Author Topic: Live Thread: Trump's hush money trial begins in NYC (Read 26327 times)

Right_in_Virginia · « **Reply #226 on:** April 23, 2024, 05:20:08 am »

Jack Poso
@JackPosobiec

BREAKING: Trump lawyers blast Stormy Daniels, say this was a scheme to extort a multi-billionaire who was running for President and that she blackmailed him into negotiating the settlement so she wouldn't spread false claims about him

11:52 AM · Apr 22, 2024

Right_in_Virginia · « **Reply #227 on:** April 23, 2024, 05:25:00 am »

"Why would Trump prosecutor Matthew Colangelo leave the #3 spot in Biden’s DOJ for a lower-level job in DA Bragg’s office? This is a coordinated Biden Trial to take down his top political opponent." (Video)

https://twitter.com/VoteMarsha/status/1782491723685310914

Right_in_Virginia · « **Reply #228 on:** April 23, 2024, 05:37:09 am »

"Jesse Watters says Trump is being treated like a prisoner in Guantanamo" (Video)

https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1782530269997642053

mystery-ak · « **Reply #229 on:** April 23, 2024, 01:14:56 pm »

DAY 6

Trump trial: Judge to decide if former president violated gag order
By
Ashley Oliver
April 23, 2024 7:00 am
.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will urge a judge on Tuesday at a hearing to hold Donald Trump in criminal contempt for allegedly violating a gag order in the former president’s hush money case in New York.

Bragg has claimed Trump violated the order at least 10 times and has argued to Judge Juan Merchan that a contempt finding should be accompanied by sanctions of $1,000 per gag order violation and a warning that additional violations would result in a punishment of prison time.

Merchan appeared poised to consider holding Trump in contempt seriously after he scheduled the hearing on the matter and ordered Trump’s attorneys to respond in writing ahead of the hearing with reasons why the former president should not be penalized for his comments.

Merchan issued the gag order on April 1, effectively banning Trump from speaking about witnesses in the case, prosecutors and their families, and court staff and their families.

While Merchan acknowledged in the order that courts are “understandably concerned” about Trump’s right to free speech, the judge said Trump’s verbal attacks on those involved in his legal proceedings served to intimidate witnesses or officials and therefore interfered with the court process.

“The People provide a plethora of compelling arguments in support of their claim that Defendant’s conduct is deliberate and intended to intimidate this Court and impede the orderly administration of this trial,” Merchan wrote.

On April 15, prosecutors filed three examples of alleged gag order violations, which involved Trump making references to Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels, two known witnesses in the case who are both aggressively outspoken about Trump in their own rights.

more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/2974853/trump-trial-judge-decide-former-president-gag-order/

mystery-ak · « **Reply #230 on:** April 23, 2024, 01:38:45 pm »

Donald Trump Gagged as Witness Michael Cohen Calls Him ‘Von ShitzInPantz’

Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, a witness in the Donald Trump New York trial, has been attacking his former boss publicly, calling him “Von ShitzInPants” as recently as Monday as Trump faces a hearing on Tuesday on whether he has violated gag orders on attacking witnesses like Cohen.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/23/donald-trump-gagged-from-attacking-witness-michael-cohen-as-he-calls-him-von-shitzinpantz/

mystery-ak · « **Reply #231 on:** April 23, 2024, 01:50:04 pm »

Fast Facts:

Former President Trump returns to court Tuesday. The morning's proceedings will focus on accusations from prosecutors that Trump violated Judge Juan Merchan's gag order.

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg claims Trump violated the gag order ten times. He wants Trump to pay a $1,000 fine for each alleged infraction.

Later Tuesday, the trial will resume in earnest with witness testimony from David Pecker, the former publisher for the National Enquirer.

Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to alleged hush money payments he made to pornography actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #232 on:** April 23, 2024, 01:50:42 pm »

Prosecutors allege Trump violated gag order 10 times

Fox News' Brooke Singman appeared on the channel to give an update on former President Trump's New York trial on Tuesday.

