Trump attorney moves for mistrial based on Stormy Daniels’ testimony – live | Donald Trump trials
Trump attorney moves for mistrial based on Daniels’ testimony
Trump lawyer Todd Blanche is pointing to Stormy Daniels using the phrase “blacked out,” and saying that Donald Trump didn’t wear a condom.
“The fact that there’s a bodyguard outside the room, the power dynamic,” Blanche said, alluding to some things in Daniels’ testimony.
“Aside from pure embarrassment,” Blanche said, these details do nothing but “inflame the jury”.
“She testified that there were communications with Donald Trump afterward and that she thought something bad would happen and …not being safe,” Blanche said.
It’s still extraordinarily prejudicial to insert safety concerns into a trial about trial records ….for years, including up to 2016, which is when she was peddling this story. She talked about a consensual encounter with President Trump, that she was trying to sell – and that’s not the story that we heard today. We heard a completely different story.
Key events
The prosecution, of course, is arguing against a mistrial.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger says that Stormy Daniels’ account is “highly probative of defendant’s intent”.
Hoffinger said some details in Daniels’ account, such as Trump not using a condom, had been out in the public for some time.
“We were extremely mindful about not eliciting too much testimony about the act,” Hoffinger said.
There were details that were left out based on the court’s instructions at the bench … but your honor, they’re stating that this is an entirely new story is not accurate. And I’m sure that when they cross examine Ms Daniels, some of this will come out.
Trump attorney Todd Blanche argues that the issue at hand is that Stormy Daniels has testified today about consent and danger, and “that’s not the point of this case, that’s not the point of this testimony.”
Blanche says it’s “extraordinarily prejudicial” and that “this is the kind of testimony that makes it impossible to come back from”.
He adds that Trump is “someone who’s going to going out to campaign this afternoon” and that Daniels’ use of the word “consent” during her testimony is unfair to him in the context of his candidacy, too.
How can we come back from this in a way that’s fair to President Trump and in a way that makes sure this process stays exactly where it should be?
Hugo Lowell
The Trump team moves for a mistrial after testimony by Stormy Daniels, arguing her testimony – about the power dynamic, whether it was consensual, Trump allegedly not using a condom after testifying she worked with a specific adult film company because they mandated condom use – was extraordinarily prejudicial.
Trump lawyers Todd Blanche tells the judge:
We believe, regrettably, there should be a mistrial and to the extent there’s another trial, that this witness be excluded or her testimony be incredibly limited.
Trump attorney moves for mistrial based on Daniels’ testimony
Trump lawyer Todd Blanche is pointing to Stormy Daniels using the phrase “blacked out,” and saying that Donald Trump didn’t wear a condom.
“The fact that there’s a bodyguard outside the room, the power dynamic,” Blanche said, alluding to some things in Daniels’ testimony.
“Aside from pure embarrassment,” Blanche said, these details do nothing but “inflame the jury”.
“She testified that there were communications with Donald Trump afterward and that she thought something bad would happen and …not being safe,” Blanche said.
It’s still extraordinarily prejudicial to insert safety concerns into a trial about trial records ….for years, including up to 2016, which is when she was peddling this story. She talked about a consensual encounter with President Trump, that she was trying to sell – and that’s not the story that we heard today. We heard a completely different story.
Court has resumed and Trump lawyer Todd Blanche is saying that Stormy Daniels’ testimony was unfair to Trump.
“We move for a mistrial based on the testimony this morning,” Blanche said.
There’s no way to unring that bell, in our view.
Stormy Daniels and Trump’s bodyguard coordinated and she was directed to Donald Trump’s hotel across the city, and told to take a specific elevator to the penthouse.
“He was wearing silk or satin pyjamas that I immediately made fun of him for, and said does Mr Heffner know you stole his pyjamas?” Daniels said, referring to the late pornographer and Playboy founder, Hugh Hefner.
I told him to go change and he obliged.
Since it was still early, they decided to chat for a while before getting dinner. Trump repeatedly grilled Daniels on her time in the adult industry, including:
What about testing? Do you worry about STDs?
He asked whether she had been tested. “Yes, of course, and I volunteered it as well.” Daniels recalled:
He asked me, oh well, have you ever had a bad test, I said nope I can show you my entire record.
She said there was also a very brief discussion of Melania, Trump’s wife, where he said they slept in separate beds.
Daniels said she had to use the restroom at some point, as she’d had several bottles of water. Trump had come into the bedroom area of the suite, and was on the bed in his boxers and a T-shirt.
