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A state ethics panel quietly dismissed a complaint last summer against the New York judge presiding over the criminal trial of Donald J. Trump, issuing a warning over small donations the judge had made to groups supporting Democrats, including the campaign of Joseph R. Biden. The judge, Juan M. Merchan, donated a total of $35 to the groups in 2020, including a $15 donation earmarked for the Biden campaign, and $10 to a group called “Stop Republicans.”Political contributions of any kind are prohibited under state judicial ethics rules. “Justice Merchan said the complaint, from more than a year ago, was dismissed in July with a caution,” the spokesman for the court system, Al Baker, said in a statement. A caution does not include any penalty, but it can be considered in any future cases reviewed by the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct. A letter outlining the caution was not released because of the commission’s rules, and Justice Merchan did not make the letter available.

Persons: Donald J, Joseph R, Biden, Juan M, ”, Merchan, Al Baker Organizations: New, Trump, Republicans, state’s, Judicial Locations: New York

☆ Trump's hush-money trial is almost over. Deliberations could begin Thursday — especially if Trump doesn't testify.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewAfter one week of jury selection and four weeks of prosecution testimony, Donald Trump's New York hush-money trial is now in its home stretch. Then, the defense case will begin. "I'm doing everything possible to avoid big breaks between summations, jury charge, jury instructions, and deliberations," Merchan told the parties Thursday. AP/Christine CornellThursday: Deliberations could beginAgain, if the scheduling stars align, deliberations could begin Thursday, the last trial day before the four-day holiday. AdvertisementBefore deliberations can begin, jurors need to hear the entirety of the defense case — with or without Trump.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Juan Merchan, Trump, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Julia Nikhinson, Cohen, Trump's, Todd Blanche, Susan Hoffinger, Blanche, — Bradley, Smith, Juan Merchan Jane Rosenberg, Christopher Conroy, Merchan's, Conroy, Merchan, Will Trump, Matt Gaetz, Mike Segar, Judge Cannon, Aileen Cannon, Christine Cornell Organizations: Service, Business, AP, Commission, Prosecutors, Reuters, Federal Election, Trump Locations: York, Florida, summations

CNN —Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett criticized Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, calling her “racist,” following a tense House Oversight markup Thursday evening that quickly devolved into personal attacks. Speaking to reporters on Friday about the incident, Crockett said, “That’s all it is, it is racism. After a series of votes in response to Greene’s explosive rhetoric, Crockett made a dig that appeared to be directed at the Republican. Crockett said on Friday that Greene is unserious and does not respect the process. The top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin, said that House Republicans’ behavior “brought disgrace to the whole institution,” criticizing Greene’s conduct in the hearing.

Persons: Jasmine Crockett, Marjorie Taylor Greene, General Merrick Garland, Joe Biden’s, Robert Hur, Greene, ” Greene, Crockett, “, can’t “, Judge Juan Merchan, Donald Trump, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, “ I’m, ” Crockett, doesn’t, we’re, MAGA, ”, I’m, Tim Burchett, butch, ’, Jamie Raskin, Greene’s Organizations: CNN — Democratic, Republican, Georgia Republican, CNN, Republicans, Trump, Democrats, Democratic, New York Democrat, Democrat Locations: Georgia, New York, Texas, Alexandria

☆ Michael Cohen gives Donald Trump his best day in hush money trial so far
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Donald Trump finally had a good day in court. But on Thursday, he got to savor his former fixer-turned-enemy Michael Cohen wobbling on the stand under a fearsome cross-examination. And now, the prosecution faces a stiff challenge in repairing the damage when they get to their redirect examination of Cohen’s testimony following the close of cross-examination next week. “I think it was a very interesting day, it was a fascinating day. And it also raises the possibility that some jurors might believe that they have been lied to by Cohen earlier in the trial.

