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Items tagged with: Law
#HopeHicks is testifying in detail how #Trump praised David #Pecker, then the publisher of The #NationalEnquirer, after the tabloid ran a story saying one of his #GOP presidential rivals, Dr. Ben Carson, had left a sponge in a young girl’s brain. “Mr. Trump was congratulating him on the great reporting,” she recalls. “This is Pulitzer-worthy,” Hicks says she recalls him saying.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
#HopeHicks is emphatic when asked if she checked w/ #Trump before issuing statements about him. “Absolutely,” she says.
Hicks testified that when she began working for Trump in 2015 during his first campaign, the media team consisted of only the 2 of them.
"It was just me & Mr. Trump," Hicks said.
She went on to say that later in the general election there was a larger staff that dealt w/phone calls & other needs around the office.
Colangelo keeps asking #HopeHicks to acknowledge that #Trump oversaw every aspect of her job: “I reported to Mr. Trump” & “Mr. Trump was responsible” are two things she’s just said. Again, this is key for prosecutors, showing that Trump is a hands-on manager — & hoping to convince the jury he would have taken the same hands-on approach as #MichaelCohen brought him news of negative stories to quash.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
#HopeHicks is asked about #KeithSchiller, who was #Trump’s longtime bodyguard. Schiller is a fmr NYPD detective.
Hicks is asked about others who were in Trump's close circle, such as the #TrumpOrganization's fmr CFO, #AllenWeisselberg, & Trump’s assistant, #RhonaGraff.
Trump’s eyes are glued onto Hicks as she begins her testimony. This is the most alert he’s been since the trial started.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #NodFarter
#HopeHicks continues flattering her old boss, saying that the #TrumpOrganization was big & successful, but run “like a small family business.” Because of that, she says, “Everybody that works there in some sense reports to Mr. Trump.”
This is good for prosecutors showing #Trump personally ran his affairs; Hicks can come off as praising him while simultaneously harming him.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
Prosecutor #Colangelo begins questioning #HopeHicks about participating in key meetings.
Hicks acknowledges that she was frequently involved, going in & out of Trump’s office.
Hicks calls #Trump “a very good multitasker & a very hard worker.” 💨🍑
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
The people call #HopeHicks, Matthew #Colangelo, one of the prosecutors, says.
She is visibly uncomfortable. She is testifying under subpoena. She says she's "nervous.”
Hope Hicks refers to #Trump as “Mr. Trump.” Notably, she says she’s paying for her own lawyer. She says the last time she spoke to Trump was summer or fall of 2022.
That was around the time when text messages she exchanged w/a colleague criticizing the #Jan6 attack were made public.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial
Blanche implies that someone else is writing Trump’s social media posts, the ones Trump posts under his handle on a website that he routinely tells people is the “true voice of America.” lol 😂
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
The evidence appears designed to lay out #Trump’s tendency to lie, his vulnerability among female voters, & motives for the cover up.
Trump lawyer #Blanche is now cross-examining Georgia Longstreet, asking her about #MichaelCohen & whether she tracked his #socialmedia as part of her job. She says she followed his tweets & his podcast. Asked if she listened to every episode of the podcast, Longstreet responds “absolutely not,” getting a big laugh in the courtroom.
Prosecutors enter a series of tweets into #evidence:
Trump attacking Senator John McCain
Trump insisting he never inappropriately touched 2 women who claimed he had
Trump complaining he’d lost female supporters, all from 2016
Defense lawyers fought the admission of these tweets.
Georgia Longstreet describes the posts from the stand.
There’s now a TruthSocial post from March 2023 in which Trump, in colorful terms, denies an affair w/ #StormyDaniels.
Prosecutors play a video #Trump put out right after the #AccessHollywood tape was made public. He acknowledged in the video that he made the comments on the tape. The video statement was recorded after he had earlier refused to apologize, though his aides told him to.
“I’ve said some foolish things, but there’s a big difference between the words & actions of other people,” Trump says in the video, then he attacks Hillary & Bill Clinton.
#Trump defense finally agreed to stipulate to a piece of #evidence — a WaPo article about the #AccessHollywood tape — w/o questioning a witness about it.
The agreement, called a stipulation, was read aloud to the jury & Justice Merchan explains the concept to the jury (for the 1st time bc Trump team hasn’t yet agreed on fact evidence hence the custodial witnesses).
Merchan tells the jury that a #stipulation is info the parties have agreed to w/o the need to call a witness.
Longstreet testified that as part of her work, she has reviewed 5k - 10k #socialmedia posts (poor thing) about the case & saved 1,500 of them.
She added that she checks online sources multiple times a day, including news articles & posts on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook & Truth Social.
She said she takes screenshots of the posts, adds them to a folder & saves them w/a few words to identify each one.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
Longstreet’s testimony, including a description of the #WaybackMachine, which archives old online postings, is a good primer on #socialmedia basics, for folks who need it, may be necessary for some #jurors, I think during voir dire one said they used a flip phone & had never “seen a podcast”
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
Georgia Longstreet, the next witness, is a paralegal who monitors social media postings at the Manhattan DA’s office. She will be questioned by prosecutor Rebecca #Mangold.
