#trumptrial — Public Fediverse posts

Still on break, but…

#Breaking #News in #Trump #criminal #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #FalsifiedBusinessRecords #HushMoney conviction:

Trump hush-money judge delays ruling on whether to throw out conviction

Postponement follows numerous successful attempts to delay case in which he was convicted on 34 #felony counts

#law #TrumpTrial #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/12/trump-hush-money-conviction-presidential-immunity

The #verdict must be unanimous on the primary crime falsification of business records.

Once #jurors inform the court they have reached a verdict, Justice Juan #Merchan will summon the parties to the courtroom to hear it read by the foreperson.

Merchan must still affirm the verdict & enter a final judgment.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter

There’s a #verdict

They request 30 minutes to fill out the forms.

Trump, who had been smiling a minute ago, is suddenly serious after the judge’s alert that there’s a verdict.

His arms are now crossed across his chest as he whispers with his lawyers.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter

#Jurors hear #Pecker recall that after he said he wasn’t going to go thru w/the agreement w/ #MichaelCohen, who was to pay him for the rights to #KarenMcDougal’s story using an LLC, Cohen told him: “The boss is going to be very angry at you.”
Court reporters read the 3rd portion of Pecker’s testimony. This part pertains to the Aug 2015 #TrumpTowerMeeting in which Pecker, Michael Cohen & #Trump entered a #conspiracy to suppress negative news about Trump during the #2016election.

#law #TrumpTrial

Next the court reporters read the second part of David #Pecker’s #testimony that the #jurors asked to hear, where he explains that he decided he did not want to be repaid for #KarenMcDougal’s story after purchasing it. The implication was that he was concerned about the #legal consequences of accepting a reimbursement - he testified that the concern was regarding FEC violations.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

#Pecker testified that he recommended that #Trump buy #KarenMcDougal’s story. The portion of #testimony ends before the #jury hears what comes next. Pecker testified that #MichaelCohen called him back & told him to buy McDougal’s story on Trump's behalf.

Jurors heard the portion of Pecker's testimony when he said he believed the story of Trump having had an affair w/McDougal was true, & would be embarrassing to Trump.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

This #testimony is good for the prosecution.

David #Pecker testified that #Trump acknowledged speaking to #MichaelCohen about the issue & acknowledged knowing #KarenMcDougal, one of the women who was eventually paid to keep quiet during the 2016 campaign about her story of having had an affair w/ Trump.

“Karen is a nice girl,” Trump said on this call, according to Pecker’s testimony.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney

Yes, this just happened, court is still very much in session. Only the jury was dismissed.

There’s agreement on the jurors’ 1st, 2nd & 4th requests.
1st was #Pecker’s testimony about a call he had w/ #Trump in June 2016.
2nd was Pecker’s testimony on financial arrangements for #KarenMcDougal’s #HushMoney.
4th was #MichaelCohen’s testimony on the Aug 2015 #TrumpTowerMeeting w/ Pecker & Trump.

The only portion that is disputed involves Pecker's testimony about the same meeting.

#TrumpTrial #law

The phone call #jurors asked for from David Pecker’s testimony was call he testified he had w/ #Trump during an investor meeting, in June 2016, during which Trump acknowledged that he knew #KarenMcDougal.

Jurors may also be looking at the part of the #TrumpTowerMeeting when #Pecker testified that he decided to not collect reimbursement from Trump for his #HushMoney deal w/ McDougal. The wording from the jurors is slightly unclear.

#deliberations #criminal #law #TrumpTrial

The #jury’s specific requests:

1. David Pecker's testimony regarding the phone conversation w/ #Trump while #Pecker was in the investor meeting

2. Pecker's testimony regarding life rights for #KarenMcDougal

3. Pecker's testimony regarding the Trump Tower meeting

4. #MichaelCohen's testimony regarding the #TrumpTowerMeeting

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #CathAndKill #conspiracy

#Steinglass, who had stuck to a chronological timeline, goes back to 2016 to connect #Trump to each element that prosecutors say is a #crime. He argues that David #Pecker corroborated the idea that #MichaelCohen had kept Trump up to date on the #HushMoney payments at every step. Cohen, Steinglass says, “is not some rogue actor here.”

