CNN legal analyst Elie Honig criticized Stormy Daniels' responses under cross-examination after testifying against former President Trump as damaging to her credibility. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records related to payments to silence Daniels about an alleged affair in 2006. Daniels claimed she would go to jail before paying Trump $500,000. Honig highlighted the significance of a witness disliking the defendant in a trial involving their liberty. The cross-examination occurred following Daniels' testimony about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump in a hotel room, deemed "plausible" by Honig.
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand in Donald Trump's criminal trial, describing her alleged 2006 sexual encounter with the former U.S. president. Trump is facing charges of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to Daniels for her silence before the 2016 election. Daniels testified confidently and described the encounter as consensual but uncomfortable, stating that she did not decline Trump's advances but blacked out before finding herself on a bed with no clothes on.
Former adult film actress Stormy Daniels testified in former President Trump's New York trial regarding alleged falsifying of business records related to payments made to silence Daniels about an extramarital affair before the 2016 election. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts. The charges come from a Manhattan DA investigation, involving a $130,000 hush money payment by Trump's attorney Michael Cohen to Daniels. Trump, Cohen, and Daniels initially denied the arrangement when it was first revealed in January 2018.
Adult film actress Stormy Daniels testified at former President Donald Trump's New York criminal trial about a 2006 sexual encounter where she mentioned not using a condom and feeling like she blacked out. Trump's attorney moved for a mistrial citing prejudicial testimony, but the judge denied the request and acknowledged some statements should not have been made. Daniels met Trump at a golf tournament in 2006 when she was 27, and he was around 60. Prosecutors also had a publishing executive authenticate and read excerpts from Trump's books.
Former President Donald Trump reiterates his frustration with his criminal trial in New York, stating that media reports indicate there is no smoking gun to prove his intent in the unprecedented Manhattan trial. The case revolves around his former attorney, Michael Cohen, paying Stormy Daniels to quiet her claims of an extramarital affair. Trump denies the affair, and prosecutors allege that the Trump Organization reimbursed Cohen and falsely recorded the payments as legal expenses.
National Reporter, HuffPost Former Donald Trump spokesperson Hope Hicks was overcome with emotion Friday as she testified at her former bosss criminal trial in Manhattan, breaking into tears as defense attorney Emil Bove began cross examination. Hicks spent most of the day answering questions for the prosecution, and as Bove rose to question her, the cumulative stress of the experience became clear. According to HuffPosts Matt Shuham , who was in the courtroom Friday, Hicks recounted how Trump had lied to her in detail about the involvement of his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen. Trump claimed Cohen had personally paid off Stormy Daniels, with whom Trump was accused of having an affair, as a show of generosity and loyalty to the future president, Hicks said Friday. But Hicks said she didnt buy that claim: I didnt know Michael to be an especially charitable person or selfless person.
Former President Donald Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records in Manhattan, related to hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels. Eric Trump criticized Daniels' testimony as 'garbage' and questioned its relevance to the legal expenses incurred by Trump. Daniels detailed a 2006 encounter with Trump at a golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, which Trump denies. Prosecutors allege that Trump falsified records to conceal a felony, while Trump pleads not guilty. The trial resumed with witness testimony after the judge threatened Trump with jail time.
Former President Trump's criminal trial in New York, focusing on 34 counts of falsifying business records, has resumed with key witnesses testifying about hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The charges stem from an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office related to alleged payments to silence Daniels about an extramarital affair with Trump before the 2016 election. Prosecutors are aiming to prove that Trump falsified business records in connection with hush money payments to further a conspiracy related to the election.
Jurors in Donald Trump's hush money trial learned the details of Michael Cohen's reimbursement for the Stormy Daniels payment, which was disguised as a legal expense. Trump now faces potential jail time for violating additional gag orders in the trial. Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen are expected to testify in the upcoming weeks, with prosecutors preparing to call them as witnesses. The trial includes revelations about how Trump Organization reimbursed payments to suppress damaging stories, presenting legal challenges for the former president.