Persons: Donald Trump, Michael Cohen wobbling, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, “, ” Ryan Goodman, CNN’s Erin Burnett, ” Trump, Matt Gaetz, Trump, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Daniels, ’, Keith Schiller, Schiller, …, ” Blanche, President Trump, doesn’t, ”, Juan Merchan, Nikki Lotze, “ Jim, Norm Eisen, ” Eisen, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, George Conway, ” Cohen, kingpins, Cohen’s Organizations: CNN, GOP, Trump, NYU Law, Florida, Conservative

☆ House committee hearing disrupted as Marjorie Taylor Greene and AOC clash over 'fake eyelashes' jibe
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewA House Oversight Committee was disrupted on Thursday evening when Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez exchanged barbs that led to nearly an hour of disorder. The pair traded jibes until Ocasio-Cortez told Greene, "Oh, girl, baby girl, don't even play." AdvertisementOh girl, baby, girl... don't even play!' Chairman Comer suspended the hearing while they decided whether to strike Greene's words. AOC and Greene have a long history of animosityIn 2021, Greene attacked Ocasio-Cortez with a slew of offensive remarks.

Persons: —, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Merrick Garland, Joe Biden's, Robert Hur, Greene, Judge Juan Merchan, Donald, Jasmine Crockett, MAGA, Joe Biden, Jemal Countess, New York Democrat Ocasio, James Comer, Comer, Crockett, Marjorie Taylor Greene Bill Clark, MTG, Ocasio, H6rXG66GJk Organizations: Service, Business, Georgia Republican Rep, Texas Democratic, U.S . Rep, New York Democrat, Getty, Greene, CNN Locations: Alexandria, New York, Ocasio, Cortez, American, America

☆ Live Updates: Cross-Examination of Michael Cohen to Continue in Trump Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Michael Wilson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Mr. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump, 77, has denied the charges and says he did not have sex with Ms. Daniels. Mr. Blanche grilled Mr. Cohen about social media posts. Their defense of Mr. Trump follows a gag order that bars him from attacking jurors and witnesses like Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump has already been cited for 10 violations so far and threatened with jail if he continues.

Persons: Michael D, Cohen, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Trump’s, Juan M, Merchan, “, Mr, Blanche, ” Mr, Donald J, Mark Peterson, Cohen’s, Mike Johnson of, Johnson, ”, Doug Burgum, Vivek Ramaswamy Organizations: Mr, Prosecutors, Republican Party Locations: Manhattan, Lake, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, North

Here are the takeaways from Day 18 of the Trump hush money trial:A heated confrontation over a key phone callIt took several hours of cross-examination before Blanche finally turned to the evidence directly related to the case. Blanche says the texts show that at 8:04 p.m. Cohen texted Schiller the phone number of the teenager prank calling him. “Was it true for just that phone calls, or was it true for other phone calls too?”“You just said you don’t recall a phone call back in 2016. “Because these phone calls are things that I have been talking about for the last six years. There’s also the possibility, as CNN has reported, that former Cohen attorney Bob Costello could appear.

Persons: Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Blanche, Cohen, Keith Schiller –, Daniels, Barron, Blanche finally, Schiller, “, ”, ” Blanche, Cohen texted Schiller, Keith Schiller, ” Cohen, Keith, ” “, it’s, he’s, Darrell Scott, –, Trump’s, Jean Carroll, Blanche quizzed, Maggie Haberman –, Susan Necheles, Susan Hoffinger, Merchan, There’s, Bob Costello, Costello Organizations: CNN, Trump, Mr, White, Congress, New, New York Times, Prosecutors Locations: Trump, White, New York, summations

