Donald Trump Was back on the court again on Thursday during his third week stash test In Manhattan, where jurors heard a recording of a bombshell between Mr Trump and his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen.
The former president’s legal team attempted to defend Mr Trump on Thursday over his violation of the sanctions order. Earlier this week, Judge Juan Merchan fined him $9,000 for repeated violations of the order, which prohibits him from talking about potential witnesses or employees of the judge or the DA’s office. Ironically, after the court proceedings were adjourned for the day, Mr Trump falsely claimed to reporters that he was “not allowed to testify” due to the gag order.
The court also saw a different side of this Michael CohenWhat has previously been described as “provocative” and “pants on fire” at a Manhattan courthouse.
A witness said he thought about Cohen “Was going to kill myself” When Cohen learned that Mr. Trump, Cohen’s longtime client, was not considering him for top roles in his White House administration.
Here are some of the highlights from day two of the Hush Money trial:
Trump’s defense tries to make him a victim
Days after Judge Juan Marchan fined the former president, Mr Trump’s legal team portrayed him as a victim trying to overturn the situation. $9,000 for violating a gag order.
Defense attorney Todd Blanch accused Cohen of “inviting and almost challenging Trump to answer for everything he says.” They showed the judge several of Cohen’s posts, including calls to Mr Trump “From Sh**zInPantz.”
Mr. Blanche also complained about comments made by Joe Biden at the White House correspondents’ dinner. “Donald has had some tough days recently, you could call it stormy weather,” the president said.
Judge Merchan rejected this argument, saying that “there is nothing in the gag order that says he cannot respond to Mr. Biden”.
Judge appears unhappy with Trump’s comments about jurors
After hearing Mr. Blanche’s defense of Mr. Trump’s comments, the judge Urged him to defend his client’s comments about the jury.
Mr Trump has previously complained about the fairness of the trial, given it is being held in the blue state of New York – which is also his home state.
Nevertheless, the former president previously said that the jury was “chosen so quickly – 95 percent Democrats”.
Mr. Blanche begins to argue, claiming that the hush money case is “political persecution”, causing Judge Merchan to intervene.
“Did he violate it? gag order, That’s what I want to know,” he said. “They talked about the jury, right? And he said the jury was 95 percent Democrats and the jury was rushed, and does that mean it wasn’t an impartial jury?
Michael Cohen tries to reign in Stormy Daniels as soon as she comes on TV
Jurors were shown a series of messages dated January 31, 2018, which Cohen sent in rapid succession while he was seeing Ms. Daniels. jimmy kimmel live, show.
He appeared unhappy with how Ms Daniels was presenting her meeting with Mr Trump on television.
“He just denied the letter,” Cohen texted. He was referring to a statement prepared a day earlier in which the adult film star denied ever having an affair with Mr Trump.
Trump’s lawyer typed while watching the show, “It is being claimed that this is not his signature.”
Then she texted, “You said he did it in front of you.”
“He did,” Mr. Davidson texted. Impossible – he posted it on his Twitter page.
Cohen then said, “They showed his signature and he claimed it wasn’t his on Kimmel.”
Mr. Davidson then replied, “WTF.”
Cohen then mentioned Stormi’s then-publicist Gina Rodriguez. He wrote, “Please tell Gina to make sure that when she shows this scene tomorrow, she responds in a similar manner to your statement. This is not a comedy show!”
Mr. Davidson replied, “Gina is mad at Stormi because Stormi has shown her to be a liar.” He added, “Gina says she’s going to have a long talk with Stormi on the plane to New York tomorrow. He assured me that it would be taken care of.
Cohen thought he would be Trump’s attorney general or chief of staff
Stormy Daniels’ former attorney Keith Davidson testified that he thought Cohen was troubled by mid-December 2016.
“I thought he was going to kill himself,” Mr Davidson said.
Earlier, the lawyer recalled Cohen saying, “Jesus Christ, can you believe I’m not going to Washington?”
Cohen said of his then-boss, Mr. Trump, “I’ve saved that guy’s ass so many times, you won’t even know.” mr davidson Was remembered. “The guy’s not even paying back the $130,000.”
Cohen thought he might be selected to serve as Mr. Trump’s White House chief of staff or attorney general.
Cohen has 39,000 contacts on his phone
Today the world found out just how connected Trump’s former personal lawyer is.
According to an exhibit shown in court during forensic analyst Doug Douse’s testimony, Cohen had 39,750 contacts on his phone.
“Is this unusual?” asks attorney Christopher Conroy. “That’s unusual,” Mr. Douce replied.
Scandalous audio captures Trump and Cohen discussing hush money ‘catch and kill’ plot
Prosecutors presented a suppressed recording of Cohen and Mr Trump discussing payments to former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Cohen was heard saying, “I need to open a company to transfer all the information about our friend David [Pecker]You know, so, I’m going to do it right away… and I’ve talked to Allen Weisselberg about how to set up the whole thing.
Mr Trump then responded, “So, what do we have to pay for it? 150?”
The audio was unclear, but Cohen can then be heard saying, “…Funding. Yeah. Uh, and all that stuff.
Mr Trump said, “Yeah, I was thinking about it.”
Cohen then said, “Because – here, you never know where that company is – you never know what it is -“
Mr Trump then said, “He might have been hit by a truck.”
After a few moments, Cohen said, “Okay, I have to pay something.”
Trump responded, “Pay with cash,” to which Cohen said, “No, no, no.”
Mr Trump then recommended: “Check.”
Mr Trump told Cohen: ‘I hate the fact that we did this.’
Manhattan prosecutors also played another tape – this time it was of a call between Ms. Daniels’ former lawyer Keith Davidson and Cohen.
Cohen said, “If you were me, what would you do? …Would you write a book? … Would you break away from the whole Trump, you know, we’ll call it principle? Will you become completely evil? … any idea? Because I’m not the only one being affected.
Trump’s former lawyer further said, “This is my entire family. …No one is thinking about Michael. Know what I’m saying? …I’m saying to myself, what about me? What about me?”
Then, in a shocking moment, Cohen said, “I can’t even tell you how many times he said to me, ‘I hate the fact that we did this.'”
In the tape, Cohen then said, “And my comment to him was, ‘But everybody you talked to said it was the right thing to do.'”
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass clarified who Cohen was referring to; Mr Davidson said he believed Cohen was referring to Donald Trump.
Mr Davison also clarified that the “right step” meant a deal with Daniels.