On January 12, 2018, The Wall Street Journal reported that in October 2016, just before the 2016 United States presidential election, Michael Cohen, lawyer for then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, arranged a payment of US$130,000 to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels to stop her disclosing an affair she and Trump allegedly had in 2006. Daniels had signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). At first, Cohen denied Trump had the alleged affair and sought to suppress the allegation based on the NDA, but a month later publicly acknowledged making the payment.Besides allegations surrounding the details of the affair itself, the acknowledged payment raised legal and ethical questions as to whether the payment violated federal campaign finance laws, either because the payment was not duly disclosed as a campaign contribution or because campaign funds may have been used towards the payment. On February 13, Cohen said he paid the money out of his own pocket, not as a campaign contribution; and that neither The Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign reimbursed him for making it. On April 5, Trump said he had no knowledge of Cohen's payment; but on April 26 admitted for the first time that Cohen represented him in "the Stormy Daniels deal". On May 2, Trump's new lawyer Rudy Giuliani said that Trump had reimbursed Cohen for the payment.In August 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to eight criminal charges, including a campaign finance violation for Daniels's payment. He stated under oath that he paid her "in coordination with and at the direction of a candidate for federal office". Cohen was sentenced to three years in federal prison on various charges, and was disbarred.Daniels filed three lawsuits against Trump and/or Cohen. In the first lawsuit she argued that the NDA was invalid. She won the lawsuit, though it was dismissed after Trump and Cohen agreed not to enforce the NDA. A California court subsequently ordered Trump pay $44,100 to reimburse her legal fees. She lost the second lawsuit, in which she argued she was defamed, and was ordered to pay almost $300,000 in legal fees and court sanctions. In the third lawsuit she claimed that Cohen colluded with her previous attorney Keith Davidson against her interests when he negotiated the payment. The lawsuit did not name Trump as a defendant, and settled in May 2019.Trump's accounting firm, Mazars, provided his tax returns and related documents to the Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., following the outcome of the Supreme Court's Trump v. Vance ruling in February 2021. Although an internal report said there was "reason to believe" Trump's campaign had knowingly violated campaign finance law, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) abandoned an inquiry into the payment to Daniels. The FEC's vote on May 6, 2021, split 2–2 along party lines.On March 30, 2023, a Manhattan grand jury indicted Trump for his alleged role in the scandal. Trump was arraigned in the Manhattan district court on April 4.
Hope Hicks, Donald Trump's former communications director, testified in his criminal trial in Manhattan as a key witness for the prosecution regarding 'hush money' deals with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. Hicks first worked for Trump at the Trump Organization, joined his 2016 campaign, served in the White House, and later returned for his reelection campaign. She resigned in 2018, worked for Fox News, and is now a communications consultant. Hicks revealed in her testimony that she has not been in contact with Trump since the summer or fall of 2022.
Stephanie A. Gregory Clifford (born Stephanie A. Gregory; March 17, 1979), known professionally as Stormy Daniels, is an American pornographic film actress, director and former stripper. She has won many industry awards and is a member of the NightMoves Hall of Fame, AVN Hall of Fame and XRCO Hall of Fame. In 2009 a recruitment effort led her to consider challenging incumbent David Vitter in the 2010 Senate election in her native Louisiana.In 2018, Daniels became involved in a legal dispute with U.S. president Donald Trump. Trump's attorney Michael Cohen paid $130,000 to silence her about an affair she says she had with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied the affair and accused her of lying.
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, a potential vice presidential contender, downplayed Donald Trump's comparison of the Biden administration to the Gestapo. Burgum praised Trump's speech but emphasized that the comment was not central to the discussion. Senior Democrat James Clyburn criticized Trump's remarks, likening the current political climate to the controversial 1876 election. Trump's statement was made during a private event where he also hosted potential running mates. Burgum, confirming Trump's statement, suggested it was part of Trump's defense against legal issues. Trump faces 34 charges in a Manhattan court related to hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels.
Former Playboy model Karen McDougal shared a photo on social media featuring a bubble-filled bathtub, wine, and a book by Ronan Farrow amidst Trump's ongoing hush money trial. McDougal had alleged an affair with Trump in 2006-2007, receiving payment from American Media Inc. for silence. The trial involves falsifying documents related to a payment made to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election. McDougal's choice of reading material, 'Catch and Kill' by Ronan Farrow, highlights the theme of covering up damaging stories, as revealed in the book.