Steinglass talks about the infamous tape of Trump & Micahel Cohen discussing the payment to #KarenMcDougal.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial

#Steinglass is now focused on the“gross-up” of the amount that #MichaelCohen was paid for tax purposes. Legitimate legal fees are not “grossed up.”

Steinglass reminds the jury that #JeffreyMcConney, the fmr controller of the #TrumpOrganization, testified that in 50 yrs he was never aware of a payment being doubled for taxes. He then argues that this gross-up was made because the reimbursement was disguised as income.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference

#Steinglass refers to exhibits that #JeffreyMcConney, a longtime loyal #Trump employee, testified about: #AllenWeisselberg’s notes setting up the repayments.

Steinglass refers to these exhibits as “the smoking guns” of the prosecution’s argument, saying they “completely blow out of the water the claim the money paid to Cohen” was for legal services.

(see above exhibit 35)
link:
https://ww2.nycourts.gov/press/index.shtml
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

#Steinglass now goes into 4 Nov 2016, four days before the election, the day that The WSJ broke a story about The #NationalEnquirer’s deal w/ #KarenMcDougal on #Trump’s behalf.

Steinglass reminds jurors that #HopeHicks sent over a statement for the story on behalf of Trump, & that Trump lied in the statement, saying he didn’t know anything about the Karen McDougal deal. Steinglass says Trump did know about it because he was on tape 2 months earlier talking about it.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial

#Steinglass plays the recording of the conversation between #MichaelCohen & #Trump discussing the #KarenMcDougal deal in Sept 2016.

Steinglass argues that the conversation shows Trump’s “cavalier willingness” to hide this payoff & “unequivocally shows a presidential candidate actively engaging in a scheme to influence the election.”

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass tells the jury that #Pecker was willing to sacrifice his bottom line in service of #Trump’s campaign, & adds that this deal was “the very antithesis of a normal legitimate press function.”

Steinglass shows through call records the degree to which Trump would have had knowledge of the discussions around acquiring #KarenMcDougal’s life rights. Cutting against Blanche’s portrayal of Trump as a dupe who people took advantage of.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference

#Steinglass notes that after closing the #HushMoney deal w/ #KarenMcDougal, the editor of The #NationalEnquirer did not immediately call his boss. Instead he placed a call to #Trump atty #MichaelCohen, underscoring, again, that The Enquirer was working on Trump's behalf.

We’re over hour 2, & Steinglass has a way to go, this won’t be done today.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Steinglass now talks# about the 2nd of 3 hush-money deals, which involved #KarenMcDougal & was arranged by The #NationalEnquirer. He says that #Pecker & #DylanHoward of The Enquirer & #KeithDavidson, McDougal's lawyer, spoke in code. But you don’t have to be a codebreaker, he says, to understand what they were talking about

Steinglass also notes that the trio was communicating w/ #MichaelCohen, who testified that he had been charged w/keeping #Trump apprised of their progress

#law #TrumpTrial

#Steinglass list the many witnesses who testified who are still loyal to #Trump: #HopeHicks, #MadeleineWesterhout, #JeffreyMcConney, #RhonaGraff & David #Pecker. Steinglass says that Pecker has “absolutely no reason to lie here,” & adds, “and yet, his testimony is utterly devastating.”

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#Blanche is skipping around in his summation, which is making it a little hard to follow.

He now turns back to the recording that #MichaelCohen secretly made of a conversation he had w/ #Trump about the #KarenMcDougal payment.