“At first I was just startled, like a jump scare,” Daniels said.
I just thought: oh my god, what did I misread to get here? The intention is pretty clear if someone’s stripped down to their underwear and on the bed.
She tried to make a joke and leave, but he stood up between her and the door. “At some point, did you wind up on the bed having sex with him?” prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked. “Yes.”
The court is due to return from a lunch break in the next few minutes.
Donald Trump’s criminal trial entered a new stage on Tuesday morning with testimony from Stormy Daniels, an adult film star at the center of his hush-money scandal, who told jurors that they had a sexual liaison in 2006 that left her nervous and ashamed.
“My hands were shaking so hard that I was having a hard time getting dressed,” said Daniels, who told jurors that she had gone to Trump’s Lake Tahoe hotel room under the belief that they would be getting dinner at a restaurant later.
The two had met earlier that day at a celebrity golf match across town; they didn’t discuss much, but Daniels’ boss told Trump that she was also a director. Trump, she recalled, said she must be pretty smart if she directed films. They ran into each other again at a room where event sponsors set up tables with free merchandise.
He did remember us from the golf course – he remembered me specifically, that I was the smart one.
At one point, one of Trump’s bodyguards came over and told Daniels that he wanted her to join him for dinner. She said no.
Daniels said she didn’t consider the invitation again until later, when there was a scheduled company dinner she didn’t want to attend. Daniels’ colleague told her that she should take Trump up on his invitation. Daniels recalled”:
It’ll make a great story, he’s a business guy, what would possibly go wrong, that was his words to me.
No cameras are allowed inside the courtroom during Donald Trump’s hush-money trial, but these courtroom sketches offer a glimpse into today’s proceedings.
The court is breaking for lunch and will resume at 2pm ET.
As Donald Trump left the courtroom just now, he looked around the gallery. He did not seem more dour than normal.
Before the break, the prosecution asked Stormy Daniels about the delay of the $130,000 payment. “Did you get paid the 130,000 on 14 October 2016, as was disclosed in that email?”
Daniels said: “No, it was late.”
“What did you understand for the reason the delay was happening?” Daniels replied:
I didn’t know it was late, he just kept making excuses.
Who? She said Michael Cohen to her lawyer, Keith Davidson.
Daniels testifies she ‘didn’t care’ about $130,000 hush-money amount
Hugo Lowell
Prosecutors elicit more important testimony from Stormy Daniels undercutting another of Donald Trump’s defense claims that he was being extorted by her and her lawyer, Keith Davidson.
Daniels says she didn’t negotiate for more money than $130,000 because she “didn’t care” about the money.
Her financial situation was “the best it had ever been” and all she wanted was the story to remain secret – because she had not told her boyfriend – and just wanted all of it to be over.
Stormy Daniels said she met Donald Trump again in the summer of 2007 in Los Angeles.
Trump “kept trying to make sexual advances, putting his hand on my leg, scooting closer,” she said, NBC reported. Daniels added: “I told him I was on my period”.”
She said she stopped taking Trump’s calls after he told her that he couldn’t get her on The Apprentice.
Daniels describes meeting with Trump at Trump Tower
Stormy Daniels said that she met with Donald Trump again at the Trump Tower in 2007 after he suggested she visit.
Daniels testified that she went up to his office to meet him and that she also met with his assistant, Rhona Graff, in the lobby area.
She said that during their meeting, Daniels recalled Trump telling her that he was “still working on the Apprentice thing”. She said Trump also offered her tickets to pageants, NBC reported.
Asked if he seemed concerned about others seeing her there, she said:
Oh no, he introduced me to everybody. He just seemed busy.
Stormy Daniels testified that she later attended the launch of Trump Vodka in January 2007 and that she had agreed to meet Donald Trump because the chance to be on The Apprentice was still up in the air.
Daniels said she was introduced by Trump to Karen McDougal at the party. McDougal, a former Playboy model, has said she had an extramarital affair with Trump.
Stormy Daniels testified that she saw Donald Trump the day after their sexual encounter. She said his bodyguard, Keith Schiller, had asked if she would meet him again and that she had agreed because it was in public.
Daniels said she met Trump at a hotel nightclub where he was seated at a table with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who Trump called “Big Ben”.
She said she spoke with Trump often in the weeks after they met, “sometimes two to three times a week”, and that she would always put him on speaker phone and that “dozens of people” heard her on the phone with him.
