After bombshell testimony from Stormy Daniels, Trump ignored reporters questions about her challenge for him to testify too
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Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial has resumed at Manhattan Criminal Court following Thursday’s fiery testimony from porn star Stormy Daniels.
Madeleine Westerhout, Mr Trump’s “gatekeeper” and former director of Oval Office operations during his presidential administration, who on Thursday cried on the stand as she fondly recalled her time working for him, concluded her testimony this morning.
Ms Daniels’ time on the stand saw her spar with defense attorney Susan Necheles over alleged inconsistencies in her various tellings of the sexual encounter she alleges she had with Mr Trump in 2006. She remained calm, firm, and unflappable in her account.
Also on Thursday, Judge Juan Merchan rejected a further mistrial motion from the defense and denied a request that the gag order imposed on Mr Trump be lifted to allow him to respond to Ms Daniels, who later derided the defendant on Twitter by declaring that “real men” testify.
Ex-Trump “fixer” Michael Cohen is set to appear on Monday for his highly anticipated testimony.
Alex Woodward is covering Mr Trump’s trial in Manhattan and will be providing regular updates on proceedings.
Jury excused for weekend
Jarmel-Schneider is off the stand and the jury is excused for the weekend.
Next week, prosecutors plan to introduce two more witnesses — one of whom we know is Michael Cohen.
There are only three days of court next week, but theoretically, they could be resting their case in chief next week, ahead of schedule.
Alex Woodward10 May 2024 17:55
One of the biggest things scrutinized in these custodian witness testimonies is trying to explain why a phone call appeared to interrupt a phone recording on Cohen’s phone. This is the recording he took where he asked Trump about the catch-and-kill scheme, which we heard a snippet of earlier in the trial.
We see a phone record for the call, and this is where defence attorney Emil Bove digs in, claiming that Jarmel-Schneider was only making a “hypothesis” for the two calls back to back.
Jarmel-Schneider notes the timestamps. “I’m not sure if the recording … would’ve automatically cut off if it would be answered if not,” he says.
Alex Woodward10 May 2024 17:50
Emil Bove, on cross-examination, suggested that the work Jarmel-Schneider was tasked with was boring and tedious.
“Honestly” he replied, “I kind of enjoyed it.”
“Respect,” Bove said with a laugh.
Alex Woodward10 May 2024 17:30
Oliver O'Connell10 May 2024 17:29
New witness: Jaden Jarmell-Schneider
The next witness for the prosecution is Manhattan DA’s office paralegal Jaden Jarmel-Schneider.
He wrote reports based on what could be established from Michael Cohen’s phone records.
Oliver O'Connell10 May 2024 17:10
Lead defence attorney Todd Blanche is up now, clarifying that Longstreet is just reading things that were written down.
No further questions.
Alex Woodward10 May 2024 16:58
At one point, Dylan Howard said he got into it with his CEO (presumably David Pecker), and “explained that 2 people saved his ass today and i’m leading this call with this people and i’m going to tell them how it’s going to be”
He said he is “not going to burn my lifelong contact for these f***ers.”
Another round:
Rodriguez: They didn’t pay and she doesn’t believe it and she’s doing her press conf in the morning she hired another attorney
Howard: What deadline did they have?
Rodriguez: This morning
And then, on October 26:
Howard: Good news I hear
We previously saw emails between Michael Cohen and Keith Davidson, with Cohen blowing past deadlines for payment and Davidson threatening to walk.
Davidson also said Cohen was making up excuses that he assumed was an attempt to wait until after the election to pay up.
Alex Woodward10 May 2024 16:56
October 9
Howard: I’m at dinner I will email contract when back at hotel or by first thing AM
Rodriguez: Daily mail is offering 200
Rodriguez some days later: Never heard from you and stormy leaves tomorrow to go back home. … DM wants it too
Howard: Ok i will call in a few hours
October 17 2016:
Rodriguez: We’re not doing the trump deal
Howard: Keith gave me a heads up. What happened?
Rodriguez: They didn’t pay when they said they would … Daily mail wants it bad so we’re doing it
October 19 2016
Howard: Spoke to Keith last night and we’re all good
Rodriguez: Ok
Howard: Sorted out?
Rodriguez: :[redacted]
Howard: Good
Alex Woodward10 May 2024 16:52
October 9 2016
Rodriguez: Daily mail too
Howard: Well I will buy it but I ain’t got 250k Lol. GMA can’t pay her - they can license pix etc. I will tie up ASAP if we can get a realistic price
Rodriguez: How much
Howard: I can get 100
Rodriguez: Lol
Rodriguez:: Ok what about 150k?
Howard: 110.
Rodriguez: 125k
Howard: Lol
Rodriguez: 120
Howard: Sold
Alex Woodward10 May 2024 16:51
October 8 2016:
Rodriguez: Stormy Daniels and Trump with her is up on The Dirty and Fox News has been calling. Stormy has not confirmed or spoken are you interested?
Howard: She will confirm on record?
Rodriguez: Yes
Howard: Can you email me the pitch on Stomy? I need to elevate it to my CEO
Howard: He likely will pay
Rodriguez: Yes I’ll send to you
Howard: Ok
Howard: How much for Stormy?
Rodriguez: 250k
Howard: You have that bid?
Rodriguez: Yes working on it
Rodriguez: GMA wants her too
Alex Woodward10 May 2024 16:44