#Hoffinger, the prosecutor, is asking #MichaelCohen about when he provided phones to the DA's office for their investigation. One of the defense lawyers, Emil #Bove, has sought several times to raise questions about when Cohen's phones were handed over - & whether he may have manipulated recordings & other materials related to the investigation on them before doing so. Cohen says he handed them over late last year.

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

#MichaelCohen has corroborated some of what #Pecker said about when he first met Cohen.

Cohen says he sometimes contacted Pecker using the encrypted application #Signal - one of the small pieces of corroboration.

Prosecutors look for these opportunities to join up 2 different witnesses' testimony wherever possible.

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

#MichaelCohen explains that he wasn't going to be a part of the 2016 presidential campaign — he was "just going to be a surrogate," he says. This is the first in what is likely to be a series of humiliations by #Trump that Cohen is expected to testify to.

Cohen says he did some activities on behalf of the campaign, like putting together a "diversity" coalition. He was also given a campaign email address.

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

#Hoffinger, the prosecutor, asks #MichaelCohen if he ever talked to #Trump about whether he was concerned that negative personal stories would come forward. #Cohen describes a conversation before the presidential campaign kickoff, quoting Trump saying, "You know that when this comes out, meaning the announcement, just be prepared, there's going to be a lot of women coming forward."

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

#MichaelCohen has now testified that he, #Trump & David #Pecker, the publisher of The #NationalEnquirer, entered into a plot to suppress negative stories about Trump. He says Pecker "would be able to help us to know in advance what was coming out" & try to stop it from doing so.

This is the #conspiracy prosecutors allege Trump participated in - 1 of the potential #crimes that transforms the charges Trump is facing into #felonies.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference

#MichaelCohen describes the negative stories about Trump's #GOP primary rivals The #NationalEnquirer printed. Some of the smears were directed at #MarcoRubio, the #Florida senator who is currently a top contender to be #Trump's running mate.

Cohen says that he "immediately showed" such material to Trump, who would greet it with praise like "fantastic, unbelievable."

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference

#MichaelCohen understood the power of a supermarket #tabloid, which would reach #voters "at the cash register of so many supermarkets & bodegas." He testifies: "If we can place positive stories about Mr. Trump, that would be beneficial. He adds: "And if we could place negative stories about some of the other candidates, that would also be beneficial."

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference

#MichaelCohen lays out the first #CatchAndKill story that he worked on w/ The #NationalEnquirer. It was about an allegation by a #doorman at a #Trump building that Trump had fathered a child out of wedlock. Cohen describes telling Trump about it.

This is the first of the 3 #HushMoney deals that jurors have heard about. The last of them is Cohen's own $130k payment to #StormyDaniels.

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

#MichaelCohen says he monitored the progress of the doorman's story closely, & that The #NationalEnquirer struck a deal to suppress the story. Cohen says that #Trump was very happy to hear of it - & that Cohen personally reviewed the agreement, & asked for a copy to show Trump so that he knew it was taken care of.

Cohen is describing seeking “credit" w/Trump for "accomplishing the task" of making sure the doorman's story stayed dead.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

#MichaelCohen moved on to the 2nd #CatchAndKill deal, which involved #KarenMcDougal, who said she had an affair w/ #Trump. Cohen says he mentioned McDougal to Trump, & his response was:
"She's really beautiful." Cohen says he warned Trump that McDougal was shopping her story, & Trump told him to "make sure it doesn't get released."

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

#MichaelCohen is asked how he monitored the progress of the deal w/ #KarenMcDougal, & says he did so by text, phone & the app Signal. The prosecutor doesn't dwell on it, but that is documented evidence, & jurors heard from other witnesses, especially David #Pecker, just how much Cohen contacted the parties during that period in 2016.

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

#MichaelCohen's testimony is incredibly important. The witnesses who took the stand so far didn't have direct contact w/ #Trump. Rather, they spoke to Cohen. Cohen has already testified about multiple relevant conversations w/Trump himself.

Having told the jury earlier that he checked in w/Trump on every little thing, Cohen is able to testify that he kept Trump attuned to every little piece of minor news regarding the #KarenMcDougal deal.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference

#Evidence is displayed in the courtroom, including texts about the deal.

The text message exchanges we're seeing are dated June 16, 2016, one month before the #RNC, when #Trump formally accepted the #Republican Party's nomination. While behind the scenes, his fixer, #MichaelCohen, was frantically trying to ensure that Playboy model #KarenMcDougal would not go public w/her story about having had sex w/Trump.