☆ Donald Trump's allies are doing his dirty work while tiptoeing around his gag order
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Geoff Weiss | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But while the former president has been uncharacteristically restrained recently, a cast of Republican lawmakers and Trump surrogates have traveled to court to rail about the proceedings. It's raised questions about whether the "surrogates" could be violating Trump's gag order. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, who has been floated as a potential VP pick, told Newsmax one reason he attended was to "overcome this gag order." Under the gag order, Trump is not allowed to comment about Cohen. But Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, told BI that "practically speaking," Judge Merchan can do little to stop lawmakers from speaking on Trump's behalf.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, It's, Mike Johnson, JD Vance, Ohio, Rick Scott of, Vivek Ramaswamy, Vance, Doug Burgum, Matt Gaetz, Michael M, Trump, Juan Merchan's, Andrew Rice, he'd, Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Lauren Boebert, Cohen, Boebert, Donald J, Andrew Lieb, Lieb, ANGELA WEISS, Laurie Levenson, Neama, Merchan, Rahmani, Jeff Modisett Organizations: Service, Republican, Trump, Business, Sens, Gov, Republicans, MSNBC, Caucus, Loyola Law, Former Indiana Locations: Rick Scott of Florida, Florida, Alabama, Colorado, Manhattan

☆ Analysis: Cohen gets a breather after bruising cross-examination as Trump looks on
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Blanche took Cohen through a long list of the insults he’s unleashed at Trump since becoming estranged from his former mentor, highlighting his penchant for serial lying. He drew jurors’ attention to a social media post in which Cohen wore a T-shirt that depicted Trump in jail, as he spun a narrative of bias and obsession. A key legal conundrum is whether prosecutors have so far succeeded in validating the legal theory behind the case. That foreboding realization was exacerbated by a new posse of Trump supporters at the courthouse on Tuesday, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. While Cohen’s reluctance to offer yes-and-no answers came across at times as flippant and confrontational, he did not appear to say or do anything to torpedo the prosecution case.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen, don’t, Cohen, ”, Todd Blanche, president’s, didn’t, he’s, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Blanche, ” Cohen, he’d, ” Blanche, douchebag, ” Michael Moore, “, Moore, Juan Merchan, Will Trump’s, ” Shira Scheindlin, CNN’s Jake Tapper, ” Scheindlin, “ Cohen, Mike Johnson, ” Johnson, Andrew McCabe, Cohen’s, ” Moore, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, reimbursements, ’ ” Cohen Organizations: CNN, GOP, Trump, Middle, Middle District of, Louisiana Republican, Defense, FBI Locations: Ohio, Kentucky, Middle District, Middle District of Georgia, New York, Louisiana, Blanche, Manhattan

☆ Biden trolls Trump over his Manhattan trial while offering 2 presidential debates
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewPresident Joe Biden's campaign is trolling Donald Trump over his Manhattan criminal trial while pushing the former president to agree to an unprecedented summer presidential debate. On Wednesday morning, Biden's campaign proposed two presidential debates outside the traditional nonpartisan organization that has scheduled such contests for decades. Their suggestion includes an unprecedented June debate, which would easily be the earliest major presidential debate. ;'"The biggest shake-up to presidential debates in decadesBiden's proposed debates would be in June and early September. The organization, the Commission on Presidential Debates, has faced criticism in recent years, especially from Republicans, over its selection of moderators.

Persons: —, Joe Biden's, Donald Trump, Biden, CNN's, I’ve, Donald, — Joe Biden, Trump, Juan Merchan, doesn't, Let's, Biden's, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Jen O'Malley Dillon, Dillon, George H.W Bush's, O'Malley Dillon Organizations: Service, Manhattan, Business, Republican National Convention, Electoral College –, American Locations: @CNN, Manhattan

☆ Biden trolls Trump as the two agree to debate in June
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewPresident Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump agreed on Wednesday to an unprecedented June presidential debate. It will easily be the earliest televised, major presidential debate in history. In comparison, 16 networks aired live coverage of the first 2020 presidential debate. AdvertisementEarlier in the day, Biden's campaign proposed two presidential debates outside the traditional nonpartisan organization that has scheduled such contests for decades. Biden's reelection team started selling a "Free on Wednesdays" shirt to tout their debate proposal before Trump accepted the June proposal.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, there's, Biden's, Juan Merchan, Biden, doesn't, Let's Organizations: Service, Atlanta, Business, Nielsen, CNN Locations: Manhattan

