Results for: Michael Cohen

Judge Juan Merchan has expressed frustration with Donald Trump’s attorney’s defense against accusations of violating a gag order in the hush money criminal trial. Prosecutors have charged Trump with breaching the court order more than ten times, targeting witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels on his Truth Social platform and campaign website. The defense has failed to provide specific examples justifying Trump’s actions, according to the judge. Trump’s posts, which prosecutors believe are aimed at intimidating witnesses and jurors, have prompted renewed calls for contempt charges and fines. They have requested that the judge compel Trump to remove the offending posts, but have not yet asked for jail time.

Judge Juan Merchan expressed frustration with Trump lawyer Todd Blanche’s attempts to justify the former president’s apparent violations of a gag order. Blanche argued that Trump’s social media posts merely reflected others’ opinions, but Merchan questioned the passive nature of Trump’s account and the responsibility for selecting the shared articles. The judge also rejected Blanche’s suggestion that Trump could clarify his intentions by testifying, stating that Blanche had presented insufficient evidence. Despite Trump’s complaints about the gag order, prosecutors have not yet sought jail time as a sanction.

Former President Donald Trump faces potential fines and up to 30 days in jail if New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan determines that Trump violated a court-imposed gag order. The gag order prohibits Trump from making public comments about witnesses, court officials, and their relatives in connection with the ongoing criminal case against him. Trump has criticized the gag order as unconstitutional and a violation of his free speech rights.

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker is testifying in the hush money trial of former President Donald Trump. Prosecutors allege that Trump conspired with Pecker and his lawyer, Michael Cohen, to suppress negative stories about Trump’s personal life during the 2016 presidential campaign. The defense has attacked the credibility of Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the hush money scheme. The trial is the first criminal trial of a former American president.

In a Manhattan district court hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors will present evidence to convince the judge that former President Donald Trump violated the limited gag order in his criminal hush money case. Trump’s alleged violations include social media posts targeting potential witnesses, which prosecutors argue may intimidate them. The hearing comes as jurors hear testimony in the trial and amidst rising tensions in the courtroom. Trump’s defense team maintains that their client did not willfully violate the order and was only defending himself from attacks. Previous violations of gag orders in other legal cases against Trump, including the imposition of potential jail time, will be considered.

The first criminal trial of former President Donald Trump began on Monday with opening statements from prosecutors and Trump’s attorneys. Prosecutors allege that Trump reimbursed hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels to influence the 2016 presidential election, while Trump’s attorneys maintain his innocence and deny any involvement in falsifying business records.

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified as the first witness for the prosecution, detailing a conspiracy to suppress negative stories about Trump ahead of the election. Prosecutors claim Pecker agreed to gather information from tabloid sources and publish flattering or damaging stories accordingly.

Trump’s attorneys attacked the credibility of star witness Michael Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations. They also argued that it is not illegal to try to influence an election and that Trump did not have direct involvement in the alleged falsified business records.

On Tuesday, Judge Juan Merchan will hold a hearing to address allegations that Trump violated the gag order by discussing witnesses. The district attorney’s office seeks fines and a potential prison sentence if Trump continues to disobey the order.

In a historic trial, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker is set to resume testimony on Tuesday, shedding light on the alleged ‘catch-and-kill’ strategy employed by Donald Trump and his lawyer, Michael Cohen, during the 2016 presidential campaign. Pecker’s account will focus on efforts to suppress negative stories about Trump’s personal life, including payments made to a porn actress who claimed an extramarital sexual encounter. The trial has garnered significant attention as it marks the first criminal trial of a former American president and could potentially have implications for Trump’s future political endeavors.

The second day of Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial is set to begin, with the former President facing charges of contempt for social media posts about trial witnesses. Prosecutors accuse him of paying off people to prevent damaging stories about his personal life from surfacing during the 2016 election. The case has presented a criminal case against a former American president to a jury for the first time. Trump has denied wrongdoing and called the trial ‘political persecution.’ Prosecutors allege he illegally influenced the 2016 election, while the defense attacks the prosecution’s arguments and witness credibility.

The hush-money trial of former President Donald Trump began in Manhattan, with prosecutors alleging that he falsified business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in order to silence her claims of a sexual encounter. Prosecutors claim the payment was part of a conspiracy involving Trump, his former lawyer Michael Cohen, and David Pecker, who ran the National Enquirer. Trump’s defense attorney, Todd Blanche, argues that the payment was made solely to protect Trump’s reputation and that there is nothing wrong with attempting to influence an election.

Alvin Bragg’s decision to prosecute Trump for alleged hush payments is a politically motivated stunt that defies legal logic. The payments may have been unethical, but they were not illegal. Bragg’s creative reinterpretation of the law to turn a misdemeanor into a felony is a blatant abuse of prosecutorial discretion.