This is another #CustodialWitness — again only necessary because #Trump’s legal team refused to agree on basic #facts prior to trial.
“Can you briefly describe how #Twitter works?” is a question 🙄.
#AlternativeFacts #Gaslighting #Propaganda #criminal #law #TrumpTrial #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
Redirect is over & #Trump atty #Bove returns to question Daus again to clarify his cross-examination arguments, saying he was asking about “unknowns” — “gaps in the handling of this data that created risks” for tampering.
Prosecutor #Conroy returns to ask Daus another question in a 2nd re-redirect.
This is a lot of questioning & requestioning for a custodial witness.
Justice #Merchan calls a sidebar hopefully to get these folks to tighten up their questioning.
Cross-examination ended
Redirect by prosecutor #Conroy.
On re-direct, Conroy is asks questions that mock #Bove’s cross, implying to the jury that Bove's line of questioning was BS.
Some questions:
“I take it you’re not a friend of Michael Cohen’s?”
“Is it unusual for a phone to be used?”
[Making fun of Bove’s basic #tech questions]
Public in the overflow room reportedly got what Conroy was doing & laughed at the questions & answers
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial
During this technical dry testimony, #Trump again appears to be sleeping.
Trump tried to spin this Thurs afternoon in a post to Truth Social:
“I simply close my beautiful blue eyes, sometimes, listen intensely, and take it ALL in!!!”
However, SEVERAL people in his world have confirmed privately that he has been sleeping in court.
.#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
#Bove is trying to attach tech issues to the argument that #MichaelCohen can’t be trusted, “We would have to take Michael Cohen’s word for whatever happened in October 2020 with respect to this phone, right?”
Reportedly Daus gave an expression of surprise to this question. I mean he does forensic tech analysis, he’s like: no, I say what’s there, I don’t say stuff’s there that I can’t confirm.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
#Bove, #Trump defense lawyer, is asking Daus questions about *disappearing* message apps on #MichaelCohen’s phone.
Daus explains how law enforcement extracts info from a person’s phone. It’s straightforward w/things like text messages, but w/ apps, like Signal, have “self-destruct” functions that delete messages in seconds.
Bove also asks Daus basic tech stuff, which may just be delay tactic by way of stretching out the trial & an attempt to distract from other testimonies.
Custodial witness Doug Daus forensic analyst is sworn back in to continue testimony.
Jury returns.
Questioning resumes.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
The lawyers are arguing about the #AccessHollywood tape & how it can be introduced.
It’s hard to imagine anyone who isn’t familiar with what #Trump says on the tape, even the jurors.
Justice #Merchan, who has allowed evidence related to the tape, will not let it be heard or watched in court, because he thinks it would be too #prejudicial.
Merchan is displaying his judicial fairness here, despite what Trump, #RightWingMedia & #MAGA claim.
#Blanche, #Trump's lawyer, is arguing about how a #WashingtonPost article should be discussed at the #TrumpTrial today.
He says he expects a witness to testify today about how the #AccessHollywood tape affected his 2016 campaign.
That appears to be a reference to #HopeHicks, who is expected to begin her testimony today.
Blanche is describing a Truth Social post made by Trump as an “alleged” post, a reminder that the defense has refused to stipulate basic facts in the case repeatedly.
#law
This morning, when speaking to cameras inside the courthouse, #Trump said #Merchan was trying to take away his constitutional rights.
He said his team will file a lawsuit today challenging the #GagOrder’s constitutionality
He railed against DA #AlvinBragg & Merchan, saying they're corrupt & a "disgrace to this country"&"this court."
"It's a cabal going on, by the way,"Trump said, adding they're trying to get Biden re-elected. [#ConspiracyTheory #QAnon]
After Justice #Merchan explained #Trump’s freedom to speak as a #witness, he concluded, “please let your attorney know” if you have any more questions. Note that Todd #Blanche, the lead defense #lawyer, nodded along when Trump made the comments in question outside the courtroom yesterday.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
Justice #Merchan is on the bench &addressing something that #Trump said outside court yesterday, when he claimed that he could not testify because of the #GagOrder.
The comment left many people confused, & it wasn’t clear if Trump was simply making an excuse for not testifying, or if he misspoke. But Justice Merchan is informing him that the statement was incorrect. The gag order “does not prohibit you from taking the stand” or limit what he can say, the judge says.
Reminder — each day’s complete court transcript is being posted on the NY courts website.
Direct link to the #TrumpTrial transcripts:
https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/
#criminal #law #Trump #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
Today’s #TrumpTrial testimony 🧵
Friday, 3 May, 2024
Custodial witness, Doug Daus, a forensic analyst in the Manhattan DA’s office will continue to testify about obtaining audio from the phones of #MichaelCohen, #Trump’s former fixer.