The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump is a pending criminal case against Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States. On March 30, 2023, Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury for his alleged role in a scandal relating to hush money payments made to the pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 U.S. presidential election, making him the first U.S. president to be indicted. Trump faces 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in the first degree, carrying a maximum sentence of 136 years if Trump is convicted on all counts.Trump traveled from his residence in Florida to New York City on April 3, 2023 where he surrendered to the Manhattan District Attorney's office on the afternoon of April 4. After his arraignment, he immediately returned to Florida. The trial was set for March 25, 2024.Throughout the investigation that led to the indictment, Trump accused district attorney Alvin Bragg—the case's prosecutor—of having political motivations. Months before he was indicted, Trump declared that he would run in the 2024 presidential election; neither the indictment nor any resulting conviction would disqualify his candidacy.
Judge Juan Merchan fined former US President Donald Trump $9,000 for violating a gag order by making nine social media posts attacking witnesses, jurors, and court staff in his ongoing criminal trial for falsifying business records. Merchan warned of potential jail time for further violations, emphasizing the importance of upholding the dignity of the justice system. The trial involves allegations of covering up hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, with key figures like Daniels, Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen, and former advisor Hope Hicks expected to testify.
Michael John Avenatti (born February 16, 1971) is an American former attorney and convicted felon, currently incarcerated in federal prison at FCI Terminal Island. He is best known for his legal representation of adult film actress Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against then U.S. President Donald Trump, and his multiple convictions for attempting to extort sports apparel company Nike and defrauding and embezzling settlement money from a series of other clients. Avenatti has appeared extensively on television and in print as a legal and political commentator, and as a representative for prominent clients.In March 2019, Avenatti was indicted in California and New York on various criminal counts including extortion, tax evasion, fraud, and embezzlement. On February 14, 2020, Avenatti was convicted of extorting Nike in New York court, and on July 8, 2021, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Additionally, on another date, he received another 30 months (technically 4 years with half concurrent) for a financial crime against Stormy Daniels. He has been imprisoned since February 7, 2022. On December 5, 2022, he was sentenced to an additional 14 years for stealing millions from clients, bringing his total sentence to 19 years without the possibility of parole.
CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig stated that Special Counsel Robert Hur found evidence of criminality in President Biden's mishandling of classified documents, with Hur's report indicating that Biden misled the public by retaining classified documents intentionally. Despite not recommending charges, Hur's investigation revealed inconsistencies in Biden's statements and actions. The White House insists the case is closed and defends Biden's innocence, while Hur clarifies that he did not exonerate the president. The investigation also highlighted Biden's memory lapses during interviews related to the handling of classified documents.
In a Suffolk University/USA Today national poll, 65% of registered voters believe that former President Trump will be convicted on some of the state felony charges he faces in his trial in New York City related to falsifying business records in hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels. Half of those polled think Trump will be found guilty on some counts, 15% predict conviction on all counts, and 23% anticipate a not guilty verdict. The poll also revealed concerns about the fairness of the trial, with 44% feeling it has not been fair to date.
A former CNN reporter who took to social media to moan about being 'haunted' by a dinner with Donald Trump supporters who 'seemed normal' at first has been eviscerated in the replies. Michelle Kosinski, 50, was blasted over her 'total lack of self-awareness' after she tore into the 'closet MAGA fans' for supporting a different ideology to her own. 'All were well-educated and successful in careers,' Michelle Kosinski recalled of the recent dinner party that she described on X. 'They seemed great! On the surface. For like an hour.
Judge Juan Merchan fined Donald Trump $1,000 for violating a gag order during his Stormy Daniels trial and warned of jail time if violations continued. Merchan criticized Trump for willful violations that could threaten the fair administration of justice, stating that jail sanctions would be imposed if necessary and appropriate. The judge deemed Trump's repeated comments as a direct attack on the legal process, putting him on notice for possible incarceration for future violations. Despite the fine, Trump avoided additional penalties for three earlier statements that prosecutors raised.
Former CNN host Don Lemon discussed ongoing anti-Israel protests on college campuses during a panel with Bill Maher and NYU professor Scott Galloway, criticizing the protests as antisemitic and suggesting they could be a learning experience for students. Lemon highlighted being a Black gay man living in uncomfortable spaces and faced criticism from Maher on this statement. Maher also condemned the protests in a monologue, labeling them as activism merging with narcissism. Sarah Isgur referenced Lemon's controversial remarks about Nikki Haley in 2023. A guest on Maher's show made a dig at Lemon during the CNN Overtime segment.