Asked why she continued to speak to Trump, she told the jury that her publicist “thought it was a good idea” to continue the conversations about the TV show.
Hugo Lowell
Prosecutors are getting some important testimony from Stormy Daniels undercutting one of Donald Trump’s defense claims – and Jeffrey McConney’s testimony – that he didn’t want the story about their affair to come out, not because of the 2016 election, but because he didn’t want to embarrass his wife Melania.
Asked if he was concerned in July 2006 or summer 2007 about anyone finding out, or if he told her to keep it confidential? “Absolutely not.”
Judge warns prosecutors to keep Daniels’ questioning relevant to the case
Hugo Lowell
The judge, Juan Merchan, is clearly unhappy with the Stormy Daniels testimony.
He warned prosecutors before the trial resumed after the morning break that much of her testimony had so far been irrelevant to the case – and at times it has felt like Daniels gossiping for sport, except for when the mood turned serious when she talked about how she came to have sex with Donald Trump.
Still, Judge Merchan on multiple occasions has now admonished Daniels for talking at length about the encounter, often in an unserious manner and at times making faces.
“Just listen to the question and answer the question,” Merchan has instructed her, after sustaining objection after objection from the defense.
Hugo Lowell
Stormy Daniels testified that after she used the restroom attached to the bedroom, Trump had appeared on the bed in boxers and a T-shirt.
Daniels said she tried to sidestep around him, but Trump confronted her standing up in the doorway.
Although not in a threatening manner, Daniels said, Trump told her: “I thought you were serious about what you wanted” when she tried to leave.
Daniels testified that the:
Next thing I know, I was on opposite side of bed from where we had been standing, my clothes and shoes were off, my bra was still on … and we were missionary position…
Her testimony was cut off when Trump’s lawyer, Susan Necheles, objected, which Merchan sustained.
Summarize this content to 100 words Trump attorney moves for mistrial based on Daniels’ testimonyTrump lawyer Todd Blanche is pointing to Stormy Daniels using the phrase “blacked out,” and saying that Donald Trump didn’t wear a condom.“The fact that there’s a bodyguard outside the room, the power dynamic,” Blanche said, alluding to some things in Daniels’ testimony.“Aside from pure embarrassment,” Blanche said, these details do nothing but “inflame the jury”.“She testified that there were communications with Donald Trump afterward and that she thought something bad would happen and …not being safe,” Blanche said.
It’s still extraordinarily prejudicial to insert safety concerns into a trial about trial records ….for years, including up to 2016, which is when she was peddling this story. She talked about a consensual encounter with President Trump, that she was trying to sell – and that’s not the story that we heard today. We heard a completely different story.
ShareUpdated at 20.12 CESTKey eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureThe prosecution, of course, is arguing against a mistrial.Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger says that Stormy Daniels’ account is “highly probative of defendant’s intent”.Hoffinger said some details in Daniels’ account, such as Trump not using a condom, had been out in the public for some time.“We were extremely mindful about not eliciting too much testimony about the act,” Hoffinger said.
There were details that were left out based on the court’s instructions at the bench … but your honor, they’re stating that this is an entirely new story is not accurate. And I’m sure that when they cross examine Ms Daniels, some of this will come out.
ShareUpdated at 20.18 CESTTrump attorney Todd Blanche argues that the issue at hand is that Stormy Daniels has testified today about consent and danger, and “that’s not the point of this case, that’s not the point of this testimony.”Blanche says it’s “extraordinarily prejudicial” and that “this is the kind of testimony that makes it impossible to come back from”.He adds that Trump is “someone who’s going to going out to campaign this afternoon” and that Daniels’ use of the word “consent” during her testimony is unfair to him in the context of his candidacy, too.
How can we come back from this in a way that’s fair to President Trump and in a way that makes sure this process stays exactly where it should be?
ShareHugo LowellThe Trump team moves for a mistrial after testimony by Stormy Daniels, arguing her testimony – about the power dynamic, whether it was consensual, Trump allegedly not using a condom after testifying she worked with a specific adult film company because they mandated condom use – was extraordinarily prejudicial.Trump lawyers Todd Blanche tells the judge:
We believe, regrettably, there should be a mistrial and to the extent there’s another trial, that this witness be excluded or her testimony be incredibly limited.
