Former President Trump is in contempt for violating the gag order, Judge Juan Merchan ruled at the start of court Tuesday.
Information from Eyewitness News, ABC News and the Associated Pressis in contempt for violating the gag orderHe is being fined $9,000; $1,000 for each violation. The judge said he had seven "offending posts" from Truth Social and two "offending posts" on his campaign website. The posts must be removed by 2:15 p.m. Tuesday.
Cohen used one to buy the silence of porn performer Stormy Daniels. She alleged a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies. Donald Trump spoke to reporters with more energy than he had in past days after spending the day in the Manhattan courtroom where his hush money trial is being held. Prosecutors have shown emails in which Cohen describes the opening of the account as an "important matter."
"I was told that I was selected because of my knowledge and because of my ability to handle individuals that may be a little challenging," Farro said.Second witness, described as Trump's 'gatekeeper,' testifies "You had heard President Trump say that he thought that she would be an interesting addition" to the cast, Trump lawyer Susan Necheles asked.Before breaking for lunch Friday, prosecutors in Donald Trump's hush money trial in Manhattan clawed back at the defense's contention that an arrangement with the National Enquirer wasn't unique to Trump, eliciting testimony from former publisher David Pecker that underscored the unusual nature of their deal.
Trump sat chatting and gesturing with lawyer Susan Necheles while the other lawyers had an extended conversation with Judge Juan Merchan at the bench. Defense lawyers in Donald Trump's hush money trial are digging Friday into assertions of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.
He specifically remarked on the Supreme Court's hearing this morning on his bid for presidential immunity in his federal election interference case, which Trump was forced to miss due to his criminal trial.Prosecutor objects to defense questions before court is adjourned The judge then adjourned the day's proceedings, with court scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. ET Friday.Pecker tells defense that killing stories is 'standard' procedure
Bove also sought to show that kind of relationship between publishers and politicians was normal, saying there was "nothing wrong about" it.Prosecutors wrapped up their questioning of former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker by asking whether he bears former President Donald Trump any ill will.
Trump was furious when McDougal gave an interview to CNN's Anderson Cooper in March 2018, Pecker testified. Donald Trump waved his fist as he returned to the courtroom after a lunch break in his hush money trial in New York. Thursday morning, they flagged four additional episodes, including comments at a press event earlier in the day about key witness David Pecker.Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker recalled Thursday a meeting with Donald Trump on Jan. 6, 2017, about two weeks before his inauguration, at which they discussed former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Pecker's testimony came in his third day on the stand in Trump's hush money trial in New York, and as arguments at the Supreme Court in Washington in a separate case over Trump's presidential immunity were concluding. "I wanted to protect my company, I wanted to protect myself, and I wanted also to protect Donald Trump," Pecker explained on the witness stand.
"He said that she, she being Stormy Daniels, is trying to sell a story that she had a sexual relationship with Donald Trump, and Dylan can acquire the story for $120,000 from Keith Davidson if we made a decision right now," Pecker recalled. "I said, 'I am not purchasing this story, I am not going to get involved with a porn star,'" Pecker testified he told Cohen. "He was upset and said the boss would be furious with me."In unrelated development, a federal judge in New York on Thursdayin a defamation case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. The ruling upheld the jury's $83 million damage award.
Pecker also suggested he became uncomfortable with being reimbursed by Trump or Cohen after speaking with his legal counsel. "At least if he wins, I'll be pardoned for electoral fraud," Howard said in one of the messages, which was read aloud in court by a prosecutor.The relative's response - "Oh dear" - elicited laughter from the gallery when it was read in the courtroom.Trump's lawyers argued the messages were hearsay, not business records, and couldn't be used as evidence.Former President Donald Trump sits in Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, Thursday, April 25 2024.
"When I got on the phone, Mr. Trump said to me, 'Karen is a nice girl. Is it true that a Mexican group is looking to buy her story for $8 million?'" Pecker said. "I said, 'I absolutely don't believe there's a Mexican group out there looking to buy her story for $8 million.'" As Trump headed into court on Thursday morning for his ongoing trial in New York , he continued to weigh in on the presidential immunity case.
Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to resume Thursday, but in D.C., there is even more legal drama for the former president. While the judge can impose imprisonment, the prosecution is not seeking that yet. Authorities say the Secret Service has already held meetings and started planning for what to do if the former president were to be held in contempt.at a Midtown construction site ahead of Thursday's trial. Supporters gathered to see and shake hands with the former president."I did nothing wrong. It's a political witchhunt.
Former President Donald Trump speaks after leaving Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in New York.Trump angrily criticized Judge Merchan and the limited gag order that was the topic of this morning's contempt hearing. Pecker said he immediately called Trump's then-attorney Michael Cohen to inform him. By then, he was speaking to Cohen "a couple times a week," but that soon changed. Pecker said he and Cohen spoke "much more frequently" about McDougal's claims.
"Yes I did," Pecker responded before recounting a phone conversation Pecker said he himself had with Trump. Trump, sitting at the defense table, shook his head when Pecker laid out the allegation: that "Donald Trump fathered an illegitimate girl with a maid at Trump Tower." Pecker testified that Cohen later called back to say the story is "absolutely not true" and that Trump "would take a DNA test" -- an apparently new revelation -- but Pecker said it wouldn't be necessary.
The former National Enquirer publisher recalled calling Michael Cohen and explaining that they could purchase the doorman's silence for $30,000 by buying the exclusive rights to his story. He added that it would "probably be the biggest sale of the National Enquirer since the death of Elvis Presley," but noted he would've held it until after the election, citing his agreement with Cohen.
The articles were timed to run just as Trump's rivals were climbing in polls, and some of the allegations - such as articles falsely tying Ted Cruz's father to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy - entered the mainstream via cable news and conservative-leaning talk programs. Merchan on Tuesday reserved decision after a contentious hearing. Prosecutors said at this point they are seeking a fine.
Trump's lawyers had reiterated their argument that his posts about witnesses such as his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen were merely responses to political speech.Last year, Trump was fined $15,000 for twice violating a gag order imposed at his New York civil fraud trial after he made a disparaging social media post about the judge's chief law clerk.
When the judge asked for citations to cases to back that supposition up, Blanche said he didn't have any, but "it's just common sense." David Pecker, the former National Enquirer publisher who prosecutors say worked with Trump and Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, on a so-called "catch-and-kill" strategy to buy up and then spike negative stories during the campaign, testified briefly Monday and will be back on the stand Tuesday in the Manhattan trial.
A defense lawyer countered by attacking the integrity of the onetime Trump confidant who's now the government's star witness. During his brief testimony, Pecker suggested that former National Enquirer chief content officer Dylan Howard - an alleged participant in the catch-and-kill scheme - will be unable to testify due to a medical condition.David Pecker, the National Enquirer's former publisher and a longtime friend of Donald Trump, was the first witness to take the stand in the former president's hush money trial on Monday.
Pecker cackled loudly into the microphone, jolting the room, when prosecutor Josh Steinglass, asked him about his various phone numbers that he struggled to remember. "He has a goal, an obsession, with getting Trump. I submit to you he cannot be trusted," Blanche said. Amid frequent objections from prosecutors, Blanche argued that the Manhattan district attorney has attempted to make the payments and non-disclosure agreements between Trump and Stormy Daniels "sinister" to the jury.
Todd Blanche portrayed the business ledger entries at issue in the case as pro forma actions performed by a Trump Organization functionary. "President Trump had nothing to do with any of the 34 pieces of paper, the 34 counts, except that he signed the checks, in the White House, while he was running the country."
Colangelo added that the evidence would show that while Trump is a "very frugal businessman," when it came to reimbursing Cohen, Trump paid him double. Colangelo told jurors that prominent Trump allies withdrew their endorsements and condemned his language. The prosecutor said evidence would show the Republican National Committee even considered whether it was possible to replace Trump with another candidate.Prosecutors in Donald Trump's criminal trial honed in on what they called a "catch-and-kill" operation at the center of the allegations in the hush money case.
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