Prosecutors with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office argue Trump has violated a gag order imposed by Judge Juan Merchan. They say Trump has made 10 violations so far and they called on Merchan to impose a $1,000 fine for each alleged infraction.

Merchan has set aside Tuesday morning to discuss the alleged violations. Trump's defense team says none of the examples provided by prosecutors constitute a violation.

Gag order talk will end around 11 a.m., at which point former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker will return to the witness stand.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom

mystery-ak · « **Reply #233 on:** April 23, 2024, 02:36:17 pm »

NYPost

5 minutes ago
Judge loses patience with Trump's attorney: 'I'm asking the questions'
By Kyle Schnitzer

Justice Juan Merchan seems to be losing his patience with defense attorney Todd Blanche who is trying to defend Trump's posts that allegedly violate a gag order.

"I'm asking the questions. I'm going to be the one who decides whether your client is in contempt," the judge said.

He then added, "I keep asking you over and over again for a specific answer, and I’m not getting an answer."

Blanche has been spending the morning defending Trump's comments, which he said were in defense of public criticism by Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen.

The attorney had spent several minutes speaking about Cohen's mention of a "pardon" and why Trump felt like he had to defend himself, which seemed to irk the judge.

“When your client violates a gag order, I expect more than one word," the judge seethed, referring to Blanche's close focus on the word "pardon."

Trump briefly spoke with defense attorney Emil Bove during Blanche's bout with the judge.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #234 on:** April 23, 2024, 02:39:20 pm »

19 minutes ago
DA wants judge to fine Trump $10,000 but not jail him — though he's 'angling for that'
By Ben Kochman and Kyle Schnitzer

The Manhattan DA's Office is urging Justice Juan Merchan to fine Donald Trump $10,000 for the 10 alleged gag order breaches.

Prosecutor Chris Conroy argued that the court should also force Trump to remove eight posts from Truth Social and two from his campaign website that take aim at the jury and at expected trial witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels.

Courts can technically throw defendants in jail for up to 30 days for gag order breaches. Conroy is not asking to jail Trump, though "the defendant seems to be angling for that," he said.

That's a reference to a recent social media post in which Trump claims it would be his "honor" to go to Rikers Island for breaching the gag order.

Trump compared himself in the post to Nelson Mandela, the South African activist who was repeatedly jailed for protesting his government's apartheid regime.

Quote

31 minutes ago
Trump's 'very troubling' post about jurors caused woman to bail: prosecutors
By Kyle Schnitzer

Prosecutors blamed Donald Trump's alleged repeated gag order violations for a selected juror bailing on the trial after they said they had "concerns" about whether they could be impartial in the case.

Juror No. 2, a nurse, told the court Thursday that she "definitely has concerns now" just two days after being selected to the jury.

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Chris Conroy cited Trump's "very troubling post" on Truth Social about jurors, in which he quoted Fox News anchor Jesse Waters, who called them "undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge."

"I think the link to the jurors in this case in this proceedings is very clearly a violation of the order," Conroy said.

The juror told the court that she had close friends, family and colleagues reaching out to her about the case based on media reports.

Conroy added, "What happened here is precisely what this order was designed to prevent, and this defendant doesn’t care."

Quote

25 minutes ago
Blanche: Trump didn't violate gag order
By Kyle Schnitzer

“Just to set the record very straight and clear, President Trump does know what the gag order allows him and doesn’t allow him to do," attorney Todd Blanche just said.

Blanche said there wasn't any violation of the court-imposed gag order in the 10 posts that prosecutors just presented.

Donald Trump was the victim of a “barrage of political attacks from all sides, including the two witnesses described in the two posts," Blanche said, referring to Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen.

Quote

DA wants judge to fine Trump $10,000 but not jail him — though he's 'angling for that'
By Ben Kochman and Kyle Schnitzer

The Manhattan DA's Office is urging Justice Juan Merchan to fine Donald Trump $10,000 for the 10 alleged gag order breaches.