Blanche suggests there is some kind of dispute over the authenticity of this recording. There isn’t. The recording sounds exactly the same as the one CNN played in 2018.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

#Blanche addresses the 3 specific #CatchAndKill deals prosecutors allege #Pecker was involved in, all of which they say were designed to protect #Trump. Defense argues all 3 stories are false.

He characterizes the 1st, involving a doorman at a #TrumpOrganization bldg, as “literally a made up story designed to harm President Trump.”

Blanche talks about Playboy model #KarenMcDougal who sold the rights to her story of an affair w/Trump to The #NationalEnquirer's parent co, #AMI.

#law #TrumpTrial

Heading into what may be the final week of the #TrumpTrial, here are links to my threads for each day of coverage starting w/opening statements & then testimony (excludes jury selection)

#criminal #law #Trump #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter

Justice #Merchan tells the attys he will get them a final version of the #JuryInstructions by end of the day Thurs.

Court is adjourned.

Testimony in the #TrumpTrial is over.

The jury will be back in a week for closing arguments.

Thanks for reading 🥰

#criminal #law #Trump #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter

The afternoon session is beginning.

#Trump is back w/his posse, including #DonaldTrumpJr; #ChuckZito, the fmr #HellsAngel ldr; & the actor #JoePiscopo.

Justice #Merchan asks the defense to argue on behalf of one of its many requests: to add the word “willfully” in 2 places to the #JuryInstructions on a federal #ElectionLaw which isn’t charged.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #MobTactics

With defense resting their case, we now know definitively that #Trump did not #testify in his own #defense of 34 #criminal charges.

As he exited the courtroom, & raised his hand in a fist, Trump did not answer reporters’ questions about why he had not testified in the trial.

#law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter

The defense rests, Todd #Blanche says.

#Testimony in the first #criminal trial of Donald J. Trump has concluded.

. #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter

#Hoffinger’s final question is an accusation: whether #RobertCostello’s testimony to Congress was meant to #intimidate #MichaelCohen as he testified in this trial. Costello asked her to repeat the question & then denied the accusation. “No,” he said. “Ridiculous.”

#Trump atty #Bove, is on redirect. Costello testifies that Cohen said in April 2018 that he would be “eternally grateful” for the help & guidance that Costello had given him in those difficult days.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial

#Trump's *guests* today in court:

#DonaldTrumpJr
Fmr Acting AG #MattWhitaker
Fmr Florida AG #PamBondi
Sen #EricSchmitt
#US #House Reps
• #DanielWebster
• #DanMeuser
• #RonnyJackson
• #TroyNehls
• #DaleStrong
• #MariaSalazar
#SebastianGorka
#ChuckZito
#JoePiscopo
#BillWhite

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter

Prosecutors now have 3 days to prepare re-direct, when they will seek to build #MichaelCohen back up & refocus the jurors on the most important elements of their case & the actual charges for which they’ve presented mountains of evidence regardless of whether Cohen is a liar or not.

.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #Trump #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter

#MichaelCohen previously testified that in June 2016, he was negotiating w/ The #NationalEnquirer & #KarenMcDougal over her story about having had an affair w/ #Trump. On the stand now, as #Blanche digs in about whether he can remember a specific call from that year, Cohen says that seeing prosecutors’ other evidence has jogged his memory about calls he had back then. (That’s memory for ya)

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

Importantly the falsified documents at issue in the #TrumpTrial weren’t to hide Trump’s affair #KarenMcDougal, but the #StormyDaniels #situationship.

Blanche asks about the story about McDougal: “President Trump at least initially, did not think it would hurt him, correct?”

#MichaelCohen: “Initially, yes.”

Though, Cohen concedes that ONE of the things Trump was worried about w/that story was his wife & *children* — that was a nearly year long affair while Melania was preggers so yeah.

#law

#Trump’s eyes are glued to #MichaelCohen & they’re open for once.