Yesterday’s 🧵: https://masto.ai/@Nonilex/112371669216262634
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
#TrumpTrial 🧵 Thurs, May 2charges are falsifying business records to hide #HushMoney payments in lead up to 2016 election to #influence electorate
just one Trump supporter at the courthouse draped in a Trump flag.
#StormyDaniels's lawyer, #KeithDavidson, to return to stand. He negotiated the hush-money payment at the center of the case, & is expected to lay out details of the deal.
#criminal #law #Trump #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #KarenMcDougal
#Bove is implying that the DA’s office was sloppy in their data extraction & the devices could have been manipulated, asking questions about chain of custody & if the intake process was secure.
Daus was excused, but will be back to testify more tomorrow.
Court adjourned for the day.
Funny from NYT’s Maggie Haberman:
#Trump left the courtroom, squinting strangely at Lawrence O’Donnell, the MSNBC host, as he did.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
The prosecution has finished, & #Bove, the #Trump defense lawyer, is now cross-examining the forensic analyst custodial witness, Douglas Daus.
Bove asked about his credentials then about the chain of custody of #MichaelCohen’s phones. He is implying that perhaps the data on the phones — including the recording of Trump the jury just heard — might be compromised.
#Trump #criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
"All the stuff. Because — here, you never know where that company — you never know what he’s...," #MichaelCohen said.
"Maybe he gets hit by a truck," Trump said.
#Trump then asked about financing & Cohen said, "Well, I'll have to pay something."
"Pay with cash," Trump said.
#Trump #criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
Tape Transcript:
“I need to open up a company for the transfer of all that info regarding our friend, David, you know, so that — I'm going to do that right away," #MichaelCohen said. "And I've spoken to #AllenWeisselberg about how to set the whole thing up."
"So, what do we got to pay for this? 150?" #Trump asked.
"...funding. Yes. Um, & it's all the stuff," Cohen said.
"Yea, I was thinking about that," Trump said.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
👀 #MichaelCohen says he talked to #AllenWeisselberg, who was the #TrumpOrganization's CFO. Cohen references “the financing,” & #Trump interjects, “What financing?”
The call related to the #HushMoney deal made w/ #KarenMcDougal.
#Jurors are hearing Trump in the OvalOffice discussing a hush-money payment.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
👀 On the recording, #MichaelCohen is talking to #Trump, it sounds like #HopeHicks in the background. Cohen is explaining they had just gotten served by The NYT to unseal records from Trump’s first divorce, from Ivana Trump.
At the end of the tape, Cohen tells Trump,
“I need to open up a company for the transfer of all of that info regarding our friend David.”
[The #NationalEnquirer’s David #Pecker]
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
Daus, who extracted data from #MichaelCohen's cellphones, confirms that Cohen was texting w/ #HopeHicks, who at the time was #Trump’s spox.
A report from Daus shows that one of Cohen’s phones had 39,745 contacts!
A photo of Cohen behind the press secretary's lectern in the #WhiteHouse briefing room is displayed on video screens.
The courtroom is now hearing a recording Cohen secretly made of Trump talking.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
Reminder custodial witnesses like Daus — are tasked w/ verifying & entering records into evidence — because the defense refused to accept anything as basic fact.
In most trials, lawyers agree that certain exhibits should be understood to be true & factual; #Trump’s lawyers consistently refuse to do that, AT ALL, they won’t accept things like this is a table, this is a phone, thus requiring this boring fact verification process.
Per NBC: Daus was in Iraq 2009-2011 doing forensic data analysis; & is now a supervising computer forensic analyst in the DA’s office.
Daus, is expected to assist in verifying records.
DA #AlvinBragg is watching his employee explain the path between a device coming into the office, either through a search warrant or consent, & the actual extraction & preservation of data.
(oosh boring)
#Trump #criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
#Bove briefly questioned #KeithDavidson again in a recross-examination. He ended it by emphasizing that Davidson had never been in a room w/ #Trump until this week.
"You never spoke to or never were in same room until Tuesday?," Bove asks Davidson.
Davidson said that was correct.
Douglas Daus a senior forensic analyst & audio visual specialist is called as a fact witness.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
On the call, #MichaelCohen said, "What about me? And I can’t — I can't even tell you how many times he said to me, you know, 'I hate the fact that we did it'...& my comment to him was 'but every person you spoke to said it was the right thing to do.'"
After hearing that portion, the prosecutor asked Davidson who was the "he" referred to in the phone call.
"Mr. Trump," Davidson said, “I attributed that to be a quote from Mr. #Trump."
#criminal #law #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
Prosecutors play a portion of a conversation w/ #KeithDavidson that #MichaelCohen secretly taped.
“Nobody’s thinking about Michael,” Cohen says, referring to himself in the 3rd person.
In the recording Cohen said #Trump hated “the fact that we did it.” Davidson clarifies this in response to the #HushMoney payment to #StormyDaniels — a key piece of evidence, that would seem to corroborate Trump’s knowledge of & involvement in the deal.
#criminal #law #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial