NEW YORK (AP) — donald trump faces possible additional sanctions hush money trial He will appear in court again Thursday for a contempt hearing to follow lawyer's testimony Represented two women who claimed to have had sexual relationships with the former president.
Attorney Keith Davidson's testimony is seen as a key component of prosecutors' case that President Trump and his allies plotted to bury a disgraceful story in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. He is one of several key figures expected to be called to the stand before the prosecution's star witness, Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and personal fixer.
What you need to know about Trump's hush money trial:
Prosecutors are seeking a $1,000 fine for each of Trump's four statements, alleging he violated a judge's gag order that prohibits him from attacking witnesses, jurors or people closely connected to the case. Such fines would be in addition to the $9,000 fine. Judge Juan M. Marchan It was imposed on Tuesday in connection with nine separate gag order violations he discovered.
It was not immediately clear when Marchand would rule on the new sanctions request, but the prospect of further punishment means that presidential candidate Trump is a criminal defendant subject to strict court procedures over which he has no control. highlights the challenges faced in adapting to the role of It's also unclear whether a rebuke from the court will lead to Trump modifying his behavior, given the campaign benefits he believes he will gain by portraying the incident as politically motivated. still unknown.
During a one-day break from the trial on Wednesday, President Trump continued to condemn the incident but refrained from making any comments that could violate the gag order.
“There is no crime,” he told supporters in Waukesha, Wisconsin. “I have a perverse judge. A totally contradictory judge.”
Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media outside the courtroom of his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in New York. (Words by Curtis/Pool photo via AP)
The trial, now in its second week of testimony, exposed the underbelly of the practices of tabloid journalism and the protections Trump received at a price during his success in the 2016 presidential election.
The case concerns hush money paid to cover up embarrassing stories. Includes porn actors and former Playboy modelsand a redemption by Trump that prosecutors say was intentionally fraudulent, concealing the true purpose of the payments and intended to interfere with the election.
David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer, testified last week She said she offered to be the Trump campaign's “eyes and ears” and detailed her role in sourcing sordid stories from a New York City doorman that later turned out to be untrue, as well as her alleged affair with her ex-husband. Ta. Playboy model Karen McDougall.
The purpose is to prevent articles from being leaked, a concern that was specifically raised after the revelation of one incident. 2005 “Access Hollywood” recording In it, he is heard saying he grabbed the woman without her permission.
Mr. Cohen, Mr. Trump's former lawyer and personal fixer, paid a separate $130,000 to porn actor Stormy Daniels in 2006 to prevent her claims of sexual contact with Mr. Trump from coming to light. Ta.
Mr. Trump's company then reimbursed Mr. Cohen and recorded the payments as legal costs, prosecutors said. Former president indicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records — A crime punishable by up to four years in prison.
Returning to the stand Thursday will be Keith Davidson, the attorney who represented Daniels and McDougall in their negotiations with the National Enquirer and Cohen.
He testified that he set up a meeting at his Los Angeles office in the summer of 2016 to see if the tabloid's parent company, American Media, was interested in McDougal's story. Initially, they countered that she lacked “documentary evidence of her interactions,” Davidson testified.
Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media outside the courtroom of his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in New York. (Words by Curtis/Pool photo via AP)
But the tabloid eventually bought the rights to it at Pecker's behest, and Davidson testified that he knew it would never be published, and that McDougall wanted it too. One reason for this was that there was an “tacit bond” between Mr. Pecker and Mr. Trump, and that the company that owned the Enquirer did not want to publish articles that would hurt Mr. Trump. That's what he said.
The morning begins again with a hearing on the gag order. The four comments in question were made by President Trump before Marchand warned him on Tuesday that additional violations could lead to prison time.
They include comments to reporters and interviews attacking Mr. Cohen's integrity.
