beers, it’s, —, Ebrahim Raisi, Frida Ghitis, Ali Khamenei, Peter Kuper, Cagle, “ I’m, What’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al, Masri, Ismail Haniyeh, Peter Bergen, ” Netanyahu, Israel’s, Netanyahu, Kerri Kennedy, Biden “, Israel, ” Don’t, Agency Carrie Sheffield, Noah Berlatsky, Singleton, Biden’s Morehouse, Jill Filipovic, Diddy, Cassie Ventura, Catherine Tan, Shanahan, Brian Castrucci, Frank Luntz, Mark Zandi, Trump Will Cathcart, Joyce M, Davis, Bill Maher, Jimmy Kimmel, Randy Holmes, Bill, ” Nicole Hemmer, Said Will, Maher, Hemmer, ” “ Maher, It’s Organizations: CNN, New York Times, Agency, Trump, South Carolina Gov, Republican, NHS, Labour, Tory, Social, Italiana, European Union, ”, Islamic, Education, Workforce, Harvard, University of California, Columbia University, Columbia, Criminal Court, ICC, Israeli, International Court of Justice, United Nations Security, American Friends Service Committee, RFK, Disney, Entertainment, Democrats Locations: Alito’s Virginia, New Zealand, AFP, ”, England, Trump’s America, America, Italian, Germany, Poland, France, Berlin, Hill, American, British, London, Notting Hill, Iran, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic, University of California Los Angeles, Gaza, United Kingdom, Rafah, Georgia’s, Moscow, Africa

☆ Trump trial: CNN’s in-the-courtroom reporters describe key moments
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

A judge found Trump liable for fraud for inflating his net worth to get friendly loans, and juries found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defaming Carroll. DEL VALLE: This is actually my fourth Trump trial. Here, it’s almost been interesting how at moments it just felt like a regular trial. Reporters in the courtroom sat behind Trump – with a view often blocked by the many officers in the aisles of the gallery. The response prompted one of the biggest laughs in the courtroom in the entire trial – even several jurors were laughing.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, CNN’s Kara Scannell, Lauren del Valle, Jeremy Herb, Jean Carroll, Trump, defaming Carroll, del, he’s, it’s, That’s, I’ve, Kara, Lauren, Daniels, It’s, Susan Hoffinger, Christine Cornell, Michael Cohen’s, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Cohen, Keith Schiller, Cohen …, flailing, Kaitlan Collins, Robert Costello, Emil Bove’s, Costello, Judge Juan Merchan, ” Merchan, –, admonish, David Pecker, Trump’s, Pecker, Jane Rosenberg Hope Hicks, Hope Hicks, CNN Madeleine Westerhout, Madeleine Westerhout, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Boris Epshteyn, “, Joshua Steinglass, Emil Bove, Jaden Jarmel, Schneider, Bove, ”, ” Jarmel, ” Bove Organizations: CNN, Trump, New, DEL VALLE, Midway, National Enquirer, Trump … DEL VALLE, White House, VALLE, White, Attorney, Republican Locations: York, New York, del Valle, Manhattan

☆ 6 weeks later, NY appeals court denies Trump motion to move venue of hush money trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Lauren Del Valle | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A panel of New York State appellate judges denied Donald Trump’s appeal to move his criminal trial — which has been going on for six weeks — out of Manhattan to another county. All of Trump’s emergency appellate requests to delay the trial were denied at the time, and since then, the court has denied Trump’s motions on the underlying issues. Five days before the trial got underway, Trump’s lawyers had asked the appeals court to delay the trial pending an appellate ruling on these issues. That request was denied after an emergency hearing on April 10, and the order issued on Thursday now dismisses the petition. Trump can ask the appeals court to consider the issues in a direct appeal after a final judgment in the trial, the ruling says.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Cliff Robert, ”, ” Trump, Judge Juan Merchan’s, Trump Organizations: CNN, New, Trump, Manhattan District Locations: New York State, Manhattan

☆ The jury in the Trump trial faces a task unique in American history
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“The judge hates Donald Trump, just take a look, take a look at him, take a look at where he comes from. The intricate task that awaits jurorsIt’s impossible to know how jurors are interpreting the daily drama of the courtroom in any trial. Trump has denied the alleged affair with Daniels, and hush money payments are not illegal in themselves. When Cohen finally took the stand, he directly implicated Trump in the alleged scheme to buy Daniels’ silence. But he may have ended up creating a hole in the Trump defense, according to several legal experts.