ShareTrump attorney moves for mistrial based on Daniels’ testimonyTrump lawyer Todd Blanche is pointing to Stormy Daniels using the phrase “blacked out,” and saying that Donald Trump didn’t wear a condom.“The fact that there’s a bodyguard outside the room, the power dynamic,” Blanche said, alluding to some things in Daniels’ testimony.“Aside from pure embarrassment,” Blanche said, these details do nothing but “inflame the jury”.“She testified that there were communications with Donald Trump afterward and that she thought something bad would happen and …not being safe,” Blanche said.
It’s still extraordinarily prejudicial to insert safety concerns into a trial about trial records ….for years, including up to 2016, which is when she was peddling this story. She talked about a consensual encounter with President Trump, that she was trying to sell – and that’s not the story that we heard today. We heard a completely different story.
ShareUpdated at 20.12 CESTCourt has resumed and Trump lawyer Todd Blanche is saying that Stormy Daniels’ testimony was unfair to Trump.“We move for a mistrial based on the testimony this morning,” Blanche said.
There’s no way to unring that bell, in our view.
ShareStormy Daniels and Trump’s bodyguard coordinated and she was directed to Donald Trump’s hotel across the city, and told to take a specific elevator to the penthouse.“He was wearing silk or satin pyjamas that I immediately made fun of him for, and said does Mr Heffner know you stole his pyjamas?” Daniels said, referring to the late pornographer and Playboy founder, Hugh Hefner.
I told him to go change and he obliged.
Since it was still early, they decided to chat for a while before getting dinner. Trump repeatedly grilled Daniels on her time in the adult industry, including:
What about testing? Do you worry about STDs?
He asked whether she had been tested. “Yes, of course, and I volunteered it as well.” Daniels recalled:
He asked me, oh well, have you ever had a bad test, I said nope I can show you my entire record.
She said there was also a very brief discussion of Melania, Trump’s wife, where he said they slept in separate beds.Daniels said she had to use the restroom at some point, as she’d had several bottles of water. Trump had come into the bedroom area of the suite, and was on the bed in his boxers and a T-shirt.“At first I was just startled, like a jump scare,” Daniels said.
I just thought: oh my god, what did I misread to get here? The intention is pretty clear if someone’s stripped down to their underwear and on the bed.
She tried to make a joke and leave, but he stood up between her and the door. “At some point, did you wind up on the bed having sex with him?” prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked. “Yes.”ShareUpdated at 20.13 CESTThe court is due to return from a lunch break in the next few minutes.Donald Trump’s criminal trial entered a new stage on Tuesday morning with testimony from Stormy Daniels, an adult film star at the center of his hush-money scandal, who told jurors that they had a sexual liaison in 2006 that left her nervous and ashamed.“My hands were shaking so hard that I was having a hard time getting dressed,” said Daniels, who told jurors that she had gone to Trump’s Lake Tahoe hotel room under the belief that they would be getting dinner at a restaurant later.The two had met earlier that day at a celebrity golf match across town; they didn’t discuss much, but Daniels’ boss told Trump that she was also a director. Trump, she recalled, said she must be pretty smart if she directed films. They ran into each other again at a room where event sponsors set up tables with free merchandise.
He did remember us from the golf course – he remembered me specifically, that I was the smart one.
At one point, one of Trump’s bodyguards came over and told Daniels that he wanted her to join him for dinner. She said no.Daniels said she didn’t consider the invitation again until later, when there was a scheduled company dinner she didn’t want to attend. Daniels’ colleague told her that she should take Trump up on his invitation. Daniels recalled”:
It’ll make a great story, he’s a business guy, what would possibly go wrong, that was his words to me.
ShareNo cameras are allowed inside the courtroom during Donald Trump’s hush-money trial, but these courtroom sketches offer a glimpse into today’s proceedings.Stormy Daniels is questioned by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger before the judge, Juan Merchan. Photograph: Jane Rosenberg/ReutersIn this courtroom sketch, Stormy Daniels testifies on the witness stand as Judge Juan Merchan looks on in Manhattan criminal court. Photograph: Elizabeth Williams/APPenguin Random House executive Sally Franklin gives testimony before the judge, Juan Merchan. Photograph: Jane Rosenberg/ReutersShareUpdated at 20.01 CESTThe court is breaking for lunch and will resume at 2pm ET.As Donald Trump left the courtroom just now, he looked around the gallery. He did not seem more dour than normal.Before the break, the prosecution asked Stormy Daniels about the delay of the $130,000 payment. “Did you get paid the 130,000 on 14 October 2016, as was disclosed in that email?”Daniels said: “No, it was late.”“What did you understand for the reason the delay was happening?” Daniels replied:
I didn’t know it was late, he just kept making excuses.
