The Rundown …..
If ya care…..
Donald Trump is “dozing on and off” during his criminal trial today, the New York Times reports.
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“Justice Juan Merchan harshly criticized Donald Trump’s defense attorneys as he denied another motion for a mistrial over Stormy Daniels’ weighty testimony,” Politico reports.
“After the jury was excused this afternoon, the judge heard arguments from the defense and prosecutors on the mistrial request — the second one lodged by the defense this week. Merchan bluntly pointed out what he saw as numerous missteps by Trump’s attorneys. The defense lawyers’ overall strategy, and their failure to object at key moments during Daniels’ testimony, allowed much of Daniels’ testimony to stand, the judge said.”
Axios: Trump denied second mistrial request….
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Porn star Stormy Daniels was cross-examined by Trump attorney Susan Necheles at his “hush money” criminal trial:
NECHELES: You have a lot of experience making phony stories about sex appear real.
DANIELS: Wow… that’s not how I would put it. The sex in the films is very much real — just like what happened to me in that room….
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“Porn star Stormy Daniels resumed testifying Thursday under cross-examination by lawyers for Donald Trump, after her first turn on the witness stand drew an angry reaction from the former president,” CNBC reports.
“Trump’s attorneys, who began questioning Daniels on Tuesday afternoon, are poised to continue their efforts to undermine her credibility and raise doubts about her account of having sex with Trump.”
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Time: “Trump, who denies the affair, has a history of going ballistic over far less personal attacks. But in the hours that followed, he held his tongue. While Trump has repeatedly violated a gag order that prohibits him from attacking witnesses or jurors, the stakes are higher this time. On Monday, Judge Juan Merchan warned Trump that another infraction could land him in a prison cell…”
“Some in Trump’s orbit are rooting for chaos, encouraging him to engineer a standoff with the American judicial system. They argue that the image of a former President sitting in a prison cell for speaking his mind would turn public opinion against the proceedings. Trump ‘should fight it even if it means jail,’ says Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist.”
“Even those closest to Trump don’t know what he will do next. ‘The lawyers are quite adamant that they would prefer him not making any comments that would even sniff the line of the gag order restrictions,’ says a source close to Trump. But his attorneys recognize the futility of trying to keep him quiet. ‘They understand he has a campaign to run. They realize this is a unique situation.’”
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“As prosecutors near the home stretch of their criminal case against Donald Trump, one of the biggest questions looming over the historic trial is whether the former president will take the stand in his own defense,” NBC News reports.
“Just last month, before jury selection began, Trump insisted he would be on the witness stand in Manhattan criminal court in New York City.”