Members phkrause Posted May 12, 2024 Author Members Posted May 12, 2024 Stormy Daniels delivers shocking testimony about Trump, but trial hinges on business records NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s defense attorney on Thursday accused Stormy Daniels of slowly altering the details of an alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, trying to convince jurors that a key prosecution witness in the former president’s hush money criminal trial cannot be believed. https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-d8be160e53c8050bf788d7772f483a64? Stormy stands her ground The cross-examination of Stormy Daniels by Trump attorney Susan Necheles was one of the fiercest moments yet in former President Trump's hush money trial in Manhattan. Why it matters: The adult film actor faced combative questioning from Trump's team during her second day of testimony. Her allegations of a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 remain central to the case, Axios' Erin Doherty reports. 💬 "You made all this up, right?" Necheles asked Daniels at one point. She responded with an emphatic: "No." Daniels also said she never spoke with Trump about the $130,000 payment she received from Michael Cohen, his ex-attorney, to keep quiet. 🎤 Asked by the defense if her account of sleeping with Trump was like "fictional stories" she memorized for work, Daniels replied: "If that story was untrue, I would've written it to be a lot better." 👀 The intrigue: Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) is the latest Trump loyalist spotted at the Manhattan courthouse, Axios' April Rubin reports. Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, Eric Trump and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have also appeared. Go deeper. Daniels stands her ground Trump defense lawyer Susan Necheles led the questioning against Stormy Daniels today in the hush money criminal trial, often targeting the key witness' credibility by accusing her of discrepancies in her story. "You made all this up, right?" Necheles asked Daniels, to which she responded with an emphatic "no," per Reuters. Why it matters: Daniels' allegations about an alleged sexual encounter with the former president are at the heart of the criminal trial "You're trying to make me say that it changed, but it hasn't changed," Daniels said at one point. Asked by the defense if her account of having sex with Trump was like "fictional stories" memorized for work, Daniels replied: "If that story was untrue, I would've written it to be a lot better." Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 12, 2024 Author Members Posted May 12, 2024 Trump is limited in what he can say about his court case. His GOP allies are showing up to help Former President Donald Trump is limited in what he can publicly say as he fights charges that he made payments to a porn actor to illegally influence the 2016 election. But he’s getting help from some GOP allies. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida was the latest surrogate to accompany Trump, joining him on Thursday. Last week, it was Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Read more. Why this matters: The Republicans’ courtroom presence can help Trump connect with constituents while he’s stuck in court and feeling the pressure of a gag order placed on him by the judge. Both Scott and Paxton have been through legal troubles of their own, and have railed against what they call politically motivated prosecutions — a message that echoes Trump’s own. It’s a chance for Trump’s friends to publicly demonstrate their loyalty to the leader of the GOP. Scott on Thursday also spoke to news outlets on a subject Trump has been ordered not to, bringing up Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter and saying she was a political operative who raises money for Democrats. Scott has denied his presence had anything to do with the gag order. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Third week of testimony in Trump’s hush money trial draws to a close One man was a Capitol Police officer. The other rioted on Jan. 6. They’re both running for Congress Haley will meet with donors to her shuttered presidential campaign. No Trump endorsement is expected Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 12, 2024 Author Members Posted May 12, 2024 Judge directs Michael Cohen to keep quiet about Trump ahead of his hush money trial testimony NEW YORK (AP) — With Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe Michael Cohen expected to take the witness stand Monday, the judge in the former president’s hush money case issued prosecutors a stern warning: Get Cohen to stop his taunting posts and jabs at Trump. https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-cohen-ddef05884265e4d6217b55a89304b878? ps:Good for the judge, because what's good for one should be good for all!! Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 14, 2024 Author Members Posted May 14, 2024 Star witness Michael Cohen is set to testify in a pivotal moment in the Trump trial Michael Cohen's role as star prosecution witness further cements the disintegration of a mutually beneficial relationship that was once so close that Cohen famously said he’d “take a bullet for Trump.” His testimony could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president. Read more. Why this matters: Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and personal fixer, is by far the Manhattan district attorney’s most important witness in the case and his expected appearance signals that the trial is entering its final stretch. Cohen is expected to testify about his role in arranging hush money payments on Trump’s behalf during his first presidential campaign. The reimbursements he received form the basis of the charges as prosecutors argue they were logged as legal expenses to conceal the payments’ true purpose. The testimony of a witness with such intimate knowledge of Trump’s activities could heighten the legal exposure of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee if jurors deem him sufficiently credible. But politically, prosecutors’ reliance on a witness with such a checkered past could be a boon for Trump as he fundraises off his legal woes and paints the case as the product of a tainted criminal justice system. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Joe Biden wants to remind 2024 voters of a record and an agenda. Often it’s Donald Trump’s Trump-affiliated group releases new national security book outlining possible second-term approach Jury selection to begin in the corruption trial of Sen. Bob Menendez Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 14, 2024 Author Members Posted May 14, 2024 Star witness Michael Cohen says Trump was intimately involved in all aspects of hush money scheme NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump was intimately involved with all aspects of a scheme to stifle stories about sex that threatened to torpedo his 2016 campaign, his former lawyer said Monday in matter-of-fact testimony that went to the heart of the former president’s hush money trial. https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-stormy-daniels-michael-cohen-hush-money-f96dd7289cf952145cdd6737b29add3d? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 14, 2024 Author Members Posted May 14, 2024 Trump foe testifies Michael Cohen testifies on the witness stand with a National Enquirer cover story about Donald Trump displayed on a screen in Manhattan criminal court. Photo: Elizabeth Williams/AP Michael Cohen, former President Trump's onetime fixer, portrayed himself today as a loyalist hellbent on protecting his boss from drama that could undermine his business empire, reputation — and the 2016 presidential campaign. Why it matters: The pivotal testimony in Trump's New York hush money trial could help determine whether the presumed GOP presidential nominee is ultimately convicted of a crime, Axios' Erin Doherty reports. Zoom in: Cohen, the prosecution's star witness, recalled how he feared adult film actress Stormy Daniels' allegations of a sexual encounter with Trump would be "catastrophic" to the campaign. Cohen said Daniels' story, which came after the "Access Hollywood" tape, stood to poison Trump's shot with women voters. Cohen outlined how Trump directed him to "just take care of" the $130,000 payment to Daniels to keep quiet. "Just do it," Trump said, according to Cohen. Cohen testified that Trump signed off on reimbursing him for hush money payments after they met with ex-Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg. 🗞️ Between the lines: Cohen detailed his collaboration with ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker in a catch-and-kill scheme to quash negative stories about Trump. Cohen testified that he would "immediately show" Trump covers of issues he was sent before they came out. Go deeper. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 14, 2024 Author Members Posted May 14, 2024 Trump loyalty tests An entourage of loyalists have streamed into the Manhattan courthouse to prove their allegiance to indicted former President Trump. Why it matters: The Manhattan courtroom has become the latest stage for Trump allies, including possible vice presidential candidates, to flex their support. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) attended Trump's New York criminal trial today, the first high-profile potential running mate to show up at the courthouse. Vance was joined by Trump acolytes Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird. Trump will be joined at the courthouse tomorrow by former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, another Trump VP contender, a spokesperson confirmed to Axios. Outside the courtroom, the lawmakers assailed the case and criticized key witness Michael Cohen. Trump is barred from commenting on witnesses, jurors and others connected to the case under his gag order. Zoom in: Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) attended court with Trump last week and Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, attended late last month. A number of Trump advisers, such as senior adviser Jason Miller and Susie Wiles, a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, have also attended court. State of play: The audition to be Trump's VP has spilled