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

☆ Prosecution seeks to land Trump hush money case as Cohen cross-examination looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“This case is going to turn in large part on the cross-examination of Mr. Cohen. Cohen said that Trump told him: “Women are going to hate me. “This was all about the campaign.” Cohen also testified that Trump said he would not be on the market for long, implying he could get another wife quickly. Throughout his testimony, Cohen said he always kept Trump up to speed with his activities. “Everything required Mr. Trump’s sign-off,” he said, noting the Daniels payment was no exception.

Persons: CNN — “, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s, Cohen, Trump, ” Ryan Goodman, CNN’s Erin Burnett, ” Trump, Bernarda Villalona, “, Donald Trump, ”, “ Michael Cohen, David Schoen, ” Schoen, CNN’s Wolf, quagmire, Joe Biden, Judge Juan Merchan, Cohen –, –, Ohio Sen, J.D, Vance, Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, mulls, “ What’s, Stormy Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, Hoffinger, Daniels, Daniels ’, —, ” Cohen, smirked, Trump’s, ’, ‘, reimbursements Cohen, Allen Weisselberg Organizations: CNN, Prosecutors, Republican, NYU Law, Trump, New, New York Times, Judge, Alabama, GOP, Ohio Republican, Trump Organization, White House Locations: New York, Siena, York, Ohio

☆ Opinion: Did Trump’s defense think this strategy would work on Cohen?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The forceful direct examination of former Trump fixer-turned-star prosecution witness Michael Cohen concluded Tuesday in the Manhattan criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. But the cross was uneven and Cohen, like Stormy Daniels before him, held his own. Whether that will change in the days ahead remains to be seen, but in any event, the cross of Cohen got off to an inauspicious start. ), his anti-Trump podcast (showing bias, but Cohen owned it) and even selling anti-Trump merchandise (showing financial motive, but again failing to get a rise out of Cohen). However, even when Blanche confronted Cohen with his most inflammatory social media comments, such as calling Trump a “dictator douchebag” and a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain,” Cohen was utterly unfazed.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Allen, Weisselberg, Daniels, Norm Eisen, Susan Hoffinger, ”, Hoffinger, “, Blanche, ” Cohen, Susan Necheles, Necheles, Judge Juan Merchan, douchebag ”, mercifully, Blanche’s Organizations: CNN, Trump fixer, Trump, Trump Organization, Trump “, Twitter Locations: Manhattan

☆ Trump’s allies flock to Manhattan courthouse to show support and curry favor with the former president
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Kate Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Vance, another potential vice presidential pick, and Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville joined Trump in the courtroom on Monday. Both Vance and Tuberville spoke to reporters outside of the courthouse and attacked Cohen, trying to undermine his credibility during his first day of testimony. Florida Sen. Rick Scott joined Trump in court last week, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton made the trip the week before. In the weeks ahead, more of Trump’s allies are expected to join Trump in court, according to a Trump campaign official. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the 34 felony criminal charges of falsifying business records in the New York case.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Mike Johnson, Trump, Michael Cohen, —, Doug Burgum, Byron Donalds, Cory Mills, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ohio Sen, J.D, Vance, Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, Cohen, ” Vance, ”, Nicole Malliotakis, Steve Marshall, Brenna Bird, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, Ken Paxton, Eric Trump, “ It’s, Mark Serrano, Judge Merchan, Donald Trump, ” Serrano, Stormy Daniels, CNN’s Manu Raju, Kristen Holmes Organizations: CNN, Republican, GOP, Trump, , North Dakota Gov, Florida Rep, Alabama, Tuberville , New York, Iowa, Texas Locations: Manhattan, Trump, ,, Florida, Ohio, Tuberville ,, Alabama, New York