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

Andrew Giuliani, another #Trump ally & the son of his fmr lawyer #RudyGiuliani, is also posting from the courtroom, calling #MichaelCohen a "serial liar" & smearing the Manhattan DA's office, which brought the case.

Cohen is asked how he communicated w/ #KeithDavidson, a lawyer for both #KarenMcDougal & #StormyDaniels, says "phone, email, text.”

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

#MichaelCohen is now recalling David #Pecker applying pressure to get reimbursed for paying off #KarenMcDougal. "It was too much money for him to hide from the CEO of the parent company," he says. He adds that he had several conversations w/ #Trump about that fact. The jury is likely to again hear the recording that was played earlier.

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

#Pecker's mounting frustration about paying to kill stories on #Trump's behalf & not getting repaid is what leads to Pecker refusing to pay for #StormyDaniels story, & #MichaelCohen taking over as the funder of the #CatchAndKill operations.

Cohen testifies about recording #Trump directing him to pay David #Pecker back in cash — the jury has heard this recording.

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

It fits w/ #MichaelCohen's narrative that he was often updating #Trump on the progress of the #KarenMcDougal #HushMoney deal - on the recording, Cohen only has to mention Pecker's name & it seems as if Trump knows that he's referring to that deal.

Cohen claims that this was the only conversation w/ Trump that he ever taped, & that he did it so that Pecker could hear that Trump planned to pay him back, thus retaining Pecker's loyalty.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #conspiracy #ElectionInterference

Big picture:

#Trump currently has senior #elected officials, including a possible future VP nominee, sitting in the courtroom listening to a recording of him, as a candidate, talking w/his lawyer about paying for material from The #NationalEnquirer. Trump has completely got the party under his boot.

#Pathetic #Deplorables #criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal

Apologies for my late start

#TrumpTrial 🧵

Monday May 13

#MichaelCohen is on the stand today

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

#TrumpTrial Friday 10 May 2024 🧵:

Madeleine #Westerhout testimony resumes

A fmr White House aide who worked closely w/ #Trump returned to the stand to testify about a significant meeting between Trump & #MichaelCohen his personal lawyer that is at the center of Trump’s #criminal trial.

Cohen is expected to testify Monday.

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

#TrumpTrial Thurs 9 May, 2024 🧵

The prosecution asks that the defense be precluded from asking #StormyDaniels whether she was arrested. Justice #Merchan agrees w/the prosecutors, saying that “anybody can be arrested” & that it “doesn’t prove anything.”

The people call Stormy Daniels back to the stand

#Trump atty #Necheles begins questioning by saying that in 2011, Daniels denied having had sex w/Trump.

#law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney

When you look at the facts of the Trump indictment — not imagined hypothetical scenarios — there is no way the Constitution grants him immunity from prosecution.

(Samuel Breidbart, Brennan Center for Justice)

Two centuries of U.S. constitutional history make clear that Donald Trump is liable to criminal prosecution.

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/spinning-hypotheticals-justices-forget-grim-facts-trumps-alleged-crimes

#Constitution
#SCOTUS #SupremeCourt #History #Immunity #Justice #Crime #Elections

#ElectionInterference #Fascism #Fascist #Trumpism #Corruption

Spinning Hypotheticals, Justices Forget the Grim Facts of Trump’s Alleged Crimes

^{Brennan Center for Justice}

Questioning resumed.

#Pecker says of his time at The #NationalEnquirer: "We used checkbook #journalism, & we paid for stories.”

#Steinglass asked him whether he had "final say" over editorial decisions. Pecker said anything >$10k had to be approved by him.

Pecker said in his experience, the only thing that's important "is the cover" of a magazine.

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

#Steinglass asked #Pecker to recount his work cell phone number at the time.

That may seem small but it's important — it's a good bet that those numbers will come up when #evidence is presented.

#Trump leaned forward on the defense table as he listened to Pecker's testimony. As Pecker spoke about editor meetings, Trump passed notes to 2 of his lawyers before reportedly “glaring” at Pecker on the stand.

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

#Pecker described the types of people #tabloids typically use as sources: hotel workers, limo drivers, lawyers, etc.

#Trump's lawyers have tried to depict the ##NationalEnquirer #tabloid as a media company like any other. But Pecker's testimony that they practiced “#CheckbookJournalism," & his description of their editorial practices, undermines that argument.

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

After a short #testimony, #Pecker was dismissed from the stand. He’ll be back tomorrow.

