Live Thread: Trump's hush money trial begins in NYC

[Right_in_Virginia]

Judge allows Stormy Daniels to give irrelevant, salacious testimony just to humiliate Trump
NY Post, May 7, 2024, Jonathan Turley

Before the start of the Manhattan prosecution of former president Donald Trump, I characterized the case of District Attorney Alvin Bragg as based on a type of obscenity standard.

In a 1984 pornography case, Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart wrote “I shall not today attempt further to define [obscenity]. . . . But I know it when I see it.”

Bragg has refused to clearly define the crime that Trump was seeking to conceal when payments for a non-disclosure agreement was listed as a legal expense.

We would just know it when we saw it at trial.

We are still waiting, but this week, Bragg seems to be prosecuting an actual obscenity case.

The prosecution fought with Trump’s defense counsel to not only call porn star Stormy Daniels to the stand, but to ask her for lurid details on her alleged tryst with Trump.

The only assurance that they would make to Judge Juan Merchan was that they would “not go into details of genitalia.”

For Merchan, who has largely ruled against Trump on such motions, that was enough.

He allowed the prosecutors to get into the details of the affair despite the immateriality of the evidence to any criminal theory.

Neither the NDA nor the payment to Daniels is being contested.

It is also uncontested that Trump wanted to pay to get the story (and other stories, including untrue allegations) from being published.

The value of the testimony was entirely sensational and gratuitous, yet Merchan was fine with humiliating Trump.

Daniels’ testimony was a dumpster fire in the courtroom.

The most maddening moment for the defense came at the lunch break when Merchan stated, “I agree that it would have been better if some of these things had been left unsaid.”

He then denied a motion for a mistrial basis on the testimony and blamed the defense for not objecting more.

That, of course, ignores the standing objection of the defense to Daniels even appearing, and specific objections to the broad scope allowed by the court.

This is precisely what the defense said would happen when the prosecutors only agreed to avoid “genitalia.”

Even if he was adamant in allowing her, Merchan could have imposed a much more limited scope for her testimony.

He could also have enforced the limits that he did place on the testimony when it was being ignored by both the prosecutors and the witness.

Merchan said that he is considering a limiting instruction for the jury to ignore aspects of the testimony.

But that is little comfort for the defendant.

The court was told that this would happen, it happened, and now the court wants to ask the jury to pretend that it did not happen.

Merchan knows that there is no way for the jury to unhear the testimony.

More importantly, the prosecution knew that from the outset.

Daniels appeared eager to share the stories for the same reason that she was eager to sell her story. While she said that she “hates” Trump and wants him “held accountable,” Daniels is no victim.

She had an alleged tryst with Trump and then sought to cash in on story.

It is a standard form of extortion of celebrities.

She later sought to cash in on the notoriety by appearing in strip clubs as part of a “Make America Horny Again” tour.

She is in her element in Merchan’s courtroom.


More:  https://nypost.com/2024/05/07/opinion/judge-allows-stormy-daniels-to-give-irrelevant-salacious-testimony-just-to-humiliate-trump/

[Right_in_Virginia]

[Right_in_Virginia]

CNN Panelist on the cross examination of Stormy Daniels: “Her responses were disastrous.. ‘Do you hate Donald Trump?’.. ‘Yes’ — of course she does… When the witness hates the person whose liberty is at stake, that’s a big damn deal and she’s putting out Tweets fantasizing about him being in jail.. That really undermines the credibility.”. (Video)

https://twitter.com/alx/status/1788062188688580682

[mountaineer]

Doug Powers
@ThePowersThatBe
It’s funny when Bill Clinton fans suddenly get the marital infidelity vapors.

2:01 PM · May 7, 2024

[Bigun]

Greg Jarrett on Stormy Daniels' Testimony: "She self-destructed... None of what she had to say was relevant to any of the charges against Donald Trump... Prosecutors put her on the stand to vilify Trump with a salacious story, irrelevant, highly prejudicial, probative of nothing and that is the legal standard that makes her testimony inadmissible and any fair judge would not have allowed it" (Video)

https://twitter.com/alx/status/1788059772513619972

IMHO Mr. Jarrett is 100% correct.

[DB]

I don't think she "self-destructed". She did exactly what the prosecutors wanted her to. The prosecutors are not pursuing the law, they're pursuing a political objective.

[Bigun]

I don't think she "self-destructed". She did exactly what the prosecutors wanted her to. The prosecutors are not pursuing the law, they're pursuing a political objective.

 

[Hoodat]

https://twitter.com/apexworldnews/status/1787929881730256906

[mystery-ak]

Day 14



29 minutes ago
Photographers banned from taking Trump's picture inside courtroom
By Kyle Schnitzer

Credentialed photographers are no longer allowed to take photos of Donald Trump inside the courtroom after a photographer violated one of the court's rules, according to a pool report.

A court officer noticed pool photographers in the hallway pen and said Justice Juan Merchan is no longer allowing still photography in the courtroom for the remainder of the trial.

The officer said a member of the pool — a rotating cast of photographers from several outlets each day — violated the court order by taking a photograph of Trump from the aisle inside the courtroom while walking into the well.

Photographers are permitted to take photos from inside the well only.

As of now, there will no longer be any photos of Trump appearing at his defense table inside the courtroom.

Only photos of when the former president enters and exits the courtroom will be permitted.

[mystery-ak]

Daniels's anticipated testimony draws crowded courthouse

The anticipated resumption of the cross-examination of Stormy Daniels brought long lines outside the Manhattan courthouse early Thursday, with a host of press and members of the public trying to get an inside look of the proceedings.

There are a few coveted seats in the courtroom reserved for members of the public to observe the trial.

A member of the public hoping to get inside said those first in line arrived outside the courthouse before 5 a.m. Officers appeared to close off the line to get inside at about 7:30 a.m. this morning for both the press and public.

More press are also inside the overflow room of the courthouse and there appears to be fewer seats allowed for the public than on other days of the trial.

— Lauren Sforza

[mystery-ak]

6 minutes ago
Stormy Daniels sworn in; testimony resumes
By Ben Kochman

Stormy Daniels has walked back into the courtroom to resume her testimony.

She's wearing the same hooded black robe she wore Tuesday, this time over a forest green dress.

Her blond hair trails down to her shoulders.

[mystery-ak]

Prosecutors struggling to tie Trump to records falsification scheme
By
Ashley Oliver
May 9, 2024 8:08 am

Alvin Bragg is hoping to convince a jury that former President Donald Trump committed felonies by allegedly falsifying business records, but to do that, the Manhattan district attorney must prove Trump acted with intent.

Over the last three weeks, prosecutors have called upon witnesses to deliver, at times, salacious testimony about Trump, and they have entered dozens of records into evidence. However, they have struggled to tie Trump directly to what Bragg, an elected Democrat, claims was a felonious payment scheme.

Tuesday marked the most dramatic day of witness testimony in the trial thus far after porn star Stormy Daniels took the witness stand and rehashed graphic details about an alleged sexual encounter she had with Trump in 2006.

The testimony was captivating for jurors and the public and provided color to her story, which Trump’s ex-attorney Michael Cohen paid $130,000 in 2016 to hide. However, some critics found it lacked substance.

Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University Law School, called Daniels’s testimony a “dumpster fire.”

more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/2997186/prosecutors-struggling-tie-trump-records-falsification-scheme/

[mystery-ak]

a minute ago
Cagey Stormy Daniels battling with Trump attorney over money questions

Trump attorney Susan Necheles is pressing a cagey Stormy Daniels about if she was looking for cash from Trump to sell her story.

Nechles' questions are picking up from where she left off Tuesday, which at times, created a tense exchange between the pair.

Daniels said that "numerous people" wanted to publish her story, but ultimately wanted to get the truth out.

“I was asking to sell my story to publications to get the truth out," Daniels testified.

[mystery-ak]

3 minutes ago
Stormy Daniels much calmer, more relaxed and speaking more slowly today so far
By Ben Kochman

As Trump's lawyer Necheles continues to grill her about the hush money payment on cross-examination, Daniels' demeanor is far more relaxed compared to yesterday.

From her seat on the witness stand, she's speaking far more slowly and clearly than she did when she detailed her alleged tryst with Trump when questioned by prosecutors.

[mystery-ak]

a few seconds ago
Daniels denies berating her attorney as jurors hear taped called with Michael Cohen
By Kyle Schnitzer

A juicy phone conversation between Stormy Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson and Michael Cohen was played in front of the jury — where Davidson said that Daniels berated him and wanted money "more than anything," but Daniels denied berating her attorney.

The taped April 4, 2018 phone call between the attorneys featured multiple expletives, with Davidson claiming that Daniels was yelling and screaming at him while calling him a "p---y."

“She wanted this money more than you can ever imagine. I remember hearing her on the phone saying, you f--ing Keith Davidson. You better settle this God damn story,” Davidson said on the recording.

He added that Daniels allegedly said that if Trump lost the election "we lose all f--king leverage this case is worth zero."

Daniels denied berating Davidson, however.

"No I did not actually, I never yelled at Keith Davidson," she testified. "It sounds like a threat from Keith Davidson."

[mystery-ak]

a minute ago
Daniels says 'no one' would want to 'publicly' admit to having sex with Trump

Stormy Daniels testified that "no one" would want to publicly admit they had sex with Donald Trump — as Trump's attorney peppers her with questions about Trump's "brand."

Susan Necheles, Trump's attorney, asked Daniels about Trump having a brand, which drew a hearty laugh from Daniels, who later admitted that he does have a brand.

Daniels said she "wouldn't know" if Trump was concerned about protecting his brand and image, and when asked about why someone would publicly tell people about her alleged romp, she held another laugh.

"No one would want to publicly say that," Daniels responded.

Daniels: I 'hated' the name of my 'Make America Horny Again' strip club tour

Stormy Daniels said just now that she profited from a nationwide strip club tour dubbed "Make America Horny Again" after news of her alleged hookup with Trump emerged, but said she "hated" the tour's name and that it wasn't her idea.

"I did not name that tour," she told jurors. "That’s what a club owner in North Carolina called it."

I" never used that tagline, I hated it," she said.