Blanche grilled Cohen — the prosecution's star witness in Trump's New York criminal hush-money trial — about the many times that Cohen insulted both Trump and himself on social media. Blanche said as he questioned Cohen about an April 23 TikTok Cohen made just days after the historic trial began. While questioning Cohen, Blanche then asked him about his referring to Trump as "a boorish cartoon misogynist." Michael Cohen, the ex-lawyer for former President Donald Trump, departs his home in Manhattan to testify in Trump's criminal hush-money trial. Prosecutors allege Trump illegally disguised records reimbursing Cohen for a $130,000 hush-money payment made to Daniels ahead of 2016 election.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Blanche, Cohen, Trump, douchebag, TikTok Cohen, Cohen deadpanned, Donald Trump, Mike Segar Cohen's, Juan Merchan, Jvlebw8A1O, Jacob Shamsian ⚖️, Cohen's, Susan Hoffinger, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, reimbursing Cohen Organizations: Service, Business, REUTERS, MeidasTouch Network, Trump, White, Prosecutors Locations: Trump's New York, Manhattan, ., Tahoe

☆ Appeals Court Upholds Gag Order on Trump in Manhattan Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Alan Feuer | More About Alan Feuer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A New York State appeals court on Tuesday upheld a gag order imposed on former President Donald J. Trump in his criminal trial in Manhattan, rejecting arguments that the measure had violated Mr. Trump’s First Amendment rights. The judge overseeing the trial, Juan M. Merchan, initially issued the order in March, barring Mr. Trump from threatening many participants in the proceeding, including jurors, witnesses, line prosecutors and staff members of the court. The order does not cover the judge himself or Alvin K. Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, who brought the case against the former president. Since then, Justice Merchan has twice held Mr. Trump in contempt for violating the order, imposing $10,000 in fines. The judge has also warned Mr. Trump that if he continues to break the rules, he could face time in jail.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Trump’s, Juan M, Merchan, Alvin K, Bragg, ” Locations: York State, Manhattan

“Sounds like something I would say,” responded Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer. The question set the tone for the cross-examination of the Manhattan district attorney’s key witness in the hush money trial against the former president. For roughly two hours, Blanche began a cross-examination to try to discredit Cohen’s allegations against Trump. Blanche then asked whether Cohen called Trump a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain.”“That also sounds like something that I said,” Cohen said. “You were telling the truth, correct?” Blanche asked in regards to the compliments Cohen gave Trump.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Blanche, Cohen, Cohen “, ”, Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Daniels, Joshua Steinglass, Juan Merchan, ” Cohen, “, Donald Trump, ’ ” Cohen, Trump Blanche, ” Blanche, Blanche . Trump, Robert Mueller’s, Jay Sekulow, –, Susan Hoffinger, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, Sen, J.D, Vance of Ohio, Doug Burgum, Mike Johnson, Byron Donalds, Cory Mills, Vivek Ramaswamy, Johnson, Lara Trump, Eric Trump, ” Ramaswamy, ” Trump Organizations: CNN, Trump, Trump . Assistant, Trump –, Federal, Commission, FBI, Trump Organization, North Dakota Gov, Republican National Committee Locations: Manhattan, Russia, United States, New York, Florida, Louisiana

Prosecutors say it’s entirely possible they could rest their case by the end of this week. Cohen himself was federally charged with campaign finance violations, tax crimes and lying to Congress in previous testimony. Judge to Cohen: Please stop talking: Trump attorney Todd Blanche urged Judge Juan Merchan on Friday to order Cohen to stop talking about the trial and Trump. Trump is not allowed to talk about Cohen because of the gag order in place. Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass responded that prosecutors have repeatedly instructed Cohen and all of the other witnesses in the case not to speak publicly about it.