Who? She said Michael Cohen to her lawyer, Keith Davidson.ShareUpdated at 18.59 CESTDaniels testifies she ‘didn’t care’ about $130,000 hush-money amountHugo LowellProsecutors elicit more important testimony from Stormy Daniels undercutting another of Donald Trump’s defense claims that he was being extorted by her and her lawyer, Keith Davidson.Daniels says she didn’t negotiate for more money than $130,000 because she “didn’t care” about the money.Her financial situation was “the best it had ever been” and all she wanted was the story to remain secret – because she had not told her boyfriend – and just wanted all of it to be over.ShareUpdated at 18.49 CESTStormy Daniels said she met Donald Trump again in the summer of 2007 in Los Angeles.Trump “kept trying to make sexual advances, putting his hand on my leg, scooting closer,” she said, NBC reported. Daniels added: “I told him I was on my period”.”She said she stopped taking Trump’s calls after he told her that he couldn’t get her on The Apprentice.ShareUpdated at 19.57 CESTDaniels describes meeting with Trump at Trump TowerStormy Daniels said that she met with Donald Trump again at the Trump Tower in 2007 after he suggested she visit.Daniels testified that she went up to his office to meet him and that she also met with his assistant, Rhona Graff, in the lobby area.She said that during their meeting, Daniels recalled Trump telling her that he was “still working on the Apprentice thing”. She said Trump also offered her tickets to pageants, NBC reported.Asked if he seemed concerned about others seeing her there, she said:
Oh no, he introduced me to everybody. He just seemed busy.
ShareStormy Daniels testified that she later attended the launch of Trump Vodka in January 2007 and that she had agreed to meet Donald Trump because the chance to be on The Apprentice was still up in the air.Daniels said she was introduced by Trump to Karen McDougal at the party. McDougal, a former Playboy model, has said she had an extramarital affair with Trump.ShareUpdated at 18.40 CESTStormy Daniels testified that she saw Donald Trump the day after their sexual encounter. She said his bodyguard, Keith Schiller, had asked if she would meet him again and that she had agreed because it was in public.Daniels said she met Trump at a hotel nightclub where he was seated at a table with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who Trump called “Big Ben”.She said she spoke with Trump often in the weeks after they met, “sometimes two to three times a week”, and that she would always put him on speaker phone and that “dozens of people” heard her on the phone with him.Asked why she continued to speak to Trump, she told the jury that her publicist “thought it was a good idea” to continue the conversations about the TV show.ShareHugo LowellProsecutors are getting some important testimony from Stormy Daniels undercutting one of Donald Trump’s defense claims – and Jeffrey McConney’s testimony – that he didn’t want the story about their affair to come out, not because of the 2016 election, but because he didn’t want to embarrass his wife Melania.Asked if he was concerned in July 2006 or summer 2007 about anyone finding out, or if he told her to keep it confidential? “Absolutely not.”ShareJudge warns prosecutors to keep Daniels’ questioning relevant to the caseHugo LowellThe judge, Juan Merchan, is clearly unhappy with the Stormy Daniels testimony.He warned prosecutors before the trial resumed after the morning break that much of her testimony had so far been irrelevant to the case – and at times it has felt like Daniels gossiping for sport, except for when the mood turned serious when she talked about how she came to have sex with Donald Trump.Still, Judge Merchan on multiple occasions has now admonished Daniels for talking at length about the encounter, often in an unserious manner and at times making faces.“Just listen to the question and answer the question,” Merchan has instructed her, after sustaining objection after objection from the defense.ShareUpdated at 18.24 CESTHugo LowellStormy Daniels testified that after she used the restroom attached to the bedroom, Trump had appeared on the bed in boxers and a T-shirt.Daniels said she tried to sidestep around him, but Trump confronted her standing up in the doorway.Although not in a threatening manner, Daniels said, Trump told her: “I thought you were serious about what you wanted” when she tried to leave.Daniels testified that the:
Next thing I know, I was on opposite side of bed from where we had been standing, my clothes and shoes were off, my bra was still on … and we were missionary position…
Her testimony was cut off when Trump’s lawyer, Susan Necheles, objected, which Merchan sustained.ShareUpdated at 18.12 CEST
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2024/may/07/donald-trump-hush-money-trial-fine-gag-order-violations-live Trump attorney moves for mistrial based on Stormy Daniels’ testimony – live | Donald Trump trials