Prosecutor Chris Conroy argued that the court should also force Trump to remove eight posts from Truth Social and two from his campaign website that take aim at the jury and at expected trial witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels.

Courts can technically throw defendants in jail for up to 30 days for gag order breaches. Conroy is not asking to jail Trump, though "the defendant seems to be angling for that," he said.

That's a reference to a recent social media post in which Trump claims it would be his "honor" to go to Rikers Island for breaching the gag order.

Trump compared himself in the post to Nelson Mandela, the South African activist who was repeatedly jailed for protesting his government's apartheid regime.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #235 on:** April 23, 2024, 02:44:44 pm »

a minute ago
Judge hammers Trump lawyer Todd Blanche for 'losing all credibility' with the court

The judge just blasted Trump lawyer Todd Blanche for insisting that Trump is "trying to comply" with the gag order.

"Mr. Blanche, you are losing all credibility with the court," Judge Merchan seethed.

Merchan also ripped Blanche for "not offering me anything to support your argument," and not citing a single prior court ruling, or "case law," to support his claims.

“I don’t have any case law to support that, but its common sense," Blanche said earlier in the hearing.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #236 on:** April 23, 2024, 02:51:44 pm »

4 minutes ago
Judge reserves decision on gag order issue for later, court breaks for 15 minutes

Judge Merchan did not issue an immediate ruling from the bench, saying he'll decide on the gag order issue later.

The court is now in a 15-minute break before David Pecker retakes the stand.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #237 on:** April 23, 2024, 03:07:01 pm »

a minute ago
Trump returns to courtroom

Donald Trump has returned to the courtroom while we await the jurors and judge to enter, and then ex National Enquirer publisher David Pecker to re-take the stand.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #238 on:** April 23, 2024, 03:08:12 pm »

FOX

Former President Trump's legal team attempted to justify Trump's alleged gag order violations by arguing they only came in response to attacks by witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels on Tuesday.

When Judge Juan Merchan asked for specific examples of what attacks Trump was responding to, however, attorney Todd Blanche could not identify one. The latest exchange in the New York vs. Trump trial left Merchan visibly annoyed, warning Blanche that we was "losing all credibility with the court."

Blanche objected, saying the prosecution had taken as much time as they desired to discuss the gag order violations earlier that morning.

"They were answering my questions," Merchan responded.

"[The DA's office] has presented 10 exhibits and the defense has presented nothing," he continued. "I’ve asked you eight or nine times, ‘show me the exact post that he was responding to’ and you haven’t been able to do that once."

Blanche had attempted to justify some of Trump's other alleged gag order violations by arguing that they were political in nature and that he could not be expected to remain silent as a presidential candidate. He also said situations where Trump is merely reposting an article from a third party, such as a news outlet, cannot constitute a violation.

Merchan objected to that line of argument, however, asking how such an article would appear on Trump's account without Trump approving it.

“It’s your client’s position that when he was reposting these things, he was not violating the gag order?" Merchan asked.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom

mystery-ak · « **Reply #239 on:** April 23, 2024, 03:51:51 pm »

Quote

2 minutes ago
Trump instructed Pecker to filter any 'negative stories' through Micael Cohen: testimony
By Kyle Schnitzer

David Pecker is testifying about the first time Trump introduced Pecker to Michael Cohen in 2007.

Pecker said Trump told him that if any "negative stories comes out" that Pecker should consult with Cohen, then Trump's attorney.

Pecker also said Trump is "very cautious, very frugal" about his money.

Quote

5 minutes ago
Trump a 'detail-oriented,' 'micro-manager' and 'frugal' businessman, Pecker says
By Ben Kochman

Pecker was just asked how he'd describe Trump as a businessman.

"I would describe Mr. Trump is very knowledgeable, very detail-oriented," and "almost as a micro-manager," he testifies.

"His approach to money was that he was very cautious and very frugal," Pecker adds.