Persons: Donald Trump, Cohen, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, He’s, Trump, Alvin Bragg’s, Todd Blanche, Judge Juan Merchan, Blanche, Joshua Steinglass, ”, Merchan, White, Madeleine Westerhout, Westerhout, Daniels, she’d, Read Organizations: Trump, Manhattan, White, White House

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

☆ Trump’s former ‘thug’ Michael Cohen set for trial-defining testimony in hush money case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Cohen’s testimony is set to be the critical moment of the hush money trial that could make Trump the first ex-president to be convicted of a crime. He has talked extensively about his desire to see President Trump go to prison. He has talked extensively about his desire to see President Trump’s family go to prison. He has talked extensively about President Trump getting convicted in this case,” Blanche said. While the hush money trial harks back to the 2016 election, its end game could play a significant role in the destiny of the White House eight years later.

Persons: CNN — Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s “, Trump, Stormy Daniels, —, Cohen, Daniels, ” Cohen, “, Matthew Colangelo, “ Cohen, ”, ” Colangelo, Anthony Scaramucci, Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, CNN’s Jake Tapper, Todd Blanche, Trump’s, ” Blanche, John Dean, Roy Cohn, He’s, Judge Juan Merchan, Fani Willis, Joe Biden, he’s Organizations: CNN, Trump, Republican, Trump Organization, House, Nixon White, “ CNN, Mr, Fulton, White House, GOP Locations: Russia, New York, Florida, Fulton County

AdvertisementThe unprecedented criminal trial of a former US president has delivered several stunning moments so far. Jurors get a peek at the 34 records at the heart of the caseTwo weeks into Trump's trial, jurors finally saw the paperwork at the heart of the matter. A courtroom sketch of Stormy Daniels on the witness stand in Donald Trump's hush-money trial. On the stand, Daniels said Trump told her she reminded him of his daughter, commenting on her blond hair and beauty. Trump's legal team requested a mistrial on the basis of Daniel's testimony.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen —, Hope Hicks, Cohen, Daniels, Hicks, Andrew Harnik, Jeffrey McConney, Deborah Tarassoff —, Alvin Bragg, Stephanie Clifford, Donald Trump's, Jane Rosenberg, Juan Merchan, audibly, Merchan, Judge Merchan, MARK PETERSON, Donald, Von ShitzInPantz, Todd Blanche, Joe Biden, Blanche, Cohen's Organizations: Service, Business, White House, Trump, White House Communications, AP, Trump Organization, Prosecutors, Reuters, Truth, Manhattan Criminal, Getty Locations: Manhattan, Lake Tahoe, New York City

☆ Trump leads his supporters in vulgar chants at Jersey Shore rally
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Donald Trump held a rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, on Saturday night. The former president launched vulgar jabs at his opponents and roused crude chants from his supporters. Trump is on trial accused of making a hush money payment to the porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementDonald Trump launched a slew of vulgar jabs at his legal and political opponents and encouraged crude chants at a rally Saturday evening in Wildwood, New Jersey.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Stormy Daniels, —, MAGA, Alvin Bragg, Alvin, Juan Merchan, Merchan Organizations: Service, Manhattan District, Republican, New, Business Locations: Wildwood , New Jersey

“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 | Donnie After Dark
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Maureen Dowd | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Stormy was working blue, and the judge was seeing red. Justice Juan Merchan chided Donald Trump’s lawyer Susan Necheles, saying he didn’t understand why she hadn’t objected to seamy details about the President and the Porn Star spilling out. “Why on earth she wouldn’t object to the mention of a condom I don’t understand,” Merchan complained about Necheles. The New York trial involves an abstruse legal strategy and illusory crime. But it now seems almost certain that none of the other cases will be resolved before the election.

Persons: Stormy, Juan Merchan, Donald Trump’s, Susan Necheles, hadn’t, ” Merchan, It’s, d’état, we’re, ” Organizations: Trump Locations: York

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