#Blanche is trying to damage prosecution’s argument that Trump’s team orchestrated the #HushMoney payments to #influence the 2016 election. Blanche has already gotten Cohen to confirm under oath that Trump was worried about the #KarenMcDougal story IN PART because of his wife & children.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

There are two objections, quickly sustained, and Justice #Merchan has already asked the lawyers to approach.

Merchan, whispering to Todd Blanche at his desk during a fast sidebar, is shaking his head & speaking to #Blanche, looking him dead in the eyes.

Blanche, frowning, returns to the lectern.

#MichaelCohen
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal

Todd #Blanche, a #Trump defense lawyer, is on cross-examination of #MichaelCohen. He begins by asking Cohen whether or not they have spoken before. Blanche says Cohen went on TikTok & called him a “crying little shit.”
[petty mf]

Cohen says that it sounds like something he would say, but the prosecutors object and the judge sustains it.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal

#Hoffinger asks #MichaelCohen about meeting w/ #Trump in Jan 2017 & discussing getting reimbursed for his payment to #StormyDaniels. Cohen is shown an email sent a month later by #JeffreyMcConney, the #TrumpOrganization's controller, about the “invoices” [falsified]

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal

Justice Merchan said before proceedings began that he would not allow in a piece of evidence related to #AllenWeisselberg, the fmr CFO of the #TrumpOrganization, who is currently in #jail.

Prosecutors had hoped to put in evidence his severance agreement that requires #Weisselberg still be loyal to #Trump, to help explain his absence at the trial. But the judge is saying he won’t allow it.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

Prosecution presents a page from #AllenWeisselberg’s phone records.

#JennieTomalin mentioned the names of 2 people who factor into the case: #Weisselberg, the #TrumpOrganization's fmr CFO, & #KeithDavidson, #StormyDaniels's fmr lawyer.

Tomalin testimony concluded.

#law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

Prosecutors say that #AllenWeisselberg, the fmr CFO of the #TrumpOrganization, designed the specific way that #MichaelCohen would be reimbursed for the #HushMoney payment he made to #StormyDaniels. #Weisselberg worked in coordination w/ #Trump, prosecutors say. #Necheles is trying to cast doubt on that.

We are starting to see the “blame it on Allen Weisselberg” defense.

#law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

A new witness, Rebecca #Manochio, has taken the stand. Manochio is a junior bookeeper at the #TrumpOrganization. She is being questioned by Rebecca #Mangold, a prosecutor.

Manochio is describing working for #JeffreyMcConney, the #TrumpOrg corporate controller who testified earlier in the trial, & #AllenWeisselberg, the fmr CFO who is currently in #jail.

#law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics

#TrumpTrial Tues 7 May, 2024 Ofcl Transcript:

https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/5-7-2024/

•Testimony by #SallyFranklin of Penguin Random House

•Testimony by the woman who #Trump paid to not tell a story of a sexual encounter w/ Trump, for which he created #FalsifiedBusinessRecords for the purpose of hiding the pay-off from the American electorate prior to the 2016 election — #StormyDaniels.

•Procedural hearings, sidebars, etc

#law #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference

Transcript excerpt of a sidebar at today’s #TrumpTrial proceedings

THE PEOPLE OF NY -vs- DONALD J. #TRUMP

JUDGE #MERCHAN: I understand that your client is upset at this point, but he is cursing audibly, & he is shaking his head visually & that's contemptuous.
It has the potential to #intimidate the #witness & the jury can see that.

DEFENSE ATTY TODD #BLANCHE: I will talk to him...

#criminal #law #Trump #ElectionInterference #StormyDaniels #HushMoney #MobTactics #StochasticTerrorism #GagOrder

#Bove raises the Jan 6, 2017 meeting that took place in #Trump’s office at TrumpTower w/ #JamesComey, then the #FBI dir, #MikePompeo, soon to be the #CIA dir, #ReincePriebus, soon to be the #WhiteHouse chief of staff, & #SeanSpicer, soon to be the WH press sec.