Persons: there’ll, Donald Trump’s, He’s, Juan Merchan, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Donald Trump, Trump, It’s, he’s, —, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, “, Matthew Colangelo, they’ve, Michael Cohen, ”, Todd Blanche, Cohen, David Pecker, Pecker, Hope Hicks, Hicks, ” Hicks, ’, ” Trump, ‘, ’ ” Cohen, Trump’s, he’d, beseeched, Cohen’s, ” Blanche, Merchan, — Robert Costello, Costello Organizations: CNN, Trump, Attorney, Democrat, Republican, GOP, New York, Prosecutors, American Media Inc, National Enquirer, White House Locations: New York, Manhattan, Lake Tahoe

☆ Opinion: Trump’s defense ends on one disastrous witness
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Part of the reason for those modest hopes was the fact that the defense case would not include testimony by the defendant. Later, the charging conference to agree on jury instructions showed how daunting the law is that Trump faces. All of that is bad news not just for Costello, whose clash with Merchan won Trump’s praise outside the courtroom Monday, but also for the defense. Because Costello was one of Trump’s only witnesses, there is also the risk that he — and the jury’s reaction to his poor attitude — will taint the defense case overall. There was little the defense could do about the law in the charging conference beyond their usual able argument.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, Juan Merchan, Robert Costello, Costello, Michael Cohen, Susan Hoffinger, ” Cohen, Rudy Giuliani, Cohen, —, Trump, Norm Eisen, Stormy Daniels, ”, parrying, Merchan, it’s, Matthew Colangelo, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, Trump, Trump —, FBI, Prosecutors, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Manhattan, , New York

☆ Trump trial resumes with defense witness Robert Costello after judge scorches him for disrespectful conduct
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The man who might be the most significant defense witness for former President Donald Trump — and the last witness in his New York criminal hush money trial — resumes testimony Tuesday, a day after a judge ripped him for disrespectful conduct on the witness stand. The witness, criminal defense lawyer Robert Costello, was sharply warned Monday afternoon by Judge Juan Merchan for glaring at the judge and muttering in disdain when Merchan upheld objections from prosecutors. "I'm putting you on notice that your conduct is contemptuous now," Merchan told Costello, after clearing the courtroom of most of the public and press when he had had enough of the former federal prosecutor's antics. "If you stare me down one more time, I will remove you from the stand," Merchan warned, according to a transcript of the verbal beatdown. Cohen has said he paid Daniels to keep her quiet about a one-off sexual tryst with Trump in 2006 to keep her from damaging his chances in the 2016 presidential election.

Persons: Robert Costello, Juan Merchan, Donald Trump's, Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump —, Judge Juan Merchan, Merchan, Costello, Trump's, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Daniels, Trump Organizations: FBI Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S, New York

AdvertisementThe first-ever criminal trial of a former American president is now nearing its end after several weeks of witness testimony. Related storiesIn some of those hallway appearances earlier in the trial, Trump has told reporters that he planned to testify. He told jurors that Cohen told him that Trump didn't know anything about the payments. "If you don't like my ruling, you don't give me side-eye, and you don't roll your eyes," Merchan told Costello before he cleared the room. Trump " wasn't thinking about Melania — this was all about the campaign," Cohen told jurors.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Juan Merchan, Trump, Robert Costello, Costello, Emil Bove, muttered, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Susan Hoffinger, Merchan, Stormy Daniels, Cohen —, Trump —, Daniels, didn't, Rudy Giuliani, audibly, Judge Juan Merchan, castigates, Elizabeth Williams, Daniel Sitko, Brad Smith, Smith's, Smith, reimbursing Cohen Organizations: Service, GOP, Business, New, Trump, Republican, Manhattan, Attorney's Office, Attorney's, Prosecutors, FBI, AP, Federal, Washington Examiner Locations: New York, American, Manhattan, Trump