Quote

17 minutes ago
Pecker showers Trump with praise, says mogul told him 'you bought a great magazine' in 1999
By Kyle Schnitzer

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified that Donald Trump helped introduce him to other high-profile executives — and that Trump was one of the first people to congratulate him on acquiring the tabloid in 1999.

“As a celebrity in his own right at that time, he was very helpful in introducing me to other executives in New York," Pecker said about Trump.

"He would always invite me to parties and events… when I bought the National Enquirer in 1999, one of the first calls I received was from Mr. Trump."

He said Trump called him, saying, "Congratulations, you bought a great magazine."

catfish1957 · « **Reply #240 on:** April 23, 2024, 03:56:05 pm »

Any time the Stone-Pecker slime machine is put into the equation, can't be good news for DJT.

catfish1957 · « **Reply #241 on:** April 23, 2024, 03:57:19 pm »

Quote from: mystery-ak on April 23, 2024, 03:51:51 pm

He said Trump called him, saying, "Congratulations, you bought a great magazine."

National Enquirer?

mystery-ak · « **Reply #242 on:** April 23, 2024, 03:58:39 pm »

Quote

a minute ago
Trump vents on Truth Social: Judge 'has taken away my constitutional right to free speech'

Trump took to his Truth Social platform around 11 a.m. to vent after a hearing on the gag order imposed on the ex-president, saying Justice Juan Merchan "has taken away my constitutional right to free speech":

"HIGHLY CONFLICTED, TO PUT IT MILDLY, JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN, HAS TAKEN AWAY MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH," Trump wrote.

"EVERYBODY IS ALLOWED TO TALK AND LIE ABOUT ME, BUT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DEFEND MYSELF. THIS IS A KANGAROO COURT, AND THE JUDGE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF!"

Merchan did not immediately rule whether Trump will be fined up to $10,000 for alleged violations of the gag order — which does not prohibit the ex-prez from slamming the judge.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #243 on:** April 23, 2024, 04:01:09 pm »

Fox

Prominent anti-Trump legal pundits, analysts have a secret weekly Zoom: Report

A group of anti-Trump cable news legal commentators reportedly meet for a weekly Zoom call to discuss the latest on former President Trump's legal troubles.

The weekly meetings are scheduled for Fridays and are hosted by Norman Eisen, a CNN legal analyst and former Obama official, according to Politico Magazine.

"Do some of the people on the call align their positions as a result of their discussions? Yes, probably," Politico's Ankush Khardori wrote. "That can sound nefarious, but it is also the natural result of a group discussion that is working properly. People refine and clarify their positions. They find points of agreement that might surprise them. Their areas of disagreement become narrower, more precise."

Anti-Trump GOP commentators Bill Kristol and George Conway, liberal Harvard professor Laurence Tribe, former Nixon White House counsel John Dean, MSNBC legal analyst Andrew Weissmann, and former CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin regularly attend the Zoom discussion, Politico reported.

The call serves as a chance to discuss different legal arguments and, according to the outlet, helps to "to generate and shape content for Trump-hungry consumers."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Hanna Panreck
Posted by Anders Hagstrom

catfish1957 · « **Reply #244 on:** April 23, 2024, 04:06:19 pm »

This constiutes collaborative collusion at the highest level.

If we had an uncorrupt DOJ, this zoom club should be brought in for charges for felony election interference

Cyber Liberty · « **Reply #245 on:** April 23, 2024, 04:10:39 pm »

Quote from: Right_in_Virginia on April 23, 2024, 05:02:00 am

Ingraham: “The Great Deflection”
(Video)

https://twitter.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1782625358598353030

Laura was great at deflecting rumors that the 2020 Election was stolen, especially in Arizona. I didn't watch her for three years because of that.

mystery-ak · « **Reply #246 on:** April 23, 2024, 04:18:41 pm »

NYPost

10 minutes ago
Pecker says he helped hatch plan to bury women's stories about Trump before 2016 election
By Ben Kochman

David Pecker worked with Donald Trump and Michael Cohen to identify and "kill" women's stories about Trump before the 2016 election, he testified just now.