She added that she was already stripping at those clubs, and performing basically the same routine as she's been doing in various forms since she was 21 years old.

[mystery-ak]

3 min(s) ago
Trump attorney presses Stormy Daniels on signing statement denying affair

Stormy Daniels was questioned in court Thursday during cross-examination about a statement she released denying the encounter between her and Donald Trump.

Trump lawyer Susan Necheles read parts of the statement, specifically the portions denying Daniels had sex with Trump. Daniels said she did not write the statement, but signed it.

Necheles pointed to another statement where Daniels denied having a sexual relationship with Trump. One part reads, “I’m denying this affair because it never happened.”

Daniels confirmed that Cohen was pushing for her to sign the statement.

Fox News' Maria Parnich contributed to this report.

[mystery-ak]

a few seconds ago
Stormy Daniels now being asked if she can speak with 'dead people'

Things are getting spooky in Trump's hush money trial as Stormy Daniels is being asked questions about whether she believes she can speak with "dead people."

Trump attorney's questions stems from Daniels' belief in ghosts. She testified that she once lived in a haunted house in New Orleans.

Daniels is a self-proclaimed ghost hunter.

6 minutes ago
Daniels: I 'absolutely' meant to call Trump an 'orange turd' on social media
By Ben Kochman

Jurors were just shown a March post on X in which he fired back at a commenter calling her a "human toilet" by writing "Exactly: Making me the best person to flush the orange turd down."

When asked who she meant by "orange turd," Daniels did not hestitate.

"Oh, I absolutely meant Donald Trump," she quipped.

https://twitter.com/StormyDaniels/status/1772854971907633476

[libertybele]

Stormy is a disgusting whore. There's just no other way to describe her (nicely).

[catfish1957]

Stormy is a disgusting whore. There's just no other way to describe her (nicely).

This revelation that this cut throat whore now sees and talks to dead people?  Just add mental competency as about the 5th issue to dismiss anythibg this witness says,

[mystery-ak]

a minute ago
Daniels: If having sex with Trump was fiction, I'd make it 'a lot better'

Stormy Daniels said that if he story about having sex with Donald Trump was untrue, she would have "written it to be a lot better."

Daniels is being asked about her porn star career by Susan Necheles with Daniels testifying she has appeared and written in more than 200 sex films.

Trump's attorney pressed Daniels about creating fictional storylines and making ""phony stories about sex" appeal to a wider audience, which drew a surprising reaction from Daniels.

"Wow," Daniels exclaimed.

She added that "the sex in those films is very real like what happened to me in that room," referring to the time she and Trump slept together at a Lake Tahoe hotel.

She then took a dig at Trump about this sexual experience, which she had testified didn't last long and that the former president didn't use a condom.

"If that story was untrue, I would have written it to be a lot better," Daniels testified.

[mystery-ak]

Stormy Daniels sold Trump story for nearly $1 million, says she didn't receive all of it

Stormy Daniels admitted in court Thursday to receiving nearly $1 million for her story regarding an alleged affair with Donald Trump.

Under cross-examination, Daniels was asked by Trump lawyer Susan Necheles whether she wanted to publicly say she had sex with Trump. Daniels responded, “No, no one would ever want to publicly say that."

When pressed again bout making money, Stormy says she did a piece with 60 Minutes for free.

Daniels confirmed she sold her life story for $800K for the book. When Necheles said Daniels was paid $930K for selling her story, Daniels said she didn’t receive the $800K.

Asked about the book, Daniels said the story started when she was two, but she assumed people would read the part about Trump first.

Necheles also asked about the “Make America Horny Tour,” to which Daniels responded, “I did not name that tour."

Daniels also said in court Thursday that she only received a portion of the $130K payment in return for signing the NDA.
Posted by Kyle Morris
Fox News

[mystery-ak]

09:59
Trump lawyer presses Stormy Daniels over the meaning of 'dinner' from her 2006 Trump encounter

Trump’s lawyer is attempting to poke holes in Stormy Daniels’ story about Trump in 2006 where he had invited her over for dinner.

This is the alleged encounter where Daniels and Trump had sex.

Susan Necheles brings up Daniels’ interview in 2018 in which she says she went for dinner.

There is a back and forth over what dinner meant.

Daniels says they spent dinner time in the room, but they never actually ate.

Necheles is going through exact wording in Daniels' previous retelling of the story and argues there have been inconsistencies.

[mystery-ak]

Sorry..for some reason the reporting from inside the courtroom is very slow today..

[mystery-ak]

4 minutes ago
Daniels: Yes I had 'dinnertime' convo with Trump, 'but we never got food'

The first-ever criminal trial of a U.S. president has spent the last 15 minutes probing this question: Did Stormy Daniels receive dinner when she visited Trump's hotel room in 2006?

Daniels testified that she did not receive dinner after Trump invited her to his Lake Tahoe hotel suite — and that Trump propositioned her with sex instead.

But Trump's attorney Susan Necheles confronted Daniels with her 2011 interview with InTouch magazine that they talked "over dinner."

Daniels said Thursday that "It was dinner, it was dinner time, but I maintain that I didn’t see any food."