CNN —The defense rested its case in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial on Tuesday after roughly 90 minutes of testimony – and without the former president taking the stand. Here are takeaways from the final day of testimony in the Trump hush money trial:Trump doesn’t take the standOver the last several months, Trump repeatedly teased that he would take the stand in his own defense. “That was a lie,” Blanche alleged of Cohen’s testimony he spoke to Trump about moving forward with the hush money deal. Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger also tried to remind jurors that it was Trump – not Cohen – who was on trial in this case. In their first meeting, Costello said Cohen was “absolutely manic” and suicidal after the FBI raid on his properties.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Robert Costello, Michael Cohen, Trump, Cohen, ” Trump, Todd Blanche, Costello, Sandoval, –, Jean Carroll, Donald J, Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, Cohen –, Trump’s, Blanche, Keith Schiller, Schiller, Daniels, ” Blanche, Keith, ” Cohen, Prosecutors, Susan Hoffinger, Trump –, ” Hoffinger, “, Juan Merchan, ” Merchan, Merchan, ” Costello, Emil Bove, Bob, Donald Trump, ”, scold Costello, Hoffinger, Rudy Giuliani, Mercahn Organizations: CNN, FBI, Publicly, Trump, New, Mr, Giuliani Locations: Wisconsin, New York, Florida

☆ Opinion: Trump’s defense got one last shot at Michael Cohen. Did they make their case?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The biggest drama in the trial of former President Donald Trump on Monday came not, as expected, in the cross-examination of former Trump attorney Michael Cohen. His testimony wrapped without any moments approaching the significance of last week’s defense hits on the star witness. Cohen had already admitted that he lied to Costello, and indeed lied more broadly to protect Trump before cooperating with the government. But Cohen has already testified that he lied about Trump’s knowledge of the payment to Daniels before cooperating with prosecutors. It culminated before the lunch break with a bit of razzle- dazzle to bolster Cohen’s testimony about what happened on that phone call with Schiller and Trump.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, Trump, Michael Cohen, — Robert Costello, Cohen —, audibly, Juan Merchan, Costello, ” Merchan, cautioning, ’, …, ” Costello, Merchan, Norm Eisen, Cohen, chastising Costello, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Keith Schiller, Schiller, —, Trump’s, ”, Susan Hoffinger, Perry Mason Organizations: CNN, Monday, Trump, Trump Organization, SPAN, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Trump’s Manhattan, Tampa , Florida

☆ Trump’s trial reaches crescendo as tempers fray in the courtroom
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The presumptive Republican nominee’s lawyers made a long-shot bid for the dismissal of his first criminal trial before the jury has even been asked to deliberate. And he implored Merchan not to hand jurors a case so reliant on testimony from Cohen, a confessed liar. Key developmentsMonday’s court action at times threatened to spin out of control — in a way that only a Trump trial can. “I know it may feel like you’re on trial here after cross-examination, but are you actually on trial?” she asked Cohen. Courtroom chaosVeteran lawyers and court reporters said they’d never seen anything like the scene precipitated by defense witness Robert Costello.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Juan Merchan, Michael Cohen, sensationally, ’, Todd Blanche, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Merchan, Cohen, ” Blanche, ”, “, Blanche, he’d, ” Trump, Daniels, won’t, —, Matthew Colangelo, Colangelo, Keith Schiller, Susan Hoffinger, LaDoris Hazzard Cordell, Jake Tapper, they’d, Robert Costello, Costello, there’s, ” Merchan, ” Cordell, Tapper, Bob Costello, I’ve, Terri Austin, CNN’s Erin Burnett, we’ll Organizations: CNN, Republican, Trump, Republican Party, Trump Organization, “ Locations: Merchan, Trump, Manhattan

☆ Stakes are high for prosecutors to rescue Cohen testimony as Trump trial enters endgame
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Defense lawyers say they expect to complete their bruising cross-examination of Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and enforcer, on Monday morning. In dramatic testimony, Cohen last week directly implicated Trump in the alleged scheme, saying the former president directed him to hand over $130,000 to Daniels and promised him reimbursement. With the end of Cohen’s testimony looming, there is uncertainty over the extent of Trump’s defense case. Blanche referred to the possibility of Trump’s testimony on Thursday, the last day the court was in session. After the defense case wraps up, the prosecution has a chance to put on its own rebuttal.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen —, Cohen, Trump’s, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, ” Cohen, Todd Blanche, Keith Schiller, Blanche, President Trump, Schiller, ’, Randy Zelin, Republican nominee’s, Joe Biden, Mike Johnson, — Bradley Smith, Judge Juan Merchan, Merchan, Smith, —, backtrack, “, ” Blanche, Arthur Engoron, president’s, Engoron Organizations: CNN, Prosecutors, Trump, Cornell Law School, Central ”, Republican, Louisiana Republican, Republicans, Commission Locations: New York, Lago, Manhattan, Louisiana, Lake Tahoe

Search resuls for: "Judge Juan Merchan"

25 mentions found