"They asked me what can I do and what my magazines can do to help the campaign," Pecker testified.

"Thinking about it, I said what I would do is I would run or publish positive stories about Mr. Trump, and publish negative stories about his opponents," Pecker added.

"I said I would be your eyes and ears, and then I said that anything I hear in the marketplace, if I hear anything about women selling stories, I would notify Michael Cohen," Pecker testified.

Quote

5 minutes ago
Pecker says he thought women would sell stories about Trump before the 2016 election because he was 'well known as the most eligible bachelor'
By Ben Kochman

When describing the August 2015 meeting at Trump Tower, David Pecker said he warned Donald Trump that women would try to sell stories about him as his presidential campaign heated up.

"I was the person that thought that there would be a lot of women to come out try to sell their stories because Mr. Trump was well known as the most eligible bachelor and dated the most beautiful women," Pecker said.

"It is my experience that when someone runs for office like this, it's very common for these women to call the National Enquirer and try to sell their stories."

Quote

a minute ago
Trump stone-faced as Pecker dishes secrets about Trump agreement
By Kyle Schnitzer

Donald Trump has remained expressionless throughout David Pecker's testimony Tuesday morning — as David Pecker has been talking about Trump's agreement with the National Enquirer to bench negative stories that could hurt his 2016 presidential campaign.

Pecker testified that he had unwritten agreements with Trump ("It was an agreement amongst friends") when learning there was a negative story about Trump.

He said the agreement, which was "mutually beneficial" — meaning it would help Trump's campaign and help sell magazines.

Pecker testified that he didn't want anyone to know about the agreement, telling editors to "keep this as quiet as possible."

catfish1957 · « **Reply #247 on:** April 23, 2024, 04:29:52 pm »

Quote from: mystery-ak on April 23, 2024, 04:18:41 pm

NYPost

10 minutes ago
Pecker says he helped hatch plan to bury women's stories about Trump before 2016 election
By Ben Kochman

David Pecker worked with Donald Trump and Michael Cohen to identify and "kill" women's stories about Trump before the 2016 election, he testified just now.

"They asked me what can I do and what my magazines can do to help the campaign," Pecker testified.

"Thinking about it, I said what I would do is I would run or publish positive stories about Mr. Trump, and publish negative stories about his opponents," Pecker added.

"I said I would be your eyes and ears, and then I said that anything I hear in the marketplace, if I hear anything about women selling stories, I would notify Michael Cohen," Pecker testified.

Could Pecker turn on Trump? This could get bad.

Cyber Liberty · « **Reply #248 on:** April 23, 2024, 04:36:18 pm »

Quote from: catfish1957 on April 23, 2024, 04:29:52 pm

Could Pecker turn on Trump? This could get bad.

Sounds to me like he already has....

mystery-ak · « **Reply #249 on:** April 23, 2024, 04:42:25 pm »

5 minutes ago
Some negative stories about Ben Carson, Ted Cruz shown to jurors
By Kyle Schnitzer

Jurors are now being shown some of the National Enquirer's attacks on Ben Carson and Ted Cruz during the 2016 presidential campaign.

One negative story attacked Carson on Oct. 7, 2015, with the headline, "Bungling Surgeon Ben Carson Left sponge in patient’s brain!"

Two critical Cruz headlines were, "Ted Cruz Shame By Porn Star," published on Feb. 12, 2016, and "Boozin' Ted Cruz Fixin' to Lose," published on Feb. 19, 2016.

David Pecker said he would speak to Michael Cohen, then Trump's attorney, who would comment on them and adjust the stories if they needed tinkering.

"We would send him PDFs of the story before it was published to show him the direction the story was going," Pecker said about his correspondence with Cohen at the time.

He added that Cohen "would comment on them."

"We would add content... based on the information Michael Cohen shared," Pecker said.