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☆ This is 2024’s new political normal six months from the election
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It’s just another normal week in American politics as unpredictable forces rock both parties and augur a tense run to an election — now six months less one day away — that could fundamentally change the nation. Prosecutors argue he attempted a cover-up to mislead voters in 2016 in an early act of election interference. She also said that Trump felt it was better to deal with the story after the election than beforehand. Last week, in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Trump refused to guarantee he’d accept the result of the next election. “We have to understand that this is a defining moment for this generation, similar to anti-Vietnam protests, anti-apartheid protests, anti-Iraq War protests,” he said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s, Mike Johnson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, It’s, —, Trump, Story Daniels, Hope Hicks, Hicks, Michael Cohen, Daniels, Emil Bove, Cohen, Trump’s, Biden, James Singer, “ Trump, ” Singer, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mitch Landrieu, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Lyndon Johnson, Landrieu, Democratic Sen, John Fetterman of, ”, Ro Khanna, “, ” Johnson, Johnson, Greene, don’t, Kevin McCarthy Organizations: CNN, Trump, Republican, Georgia Rep, Prosecutors, White House, Nazi Secret Police, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Israel, Republicans, Union, Biden campaign’s, Independent, Democratic, CBS, Hamas, GOP Locations: Gestapo, New York, Gaza, Manhattan, Trump, “ State, Vietnam, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Michigan, California, Iraq, America, Ukraine, Louisiana

☆ 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

Much of Hicks’ testimony focused on her role on the Trump campaign in October 2016, just before Election Day. When cross-examining Hicks, Trump attorney Emil Bove elicited testimony that Trump was also concerned about what his wife would think. Video Ad Feedback Trump closed his eyes during Hope Hicks' testimony. There was a lot at play.”Hicks forwarded the email that included a transcript of the audio to several Trump campaign staffers including Kellyanne Conway. With Hicks’ testimony, prosecutors nudged closer to the repayment and the alleged charges.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Hope Hicks, Hicks, Daniels, Michael Cohen, “, ”, Trump, Matthew Colangelo, ” Hicks, Karen McDougal’s, Emil Bove, Kellyanne Conway, chuckling, Steve Bannon, Conway, Jared Kushner, Jason Miller, McDougal, Cohen, nudged, –, Honig, CNN Hicks, Colangelo, Michael, ‘ Mr, ’ Michael Cohen Trump’s, Douglas Daus, Trump’s, Daus, DANY, Cohen ”, ” Daus, Prosecutors, Chris Conroy, Judge Juan Merchan, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, Daniel Dale, He’s, ” Merchan, ” Trump, Merchan Organizations: CNN, White House, Trump, Manhattan, Attorney’s Office, Trump White House, Trump Organization, Prosecutors, Wall Street, American Media, Inc, Wall, Washington Post, ” Prosecutors, House, New York Times, Trump “, Manhattan DA Locations: Washington, Manhattan, New York, Michigan

☆ Fact check: Trump makes false courthouse claims about bail and his campaign schedule
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Daniel Dale | Kristen Holmes | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Continuing his barrage of courthouse deception, former President Donald Trump made more false claims about his Manhattan trial on Friday. Trump’s false claim about bailTrump said: “New York City is a violent city; it’s become violent with the cashless bail. I’m the only one who has to put up bail.”Facts First: Trump’s claim is false. Trump’s assertion that New York City is “a violent city” is subjective. Trump’s false claim about his scheduleTrump continued Friday to complain that the New York trial is preventing him from being on the campaign trail.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, —, it’s, “ Organizations: Washington CNN —, “, New, Republican, Miami, Prix, Georgia, North Carolina, Trump Locations: York, Fulton County , Georgia, New York, Washington , DC, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Manhattan, Bedminster , New Jersey

☆ 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

☆ 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

Keith Davidson, the former lawyer for the porn star Stormy Daniels, faced a blistering cross-examination on Thursday in the criminal trial of Donald J. Trump, with defense lawyers casting him as a serial extortionist of celebrities. The judge, Juan M. Merchan, also heard arguments about additional violations of a gag order by Mr. Trump, just days after he held the former president in contempt and fined him $9,000 for nine other violations. Justice Merchan has threatened jail time if the violations continue, but did not rule on four new allegations on Thursday. Mr. Trump, 77, is charged with falsifying 34 business records, including checks and invoices, to hide a $130,000 payment to Ms. Daniels, who says she and Mr. Trump had a tryst in 2006 while he was married. Mr. Trump, the first American president to face prosecution, has denied the felony charges, and having had sex with Ms. Daniels.

Persons: Keith Davidson, Stormy Daniels, Donald J, Juan M, Trump, Merchan, Daniels Organizations: Trump

☆ Fact check: Trump falsely claims he’s not allowed to testify at hush money trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —Former President Donald Trump falsely claimed Thursday that he is not allowed to testify in his own defense at a criminal trial in Manhattan over his alleged falsification of business records. After leaving the courtroom for the day, Trump told reporters, “I’m not allowed to testify. I’m under a gag order. He is allowed to testify at the trial; the decision is entirely up to him. Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order, which narrowly restricts his out-of-court speech, does not in any way stop him from testifying.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, “ I’m, who’s, ”, he’s, I’m, Judge Juan Merchan’s, Joe Biden, Merchan, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Bragg Organizations: Washington CNN, Trump, Manhattan, Attorney Locations: Manhattan, Michigan

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

☆ Princess Charlotte turns 9! See the sweet photo from her parents to mark the occasion
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

London CNN —A photograph of a beaming Princess Charlotte has been released by the Prince and Princess of Wales to mark her ninth birthday. The children, from left, are Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips, Lena Tindall and Mia Tindall. The Duchess of Cambridge/Getty Images The Prince and Princess of Wales have released a photo of Princess Charlotte to mark her ninth birthday on Thursday, May 2. Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images Princess Charlotte, William and Catherine's middle child, is seen in this handout photo released on May 1, 2021, a day before her sixth birthday. The Duchess of Cambridge via Getty Images Princess Charlotte playfully sticks out her tongue while attending a King's Cup regatta with her mother in 2019.

Persons: Charlotte, Prince, Princess, “, Catherine , Princess of Wales, Prince Louis ’, Prince William, Kate, Kensington, It’s, Princess Charlotte, Charlotte’s, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince George, Prince Louis , Princess, Savannah, Isla Phillips, Lena Tindall, Mia Tindall, Duchess, Wales, Wales Prince George, William, George, Samir Hussein, Barack Obama, Pete Souza, Carl Court, Prince George . The Duchess, Cambridge, Chris Jackson, Ben Stansall, Prince Louis, Louis, AP Prince Louis, Kate's, Catherine, Prince Harry, Meghan, Duchess of, Prince Archie, Archie, Toby Melville, Prince Archie of Sussex, Dominic Lipinski, Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank, Princess Beatrice, Sienna, Prince Andrew . Princess Eugenie, Prince Edward, James, Earl of Wessex, Sophie, Lady Louise Mountbatten, Louise, Steve Parsons, Cousins Mia Tindall, Savannah Phillips, Princess Eugenie, Princess Anne, Mia, Mike, Zara Tindall, Peter, Autumn Phillips, Max Mumby, Savannah's, Zara Tindall's, Lena, Zara, Lucas, ”, Queen Elizabeth II’s, King Charles ’, wasn’t, That’s, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana Organizations: London CNN, CNN, Westminster Abbey, St, of England High, Getty, Kensington Palace, William, AP, Press Association, CNN’s Royal, Mary’s Locations: Wales, Windsor, Kensington, Sandringham, Norfolk, London, UK’s, Midlands, St Michael’s, Prince Louis , Princess Charlotte, Savannah Phillips, Cambridge, AFP, Duchess of Sussex, South Africa, Edinburgh, Mia, Savannah, Wellington, Charlotte, British, St

☆ Trump trial resumes with testimony from lawyer behind Stormy Daniels hush money payment
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The New York criminal trial of Donald Trump is set to resume Thursday with more testimony from the attorney who helped broker a hush money payment from the former president's lawyer to porn star Stormy Daniels. The $130,000 payment to Daniels in particular is at the center of the historic criminal trial in Manhattan Supreme Court, where Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump unlawfully tried to influence that election by buying and suppressing damaging information about him, Bragg alleges. Merchan on Thursday morning was expected to hold another hearing on whether Trump violated the gag order four more times. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, must sit in court throughout the trial, which is expected to last six weeks.