Justice #Merchan told jurors about the schedule & asked them not to discuss the case w/ anyone & not to read about it. He asked them to put it out of their minds.

[signing off]
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney

Here’s a sampling of #NationalEnquirer covers leading up to the 2016 presidential election:

Remember the twitter #TrumpLovesPecker hashtag?

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

#GiftArticle ICYMI: #LachlanCartwright’s “What I Saw Working at The #NationalEnquirer During Donald #Trump’s Rise”

“…reading the indictment was like stepping through the looking glass,

#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/03/magazine/national-enquirer-trump-lachlan-cartwright.html?unlocked_article_code=1.mU0.Bo8c.tkQySLkdTTR2&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb

At the bench conference Judge #Merchan appeared to be speaking firmly to #Blanche.

The result of the conversation — Blanche may not be allowed to accuse #MichaelCohen of #perjury directly. But he may say that Cohen lied under oath. A #legal distinction.

Blanche suggested to the #jury there was a monetary motivation for Cohen's testimony, saying his livelihood relies on #Trump being destroyed.

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

#Blanche made it clear that the #defense will continue to deny that #Trump had sex w/ #StormyDaniels.

Blanche called #MichaelCohen a "#criminal." [no duh. Criminals deal w/other criminals, yet point?]

Blanche continued: "He's obsessed w/President Trump even to this day.”

Blanche said Cohen demonstrated that obsession in his public interviews, & “his desire to see President Trump go to prison."

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

Prosecutors objected 3X during Blanche's opening statement. Justice #Merchan called them to the bench & prosecution won the objection.

Blanche loses a bit of his opening. He had to say instead that there is "nothing illegal" about entering a #NDA.

He said that companies use NDAs all the time & people who are wealthy & famous use them regularly, stressing there is nothing illegal about the practice.

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

"I have a spoiler alert: There's nothing wrong w/trying to influence an election," #Blanche says. "It's called democracy." [not the charge. The charge is falsifying business records, the #MensRea is to influence. Besides which, influencing an election through illegal means is duh illegal]

"They put something sinsiter on this idea as if it were a crime," he continued. "You'll learn it's not."

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

It seems like #Blanche will seek to convince the jury that everything was appropriate & done by the book, not even worthy of notice. That #Cohen was #Trump's lawyer, & he was paid for #legal services. But he'll also seek to distance his client from the matter: "President Trump had nothing to do w/the invoice," he said.

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

#Blanche downplayed the 34 charges of falsfying records #Trump faces as a "business records violation."

He highlighted the disparity between the $130k #HushMoney payment & what was paid to #MichaelCohen. He asks them, if Trump really was so frugal, would he have repaid Cohen so much? "This was not a payback," he said, adding: “He was President Trump's personal atty."

"would a frugal business man …repay [a] $130k debt to the tune of $420k?"

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #ElectionInterference

#Blanche said #Trump put up "a wall" between himself & his company when he became president. We know from the civil #fraud ruling that isn’t true.

Trump always seems to get his lawyers to basically testify about how *successful* the #TrumpOrganization, has been. - Blanche went off on this success narrative for a while.

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

#Blanche said that the prosecution told a “clean nice story," but that it is not as simple as they would have the #jury believe. He said that many of the docs in evidence are almost a decade old. The testimony, he suggests, is similarly old. He said, the story that #jurors heard "is not true."

#Trump largely avoided looking at the jury during prosecution's opening statement. He shifted his body in their direction during defense’s.

#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference

#Colangelo encourages #jurors to "tune out the noise" & "focus on the facts" during the course of the #TrumpTrial. He summarizes the evidence again, & says after all the evidence is in, Joshua Steinglass, another prosecutor, will do the closing argument.

He ends by saying there is "only one conclusion: Donald Trump is guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree."

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

#Colangelo depicted #MichaelCohen as a flawed man who has lied before, saying he lied about the payment to #StormyDaniels initially "to protect his boss."

"This case is about a #criminal #conspiracy & a #coverup," Colangelo says, st the start of his conclusion of his opening statement, adding that at the end of the case, jurors will have no #ReasonableDoubt about #Trump's #guilt.

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

#Colangelo insists that much of #Cohen's testimony will be #corroborated, incl’g by witnesses from The #NationalEnquirer & "an extensive paper trail."

Because the prosecution bears the burden of proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt, it gets to go first (& last) in a #criminal case. The advantage of that can be seen in action here, as Colangelo gives the jury his own frame through which to view #MichaelCohen.

#law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference #HushMoney