into public view in recent weeks. Possible vice presidential contenders have increasingly appeared on cable news shows that Trump watches and attended high-profile fundraisers, Axios' Alex Thompson reports. They've also attended rallies for Trump and appeared to echo his rhetoric — or dodge the question altogether — on whether they plan to accept the results of the 2024 presidential election. Between the lines: Trump said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this month that "if everything's honest, I'll gladly accept the results. I don't change on that." "If it's not, you have to fight for the right of the country," he said Go deeper: Coverage of Michael Cohen's testimony today Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 14, 2024 Author Members Posted May 14, 2024 Michael Cohen will face bruising cross-examination by Trump’s lawyers Donald Trump's fixer-turned-foe awaits a round of questioning from the former president’s lawyers on Tuesday, after testimony that linked Trump to all aspects of a hush money scheme that prosecutors say was aimed at stifling stories that threatened his 2016 campaign. Read more. Recent developments: “Everything required Mr. Trump’s sign-off,” Cohen testified on Monday. Cohen delivered matter-of-fact testimony that placed Trump at the center of the hush money scheme, saying he had promised to reimburse money the lawyer had fronted for the payments and was constantly apprised of the efforts to bury stories. “He expressed to me: Just do it,” Cohen said of the $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels. Cohen gave jurors an insider account of his negotiations with David Pecker, the then-publisher of the National Enquirer. Jurors had previously heard from others about the tabloid industry practice of “catch-and-kill,” but Cohen’s testimony is crucial to prosecutors because of his direct communication with the then-candidate about embarrassing stories he was scrambling to suppress. Trump’s lawyers are expected to attack Cohen’s credibility and cast him as a vindictive, agenda-driven witness. The defense told jurors during opening statements that he’s an “admitted liar” with an “obsession to get President Trump.” RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump hush money trial: A timeline of key events in the case WATCH: Listen to the recording Michael Cohen used to implicate Trump in his testimony Ron DeSantis is planning to raise money for Donald Trump in Florida and Texas, AP sources say Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 15, 2024 Author Members Posted May 15, 2024 Speaker Mike Johnson assails Trump’s felony trial in remarkable visit outside courthouse U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson assailed the hush money case against Donald Trump Tuesday as an illegitimate “sham,” becoming the highest-ranking Republican to show up at court, embrace the former president’s claims of political persecution and attack the U.S. system of justice. https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-speaker-mike-johnson-court-09aef3de395fa77843f2600f40da6ac3? Cohen gives insider details at trial as Trump’s defense attorney accuses him of seeking vengeance NEW YORK (AP) — It wasn’t until after a decade in the fold, after his family pleaded with him, after the FBI raided his office, apartment and hotel room, Michael Cohen testified Tuesday, that he finally decided to turn on Donald Trump. https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-cohen-hush-money-stormy-daniels-735aadfd1ce015e05ba955c203a96f1b? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 15, 2024 Author Members Posted May 15, 2024 Trump's fan club House Speaker Mike Johnson at former President Trump's trial at Manhattan Criminal Court today. Photo: Curtis Means/Pool Former President Trump's latest gag order workaround may be to let his surrogates do the talking, Axios' Erin Doherty reports. Why it matters: Trump loyalists have flocked to the Manhattan courthouse in recent days, lobbing criticism that the presumed GOP presidential nominee is unable to say under the gag order. House Speaker Mike Johnson argued today that it was a "sham" trial designed to keep Trump off the campaign trail. (Reality check: No evidence.) The speaker called the prosecution's star witness, ex-Trump fixer Michael Cohen, "a man who is clearly on a mission for personal revenge." ⚡ State of play: VP hopefuls have found a fresh stage at the courthouse. Also spotted today: Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who criticized presiding Judge Juan Merchan's daughter; former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy; and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. "This is a politicized persecution," Ramaswamy said on Fox News. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) were there yesterday. "I do have a lot of surrogates," Trump said this morning before proceedings began. "And they are speaking very beautifully." ps:As I've said before not one true Republican among them, just a group of cult followers!! Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 15, 2024 Author Members Posted May 15, 2024 Bragg’s vivid list Unless Donald Trump shocks the world by testifying, the prosecution's witness list in the first-ever criminal trial of a U.S. president is complete for now. Why it matters: The who's who witness list in District Attorney Alvin Bragg's hush money case delivered a remarkably vivid look into former president's past-and-present orbit. Hope Hicks, the notoriously low-profile Trump and White House aide, who testified about panic within Trump's circle after the 2016 revelation of the "Access Hollywood" tape. Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress and director, who testified about having sex with Trump in 2006 and their subsequent contacts. Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal lawyer, who testified about how he set up an alleged hush money scheme at Trump's direction to suppress Daniels' story. Rhona Graff, Trump's former assistant, who testified Trump had Daniels' contact information. David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer, who testified he helped suppress multiple stories for Trump through "catch-and-kill" schemes. Keith Davidson, the Beverly Hills lawyer who negotiated the alleged agreement. Gary Farro, a former banker who saw the opening of the LLC used for the alleged scheme. Jeffrey McConney, the Trump Org's former corporate controller, who testified how Cohen was reimbursed for the alleged scheme. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing in the case, in which he faces 34 criminal counts. What's next: Cohen, who prosecutors said is their last witness, is now being cross-examined by Trump's lawyers. After Cohen is finished, the defense will have its turn to make its case. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 17, 2024 Author Members Posted May 17, 2024 Donald Trump asks New York’s high court to intervene in fight over gag order in hush money trial NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is seeking to have New York’s highest court intervene in his fight over a gag order that has seen him fined $10,000 and threatened with jail for violating a ban on commenting about witnesses, jurors and others connected to his hush money criminal trial. https://apnews.com/article/trump-gag-order-hush-money-appeal-20833ea83a9f5f1402794abdfc7ca173? ps:What not enough followers to cry mama mama for him????? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 17, 2024 Author Members Posted May 17, 2024 Michael Cohen pressed on his crimes and lies as defense attacks key Trump hush money trial witness NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s lawyers accused the star prosecution witness in his hush money trial of lying to jurors, portraying Trump fixer-turned-foe Michael Cohen on Thursday as a serial fabulist who is bent on seeing the presumptive Republican presidential nominee behind bars. https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-michael-cohen-ec08be1219703deb3cd10604844deacb? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 18, 2024 Author Members Posted May 18, 2024 I worked with Michael Cohen and covered Donald Trump. Guess which man I trust To listen to the pundits inside and outside of the courtroom, the Manhattan felony case against former President Trump rests on the testimony and cross-examination of former Trump fixer Michael Cohen. I disagree. Cohen, once Trump’s personal attorney, closest employee and greatest ally, left Trump’s inner circle after being convicted of lying on Trump’s behalf and has since become one of the former president’s greatest tormentors after spending time in a federal prison. His vituperative ad hominem rants against Trump are well known. Many have gone viral. Cohen, for example, is singularly responsible for the popular term “Vonshitzinpants” as applied to Trump, which has led to many a social media meme. Trump’s defense team has tried to capture that anger and encourage Cohen to engage in that bombast inside the courtroom but has so far failed. According to reporters inside the courtroom, Cohen has remained calm, admitting his anger but showing none of it from the stand. Defense attorney Todd Blanche upped the ante on Thursday, purposely raising his voice as he engaged in cross-examination of Cohen. Blanche painted Cohen as a prolific liar with a bone to pick against his former boss and tried to get him to show his anger as he “undertook an aggressive bid to undermine former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s credibility,” ABC News reported. All of that could be true, but it doesn’t prove Cohen wasn’t telling the truth about Donald Trump. And that’s the conundrum. Fortunately, as Norm Ornstein, emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, said on Mary Trump’s podcast Thursday, we don’t have to rely on just Cohen’s word. “I believe him because of the receipts, the tapes and the hard evidence,” Ornstein explained. Jen Taub, professor at Western New England University School of Law, also speaking on Mary Trump’s podcast said she believes Cohen’s testimony. She once had him as a guest speaker in a college course she teaches and found him to be credible – and forthcoming about his past indiscretions. On the stand, Blanche tried to cross-up Cohen on discrepancies