Bove asks #Pecker about how #Comey & Trump later had a contentious relationship. Prosecutors object, & Bove asks for a sidebar. Justice #Merchan sustains the objection.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference #conspiracy

The Trump Tower meeting also included #JamesComey, then the #FBI dir, #ReincePriebus, who was chair of the RNC, #SeanSpicer the WH press sec & #MikePompeo the dir of the CIA.

Totally normal.

At that meeting #Pecker reassured #Trump that everything was fine.

Trump then told the group that Pecker probably “knows more than anyone else in this room.”

“It was a joke,” Pecker testified, adding, “They didn’t laugh.”

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

#Pecker just gave us a very detailed description of #JaredKushner walking him into Trump Tower, & then into #Trump's office, shortly before Trump's inauguration as president. In the office were 4 noteworthy people: #JamesComey, #SeanSpicer, #ReincePriebus & #MikePompeo.

[umm, holy hell, please charge those mfers]

.
#criminal #law #DeadBeat #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder

#Pecker has at least 3X described #MichaelCohen as warning him that “the boss” — meaning #Trump — would be “angry” if Pecker didn’t do whatever was being asked of him in that moment.

Prosecutors, who have focused on Trump’s tendency to #intimidate people in asking for a #GagOrder, know what they’re after in this line of questioning [#MobTactics #StochasticTerrorism].

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney

#Colangelo describes “#CatchAndKill scheme, in which #NationalEnquirer bought stories that were problems for #Trump & buried them.
NOT NORMAL #journalism

Colangelo describes some NE headlines that helped Trump's 2016 #campaign, embarrassing campaign opponents incl’g #TedCruz & #MarcoRubio.
Prosecutors are limited to the HEADLINES per #Sandoval. They go to Trump’s #intent: to #influence the election by promoting negative stories about others & suppressing those about himself.

#law #TrumpTrial

“The court cautions defendant that this #Sandoval ruling is a shield, not a sword,” Merchan said. Defense arguments at court could prompt him to reconsider where he draws the line on these issues, he added.

The #jury is now in the courtroom. Justice Juan #Merchan is reading them their instructions.

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference #HushMoney

#Merchan read his #Sandoval decision re:

the #civil #fraud finding that he misstated his assets; his 2 violations of a #GagOrder stemming from that case; 2 separate court findings of #defamation of #EJeanCarroll; & the dissolution of the #Trump foundation as part of a settlement w/the NYAG.
The judge said he would not allow prosecutors to discuss in detail the underlying facts of those matters — but added a warning that could change.

#law #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference #HushMoney

A man who lit himself on fire Friday across the street from the Manhattan courthouse where former president Donald Trump is facing a criminal hush money trial is in critical condition, New York City police said. #Manhattan #DonaldTrump #HushMoneyTrial

The man walked into Collect Pond Park at 1:30 p.m., removed several pamphlets from his backpack and tossed them on the ground, Chief Jeffrey Maddrey told reporters. #CollectPondPark

He then pulled out a canister of liquid accelerant, doused himself with it and lit himself on fire, the chief said. #LiquidAccelerant

The man took a few steps before falling onto a police barrier and then to the ground. #PoliceBarrier

Civilians and officers ran into the park, and used coats and fire extinguishers to try to put out the blaze before firefighters arrived and fully extinguished it. #Firefighters

Paramedics transported the man — identified by police as Maxwell Azzarello of St. Augustine, Fla. — to a hospital, where he was intubated, according to New York City fire officials. #MaxwellAzzarello #StAugustine

Four police officers were treated for minor injuries. #PoliceOfficers

The pamphlets Azzarello, 37, threw on the ground promoted various conspiracy theories, including ones about Ponzi schemes and local educational institutions being fronts for the mob, Joe Kenny, the police department’s chief of detectives, told reporters. #ConspiracyTheories #PonziSchemes #EducationalInstitutions

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/04/19/man-sets-himself-fire-near-trump-trial/ #WashingtonPost #ManOnFire #TrumpTrial