Tension erupted on ABC's The View as co-hosts debated the impact of anti-Israel protests on college campuses, particularly regarding how the imagery of chaos could affect former President Trump's re-election chances and who the victims are in these protests. Co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Sarah Haines clashed with Hostin arguing that the student protesters are being victimized by police. The discussion also touched on Trump's legal issues and his potential running mate picks, with differing viewpoints on the importance of recent chaotic images versus memories of the January 6 Capitol riot.
The second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States (in office from 2017 to 2021), began on February 9, 2021, and concluded with his acquittal on February 13. Donald Trump had been impeached for the second time by the House of Representatives on January 13, 2021. The House adopted one article of impeachment against Trump: incitement of insurrection. He is the only U.S. president and only federal official to be impeached twice. He was impeached by the House seven days prior to the expiration of his term and the inauguration of Joe Biden. Because he left office before the trial, this was the first impeachment trial of a former president. The article of impeachment addressed Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results (including his claims of election fraud and his efforts to pressure election officials in Georgia) and stated that Trump incited the attack on the Capitol in Washington, D.C., while Congress was convened to count the electoral votes and certify the victory of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.At the beginning of the trial, Senator Rand Paul forced a vote to dismiss the impeachment charge on the basis that it was unconstitutional to try a former president, arguing that impeachment only applies to current federal officers and that the punishment of removal from office was moot under the circumstances. Supporters of proceeding with the trial argued that the Constitution also permits disqualification from holding future office, which the House had requested in its article of impeachment. The motion was defeated in a 55–45 vote, with all Democrats, both independents, and five Republicans (Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania) voting against the motion. This was the first time that a former president had been tried, and only the second time the Senate tried someone who had already left office, after Secretary of War William W. Belknap in 1876. Jamie Raskin was the lead impeachment manager and the primary author – along with Representative David Cicilline and Representative Ted Lieu – of the impeachment article, which charged Trump with inciting an insurrection by sparking the Capitol attack. Joaquin Castro, Eric Swalwell, Madeleine Dean, and Stacey Plaskett also assisted in delivering the oral arguments for conviction.Trump's defense was led by Michael van der Veen, a personal injury lawyer from Philadelphia, along with David Schoen and Bruce Castor. Van der Veen's style and substance during the trial drew ridicule and criticism from many, with gasps and laughter in the Senate when he stated that he would seek to depose at least 100 people at his Philadelphia office, including Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump had originally hired Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier to represent him, but they quit along with three other lawyers after "the former president wanted the lawyers representing him to focus on his allegations of mass election fraud" and his false claim that "the election was stolen from him."At the conclusion of the trial, the Senate voted 57–43 to convict Trump of inciting insurrection, falling 10 votes short of the two-thirds majority required by the Constitution, and Trump was therefore acquitted. Seven Republican senators joined all Democratic and independent senators in voting to convict Trump, the largest bipartisan vote for an impeachment conviction of a U.S. president or former U.S. president. After the vote on the acquittal, Mitch McConnell said there is no doubt that Trump is practically and morally responsible for inciting the events at the Capitol but he voted against conviction due to his interpretation of the United States Constitution.
The Democratic National Committee paid Trump prosecutor Matthew Colangelo $12,000 for political consulting in 2018. Colangelo is involved in the criminal trial of former President Trump, which has raised concerns about the politicization of the case. House Republicans are investigating Colangelo's past work as he prosecutes Trump. Colangelo left a senior role at the Biden Justice Department to join Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's team, who brought charges against Trump in April 2023. The case has sparked GOP concerns about alleged politicization.
Judge Juan Merchan is considering a jail sentence for former President Trump if he continues to violate a gag order imposed in his unprecedented criminal trial in New York. The gag order prohibits Trump from making public statements about witnesses, counsel, court staff, and family members of staff. Prosecutors have alleged over a dozen violations and fined Trump $9,000, with an additional $1,000 fine imposed recently. The filing warns that future violations could lead to incarceration.
Elie Honig (born April 3, 1975) is an American attorney and legal commentator. He is the senior legal analyst for CNN. Previously, Honig was an assistant United States Attorney.
Rachael A. Honig is an American lawyer who served as the acting United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey in 2021.
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