between his testimony and what previous witnesses said about his desire for a cooperation agreement, a presidential pardon, a job in the White House and a phone call that may or may not have been about paying off former adult film actress Stormy Daniels. “You told people you would like to be attorney general?” Blanche asked Cohen. “I don’t recall that,” Cohen responded. According to those in the courtroom, Blanche’s voice rose as he interrogated Cohen with phone records and text messages over Cohen’s claim that he spoke by phone to Trump about Stormy Daniels' hush money payment. It was, according to many, the toughest moment for Cohen and the best for Trump during the entire trial. The theory, spoken by others and intimated in the exchange is that it was Cohen’s idea to pay off the adult film star for Trump and that he lied about speaking to Trump about it. Whose ever idea it was, the fact is that there is a paper trail proving that Trump repaid Cohen, and that is a huge factor in at least one felony charge related to the IRS reporting of that repayment. CNN’s Anderson Cooper, however, apparently wasn’t impressed with Cohen’s performance in the cross-examination Thursday, calling it “severely damaging” to the prosecution’s case. “If I was a juror in this case watching that, I would think ‘this guy’s making this up as he’s going along, or he’s making this particular story up,” Cooper added. Stephen Collinson agreed, writing for CNN Digital said “Donald Trump finally had a good day in court,” after Cohen’s cross-examination on Thursday. Longtime Republican lawyer George Conway, on the other hand, an eyewitness in the courtroom, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that, “This cross is remarkable today because it has not addressed at all Cohen's testimony in this case or any of the facts in this case. It's an overlong and ineffective examination on everything *but* this case.” Finally, former White House ethics czar Norm Eisen, also an eyewitness in the courtroom wrote in his courtroom diary, “Like in a heavyweight boxing match, blows were landed and the defense scored points — but in my view, Cohen stayed on his feet. He was rocked by one blow on the chin but there was no knockout punch.” At the end of the day the only opinions that matter will be those of the members of the jury. So, I don’t care that Cooper wasn’t impressed by Cohen’s performance and find it completely asinine to tell me what he would think “If I was a juror.” He isn’t one. When I managed a reporting staff, it was my standing rule for reporters to observe the jury and report their reactions to key testimony. Only Eisen offered me that regarding Blanche’s cross-examination of Cohen. “I was watching the jury throughout the day,” Eisen said, “and in particular when the cross-examination was at its most intense, as on this point. Their scrutiny of Cohen and of Blanche was as intense as the questioning itself, at least at its hotter moments. Unlike prior points when their attitudes appeared more transparent — such as when Cohen candidly spoke directly to jurors Tuesday about his regrets for things he did out of loyalty to Trump — I could not read what they thought today.” Apparently the jury, like the rest of the world, wonders who we should believe: Donald Trump or Michael Cohen. Unlike the rest of us, they will also be able to review all of the evidence before reaching a decision. For the record, I spent four years in relative close proximity to Trump on a daily basis. I heard him scream at staff from two rooms away in the White House. I saw him lie continuously. I witnessed his demeanor, his anger, his frustration and his bully-like antics with all of those around him. I heard him dismiss some of his supporters at a rally as “suckers” and know from my interaction with him that he cares little what others think. His only relations are purely transactional and the only person on this planet he cares about is himself. As for Cohen, I spent a good part of a year in close proximity with him researching and writing his latest book, “Revenge,” which has been referenced in the current trial against Donald Trump. One of the first times I spoke with Michael Cohen I asked him a very pointed question: If Donald Trump hadn’t abandoned him, would Cohen still be inside Trump’s circle? “Absolutely,” he said. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. Cohen didn’t cut corners. He didn’t equivocate and he did not lie to me to make himself look better. He also told me his dream job wasn’t Attorney General, but he wanted to have the job of counsel to the president without being inside the White House. “That would be the best of both worlds,” he explained. When I asked him about other jobs at the White House, he was candid about that as well. “I may have thought about them, even maybe thought I wanted them, but I would be best in a hybrid role,” he explained. That’s exactly what he told the court when Blanche asked him in court Thursday – nearly two years after he said the same thing to me. His story has remained consistent. As I got to know him, I found that Cohen was a complicated man. He was haunted by his past and was determined, in light of what he went through, to make amends. He knew what he was up against from his angry former boss and a skeptical press. I know reporters, some of them friends, and a few close friends who say when Cohen was with Trump he treated the press harshly. “He did me dirty,” one friend said of Cohen. Another said Cohen recorded him without his knowledge on an occasion. I don’t know if Cohen recorded any of our conversations and I don’t care. I do know that Michael Cohen has never lied to me since I met him. I was not part of the Manhattan reporting crowd, so I cannot speak to what Michael Cohen was about before he went to prison. I can, however, tell you from personal experience that any time spent behind bars is a humbling experience. It will change you. I have no doubt that it changed Michael Cohen. Cohen told me that working for Donald Trump was a dream come true for him. It “was never about the money,” he explained. He had ample opportunity to make a lot of money without Donald Trump. His attraction, he said, was the aura of celebrity; the ability to go backstage at a Broadway show and meet people he never thought he’d be able to meet. Cohen paid a high price for that opportunity. Donald Trump has never paid the price for anything he’s done his entire life. Cohen is playing a part in trying to rectify that. Blanche, doing his level best as a defense attorney, is trying to ward off the day of reckoning for Trump. Both men are doing their job. I harbor no ill will against the defense, and I applaud Cohen’s efforts as he continues to try to make amends for his past indiscretions. “That’s all I can do,” he told me on numerous occasions. At the end of the day, Cohen took a plea deal, after being given 48 hours to do so from the Justice Department (DOJ) before he faced the possibility that his wife would be indicted along with him. He did the right thing. You may say he was forced into it, but since that day Cohen – as full of faults as we all are – has continued to try and make amends. Like he said, that’s all that he can do. Donald Trump, meanwhile, has never had to make amends and everyone who’s ever been in his inner circle has paid dearly for being that close to his venomous and conniving personality. It doesn’t matter what Anderson Cooper, George Conway, Norm Eisen or anyone else, including myself, think about the testimony offered by Cohen in the current trial. The only people who matter are those on the jury who’ve heard the evidence and will deliberate Trump’s fate. There are some, notably financier Anthony Scaramucci who spent a (very) brief amount of time as Trump’s Communication Director, who believe there might be one sympathizer on the jury who could bring about a hung jury. That may well be. But this is a Manhattan jury. Donald Trump has a history of deception well known to many in New York. New Yorkers are used to con artists. It is part of the patina of everyday life in Manhattan. I have faith in the jury and that they won’t be fooled by Trump. I believe Michael Cohen. Like Ornstein and Mary Trump, I also believe the evidence is conclusive even if you doubt Cohen, and I sincerely hope Donald Trump decides to testify. It will be his undoing. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 19, 2024 Author Members Posted May 19, 2024 🥊 Trump trial's most dramatic moment so far Michael Cohen is cross-examined by defense lawyer Todd Blanche at Donald Trump's trial in Manhattan yesterday. Courtroom sketch: Jane Rosenberg via Reuters On Day 18 of Donald Trump's trial, his lawyer accused the star prosecution witness of lying to jurors, portraying former Trump fixer Michael Cohen as a vengeful fabulist. Why it matters: Defense attorney Todd Blanche peppered Cohen for hours with questions aimed at sowing doubt among jurors, AP reports. Blanche's voice rose as he brandished phone records and text messages. He interrogated Cohen over his claim he talked to Trump by phone about the hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels, days before wiring her lawyer $130,000. "That was a lie," Blanche shouted. He confronted Cohen with texts indicating that what was on his mind were harassing calls from an apparent 14-year-old prankster. 📝 Being there: Trump, who kept his eyes closed for much of Cohen's earlier testimony, was now very much awake — leaning in and at one point glaring at his former toady, the N.Y. Times reports. Cohen, testifying for the third day, said he believed he also spoke to Trump about the Daniels deal. "We are not asking for your belief. This jury does not want to hear what you think happened," Blanche said, growing even louder. 🔮 What's next: Cohen returns to the stand when the trial resumes Monday. Closing arguments could come Tuesday. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 20, 2024 Author Members Posted May 20, 2024 Trump likely skipping witness stand The odds are growing for Donald Trump to decline to testify in his own criminal trial, ending months of speculation over whether he'd subject himself to a prosecutorial grilling. Why it matters: Criminal defendants have the right to stay silent, but Trump has repeatedly said he wants to testify. The former president's legal team is currently not planning for him to testify, four people close to Trump told the Washington Post. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche has kept the option open, telling the court last week that it's "another decision that we need to think through." The bottom line: If Trump doesn't take the stand, the jury could begin deliberations this week. P.S. Trump floated the idea of an unconstitutional third term in yesterday's speech to the NRA's annual meeting. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 20, 2024 Author Members Posted May 20, 2024 Michael Cohen says he stole from Trump’s company as defense presses key hush money trial witness NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Cohen testified Monday that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from his ex-boss Donald Trump’s company, an admission defense lawyers hope to use to undermine Cohen’s credibility as a key prosecution witness in the former president’s hush money trial. https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-michael-cohen-363a86879b97d2367831b1392f42689d? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 20, 2024 Author Members Posted May 20, 2024 Donald Trump’s lawyers urge the judge to throw out his hush money case after prosecution rests NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s lawyers on Monday pressed the judge overseeing his hush money trial to stop the case from going to the jury and throw out the charges after prosecutors concluded their presentation of evidence. https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-michael-cohen-363a86879b97d2367831b1392f42689d? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 21, 2024 Author Members Posted May 21, 2024 Trump trial staredown A pair of high-drama moments pierced the Trump trial today in New York City. Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen admitted stealing from the Trump Org. Judge Juan Merchan temporarily cleared the courtroom and asked defense witness Robert Costello: "Are you staring me down?" Why it matters: Cohen was the prosecution's star witness, and Costello was the defense's star Cohen critic. In the day's early testimony, Cohen acknowledged stealing $30,000. "You stole from the Trump Organization, right?" Trump attorney Todd Blanche asked Cohen today, per the New York Times. "Yes, sir," Cohen replied. In the afternoon, Merchan dressed down Costello — who was formerly Cohen's legal adviser — over his reactions while on the witness stand. "If you don't like my ruling, you don't say 'Jeez,' and you don't say 'strike it,' because I'm the only one who can strike testimony in court," Merchan said. "You don't give me side eye and you don't roll your eyes," he said, per NBC News. When Costello wasn't being called to task by the judge, he testified Cohen was "absolutely manic" when the two met in 2018 after the FBI raided Cohen's hotel room and office. "I swear to God, Bob, I don't have anything on Donald Trump," Costello testified that he was told by Cohen at the time. The bottom line: "This was one of the crazier days of this trial, less for the actual testimony than the repeated interruptions," noted the N.Y. Times' Maggie Haberman. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 22, 2024 Author Members Posted May 22, 2024 Trump hush money trial enters new phase after defense rests without testimony from former president NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s hush money trial moved into a new phase Tuesday, drawing closer to the moment when the jury will begin deciding his fate after testimony concluded without the former president taking the stand in his own defense. https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-robert-costello-b1beb56a666c398ae5393ede16c326da? Trump declines to testify The Trump trial will go to closing arguments next week without former President Trump taking the stand, letting his lawyers breathe a deep sigh of relief. Why it matters: Trump repeatedly said he wanted to waive his 5th Amendment rights and testify in his New York criminal hush money trial in which he is charged with 34 counts, although he later leaned into excuses in the other direction. Trump's lawyers have filed a flurry of legal requests in pursuit of aggressive tactics to keep their client happy while trying to win over public opinion, Axios' Sareen Habeshian reports. Judge Juan Merchan shot down two mistrial motions by Trump's team and threatened the former president with jail time for violating the gag order in the case multiple times. Trump falsely cited that gag order as an excuse not to testify. Go deeper: Stefanik files ethics complaint against Judge Merchan Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2024 Author Members Posted May 25, 2024 Speaker Mike Johnson assails Trump’s felony trial in remarkable visit outside courthouse U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson assailed the hush money case against Donald Trump Tuesday as an illegitimate “sham,” becoming the highest-ranking Republican to show up at court, embrace the former president’s claims of political persecution and attack the U.S. system of justice. https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-speaker-mike-johnson-court-09aef3de395fa77843f2600f40da6ac3 Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2024 Author Members Posted May 25, 2024 Trump Offers Unconvincing Reason Why He Didn’t Testify at Hush-Money Trial The former president claimed just a month ago that he “absolutely” would be taking the stand in his own defense. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-unconvincing-reason-why-he-didnt-testify-at-hush-money-trial? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 26, 2024 Author Members Posted May 26, 2024 Trump swaps bluster for silence, and possibly sleep, in his hush money trial Donald Trump isn’t known for letting slights pass. Yet for weeks, the famously combative presumptive Republican nominee has sat silently — to the point of sometimes seeming asleep — in a sterile Manhattan courtroom amid a barrage of accusations and insults. Read more. Why this matters: This has been a marked contrast from his demeanor at his earlier civil trials, when Trump stormed out of the courtroom, actively sparred with judges and made no effort to shield his disdain. The move has been at least partially strategic, according to people familiar with Trump’s approach who spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump’s attorneys have warned him that behaving as he did in his previous trials could damage his standing with a jury that is likely watching his every move and will determine his fate. The approach comes with its own risks. Acting out, Trump appears to have concluded, is not in his best interest, particularly as he faces the risk of imprisonment if he’s convicted. But some former prosecutors and attorneys who have been closely following the case said that while disruptive behavior could prove detrimental to the jury, there’s also a risk of Trump appearing too disengaged. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump holds a rally in the South Bronx as he tries to woo his hometown 'Green blitz': As election nears, Biden pushes slew of rules on environment, other priorities White House fetes Kenya with state dinner featuring sunset views, celebrity star power Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 28, 2024 Author Members Posted May 28, 2024 ⚖️ Trump trial's denouement Trump trial witnesses, clockwise from top left: Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Hope Hicks, Madeleine Westerhout, David Pecker and Jeffrey McConney. Montage: AP After 22 witnesses (20 for the prosecution and two for the defense), testimony is over at former President Trump's hush-money trial. Closing arguments begin when court resumes at 9:30 a.m. ET today — with the prosecution going last, since it has the burden of proof. Why it matters: A verdict could come this week. CNN notes it's one of the defining weeks of Trump's life. 👀 What to watch: Expect the defense to distance Trump from the mechanics of reimbursements to Michael Cohen, who was responsible for the $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, AP reports. Look for prosecutors to remind jurors they can trust the documents they've seen and the witnesses they've heard. Cohen testified Trump was directly involved, authorizing payments. Go deeper: What each witness said ... N.Y. Times (gift link): "The Star Witness Who Never Testified at Trump's Trial ... Allen Weisselberg." Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
Members phkrause Posted May 28, 2024 Author Members Posted May 28, 2024 Both sides of Trump’s hush money trial look to score final points with the jury Closing arguments will tee up a historically unprecedented task for the jury as it decides whether to convict Donald Trump in connection with a $130,000 payment his former lawyer made to prevent porn actor Stormy Daniels from going public with claims of a sexual encounter with him. Read more. Why this matters: Prosecutors are expected to remind jurors of the bank statements, emails and other documentary evidence they have viewed, as well as an audio recording in which Trump and his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, can be heard discussing a deal involving a Playboy model, Karen McDougal. Trump has denied Daniels’ account, and his attorney accused her of making it up. His lawyers contend they were legitimate payments for actual legal services, and they say that his celebrity status, particularly during the 2016 campaign, made him a target for extortion — points they are expected to revisit during their closing arguments. Though jurors witnessed numerous memorable moments, they won’t be told during closing arguments about exchanges and rulings that occurred outside their presence — and there were many. Judge Juan M. Merchan, for instance, fined Trump $10,000 for violating a gag order barring incendiary out-of-court comments and threatened to jail him if it continued. Related coverage ➤ A major week looms in Trump’s hush money trial. Here’s what you can expect Here's what every key witness has said so far Internet broadcaster beams Trump's message directly to his MAGA faithful Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60
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