Persons: Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels, Keith Davidson, Daniels, Karen McDougal, Trump, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Michael Cohen, Bragg, Juan Merchan Organizations: New, Manhattan, Attorney, Trump Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S, New York, Merchan

☆ How the overturned Harvey Weinstein conviction could echo in Donald Trump’s hush money trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Gloria Pazmino | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Some legal observers believe the Weinstein decision could prove relevant as the hush money trial against former President Donald Trump unfolds in Manhattan. Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the trial and making day-by-day decisions about what evidence is allowed in court, is bound to the same guidelines as the Weinstein trial judge. Stephen Gillers, professor of law at New York University, said the Weinstein ruling will certainly be important to Merchan. Judge Madeline Singas dissented from the Weinstein appeals court ruling, saying the information was needed for the jury to consider. Gillers said the Weinstein decision is not just weighing on the judge’s mind.

Persons: Harvey Weinstein’s, Weinstein, ”, “ Sandoval ”, Donald Trump, Judge Juan Merchan, Sandoval, Douglas Wigdor, “, Trump, Stormy Daniels, It’s, Karen McDougal, Trump’s, McDougal, Daniels, Ronan Farrow, Harvey Weinstein, Merchan, Stephen Gillers, ” Gillers, Deborah Tuerkheimer, Madeline Singas, ” Singas, ‘ Sandoval ’, Weinstein judge’s Sandoval, Augustin Sandoval, Jean Carroll, Tuerkheimer, Merchan’s, he’s, ” Tuerkheimer, Arthur Aidala, Aidala, ” Aidala, “ Harvey, Gillers, –, won’t Organizations: CNN, New, Trump, Molineux, New York University, Northwestern University, ” Prosecutors, Weinstein Locations: New York, Manhattan, Weinstein’s

☆ 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

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

☆ Chinese Scientist Who Shared Covid Sequence Protests Lab Closure
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Keith Bradsher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A well-known Chinese scientist who defied a Chinese government gag order by being the first to disclose the genome of the Covid virus to a global database four years ago held a rare protest this week in Shanghai after being locked out of his lab. The scientist, Zhang Yongzhen, had run a laboratory in Shanghai since 2018, but found over the weekend that the facility had been sealed off with one of his colleagues locked inside, according to a Chinese news outlet. Dr. Zhang’s key card had been canceled and the elevators had been turned off. On Sunday evening, he began sleeping outdoors on flattened cardboard in front of locked blue doors at the sidewalk entrance to the lab, photos posted online by students showed. At least five security guards could be seen in one of the photos.

Persons: Zhang Yongzhen, Zhang’s, “, ” Locations: Shanghai, Shandong Province

☆ Trump gives his strongman’s ambitions free rein on a day off from court
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Donald Trump used his day off from a criminal trial related to a past election to cast a dark, familiar shadow over the next one. Trump cut an unrecognizable figure from the grim ex-president who bleats a daily dirge of complaints about his hush money trial outside Judge Juan Merchan’s court. On specific issues, surveys show Trump leading Biden on most issues including the economy, immigration, and the Israel-Hamas war. “A chilling glimpse into Trump’s second term plansSix months before the election, Trump’s searing campaign rhetoric is becoming less an exercise in performative demagoguery than a blueprint for a potential second term. In the Time interview, Trump comes across as confident and determined to learn the lessons of his first term in which he claims he was let down by “bad” officials.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, ”, Trump, bleats, Juan Merchan’s, ” Trump, he’s, Merchan, Joe Biden’s, Biden, Kamala Harris, Roe, Wade, David Axelrod, Barack Obama, Axelrod, CNN’s Erin Burnett, “, Trump’s, doesn’t, he’d, It’s, Eric Cortellessa, ” He’s, quagmire, it’s Organizations: CNN, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Capitol, shudder, White, Democratic Party, “, Columbia University, Trump, National Guard, Guard, Republican, ’, ” Locations: Wisconsin, Michigan, Manhattan, America, crackdowns, “, “ New York, North Carolina, Israel, Florida, Freeland , Michigan, Washington, China

☆ 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

CNN —Judge Juan Merchan handed down his first punishment to Donald Trump for violating the judge’s gag order in the New York hush money trial Tuesday, fining Trump $9,000 for nine violations. Instead, Davidson negotiated a $130,000 hush money deal with Cohen on Daniels’ behalf, and she did not speak out publicly before the 2016 election. In his order, the judge warned Trump that he could be imprisoned if he continues to willfully violate the gag order. “All you have to do is talk to that a**hole Cohen,” Davidson recalled. His son, Eric Trump, attended the trial – the first family member of the former president to appear during the trial.

Persons: Juan Merchan, Donald Trump, fining, Daniels, Karen McDougal, Keith Davidson, Trump’s, Michael Cohen, Davidson, Cohen, Trump, –, Merchan, David Pecker, “, ” Merchan, Stormy’s, McDougal, ’, Dylan Howard –, Gina Rodriguez, “ It’s, ” Davidson, Rodriguez, Peggy Peterson, David Dennison, Joshua Steinglass, Dennison, ” Steinglass, ” Cohen, Gary Farro, Daniels ’, Farro, ” Trump, “ Michael Cohen, He’s, Judge Merchan didn't, Jean Carroll, Prosecutors, Melania Trump, Eric Trump, Susie Wiles, Ken Paxton, David McIntosh, Barron’s Organizations: CNN, fining Trump, Trump, AMI, Prosecutors, American Media Inc, Daniels . Records, Bank, Twitter, Club for Growth, Mar Locations: New York, LA, Texas

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

☆ Contempt Fines and Hush-Money Details: 5 Takeaways From Trump’s Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Jesse Mckinley | Kate Christobek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The third week of the criminal trial of Donald J. Trump began with a rebuke: The judge, Juan M. Merchan, held the former president in contempt and fined him $9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order. He also threatened jail time if the violations continue. The lawyer, Keith Davidson, also described an earlier deal to buy the silence of another woman, Karen McDougal, who said she’d had a longer-term affair with Mr. Trump. 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.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Juan M, Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, Keith Davidson, Karen McDougal, she’d, Daniels, McDougal

The judge overseeing Donald J. Trump’s criminal case in Manhattan held him in contempt on Tuesday, fining the former president $9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order and warning that he could go to to jail if he continued to attack witnesses and jurors. “The court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders,” the judge, Juan M. Merchan, said as Mr. Trump’s trial reconvened for a third week. He added that while he was “keenly aware of, and protective of, defendant’s First Amendment rights,” he would jail Mr. Trump “if necessary and appropriate.”Justice Merchan determined that Mr. Trump had flouted the gag order by making nine public statements on social media and on his campaign website in which he attacked witnesses and the jury. He ordered Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, to remove the posts by Tuesday afternoon. The judge’s ruling and admonition came one week after a fiery hearing in which prosecutors had argued that Mr. Trump’s statements threatened the trial.

Persons: Donald J, fining, “, ”, Juan M, Merchan, Trump’s, Trump Organizations: Republican Locations: Manhattan

☆ Catch up on the day’s news: Trump fined for violating gag order, marijuana getting reclassified, college protests intensify
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Daniel Wine | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

It’s expected to become a Schedule III controlled substance, a classification shared by prescription drugs such as ketamine and Tylenol with codeine. Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day:5 thingsKeith Davidson, who represented Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, is questioned. Jane Rosenberg1️⃣ Trump on trial: Donald Trump removed the online posts that a judge ruled violated his gag order in the New York criminal hush money case. The former president also was fined $9,000, and a former attorney who represented Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal testified. 5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Tricia Escobedo, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.

Persons: ane R, Ed, bil, Lis, r., Gupta, Loo, Cheng S Organizations: acc, ld, CNN

☆ Opinion: Trump should go to jail if he violates judge’s gag order again
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Merchan sanctioned Trump for violating his gag order for nine posts and reposts on his Truth Social site and campaign website, targeting witnesses and jurors in his Manhattan prosecution. In his written order, summarized from the bench at the start of the trial on Tuesday, the judge also warned Trump that if he persists in violating the gag order, he faces jail time. Perhaps the new sanctions — or those likely to come in response to the newest four allegations of gag order violations — will be the end of it. As I have previously explained, Trump’s argument that the gag order infringes his First Amendment rights is specious. In any event, even if Trump believes those things, that is no excuse under New York law to violate a court order.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, Norm Eisen, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Trump, ” Trump, incarcerate, Nelson Mandela, it’s, —, ”, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Trump’s Organizations: CNN, Trump, Liberal, New, White House Locations: Manhattan, New York

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