#Trump claims he had nothing to do w/ #StormyDaniels, just as he has w/the many women who’ve made claims against him. But the testimony from this line of questioning is that Daniels met w/Trump on multiple occasions, w/dozens of witnesses. Daniels also describes multiple phone calls — some of which had witnesses because Daniels put Trump on speaker phone while her friends were present. The jury has also been shown phone contact logs from Daniels’s phone & from Trump’s asst’s phone.
#StormyDaniels said #Trump would call “w/ an update or a nonupdate if he didn’t have one, for 'The Apprentice,'" & that he always called her "honeybunch.”
She said she took the calls bc her publicist thought it was a good idea to continue conversations about the TV show.
Daniels testified that she later attended the launch of Trump Vodka, in Jan of 2007, w/a couple of friends.
She says she was greeted warmly, & tho the meeting was brief, he introduced her to everybody, & they took selfies.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked #StormyDaniels, "Did you end up on the bed having sex with him?"
"Yes," she said, adding, “The next thing I know, I was on the bed, somehow on the opposite side of the bed from where we had been standing. I had my clothes & my shoes off," she said.
The prosecution asked Daniels if she felt anything "unusual" while having sex w/ #Trump. The defense objected & the objection was sustained.
Experts on traumatic sexual experiences say that a person's perception of such encounters can change over time, & that the most traumatic details may emerge only later.
So any arguments that the ominous overtones of #StormyDaniels’s testimony about her sexual encounter w/ #Trump were not present in early versions of this story is evidence that she is not being truthful is bunk.
Justice #Merchan has repeatedly asked for tighter answers & fewer extraneous details. The judge is sustaining most objections lodged by the defense.
Merchan's visible disapproval may be bad news for the prosecution. #Jurors often take their cues from judges. If the judge seems impatient with a witness, jurors could receive it almost as permission to feel the same way.
#StormyDaniels describes herself being traumatized by the encounter: shaking, bewildered, wondering “how I got” to the place of having sex w/ #Trump. But she says she didn’t say no, “because I didn’t say anything at all.”
Daniels says that while she didn't object in the moment, she also didn’t enjoy it, & that she felt there was an “imbalance” in the power dynamic between the two.
#StormyDaniels said that after the resurfacing of the "#AccessHollywood" tape in Oct 2016, she was focused on selling her story & that more people were calling & expressing interest in it.
“Did you have any intention of approaching either Mr. #Trump or #MichaelCohen, his attorney, to have them pay for your story?” prosecutor Susan #Hoffinger asked.
Daniels said no, her motivation wasn't money. She just wanted to get her story out publicly.
After break, Justice #Merchan asks if the defense spoke to #Trump & admonishes the prosecutors, specifically #Hoffinger, saying that the level of detail they’re eliciting from #StormyDaniels is unnecessary. (Weird bc defense didn’t lodge any objections)
This is a reminder that juries, even in the most prominent cases, almost never hear the full story. The evidence they are permitted to consider is balanced against the possible prejudice it could have against the defendant.
Merchan: “l agree there were some things that would have been better left unsaid.”
Defense moves to strike certain parts of #StormyDaniels testimony
Granted
Merchan says, “the witness was a little difficult to control” but he doesn’t let defense entirely off the hook saying part of their responsibility is to object DURING questioning/testimony
They want a mistrial. That’s why they let it all go & Merchan was the one forced to lodge objections.
#Hoffinger, the prosecutor, is now asking #StormyDaniels about having had sex w/ #Trump. “Did you at some point end up on the bed having sex with him?” Hoffinger asks. Daniels says yes. When she describes the position they were in [missionary], the defense objects, & the objection is sustained.
It would be a surprise for Justice #Merchan to agree to a #mistrial. But he also exhibited displeasure w/how the testimony was going several times, sustaining multiple objections.
It’s not #StormyDaniels’ fault or prosecutors fault that this was a salacious event, it’s just what happened & goes directly to motive for hiding it.
#StormyDaniels says she prefers her stage name as opposed to her given name — Stephanie Clifford.
She is testifying under subpoena.
Daniels talks about her early life: raised in Baton Rouge, wanted to be a veterinarian, editor of her high school newspaper, she got a scholarship from Texas A&M, was part of equestrian club, & was in a ballet company.
Her parents split up when she was young, they had very little money, said her mother was neglectful & would often disappear.
Justice #Merchan says that, w/the consent of the defense lawyers, Susan #Hoffinger, the prosecutor, has stepped out to confer w/ #StormyDaniels about keeping her #testimony within the confines set by the judge, & avoiding any “unnecessary” details. [to avoid a fricking mistrial ffs]
Note, when the judge in Trump’s civil fraud trial denied a mistrial, #Trump stormed out of the room.
We could see a #GagOrder violation today if he follows his typical behavior.
"Testimony was so unduly prejudicial to Trump & the charges in this case..."
Trump atty #Blanche argues that the testimony was overly #prejudicial, & that the State was asking questions “to inflame this jury,” in addition to the “pure embarrassment” factor. He says there’s no way the court can instruct the #jury in a way to “unring this bell.”
Daniels says that Trump asked further about testing for STDs
She told him she picked adult film production companies because of their contraceptive requirements & could show him her complete records & that she never had a bad test result.
Among the issues that Todd #Blanche brings up as he calls for a #mistrial is #StormyDaniels’s testimony that #Trump didn’t wear a condom. He argues that this testimony was deeply #prejudicial to his client — & asked what the jury is supposed to do w/ much of the info they received from Daniels’ testimony.
Prosecutor #Hoffinger argues that Daniels's story is important for #motive (as said) & #intent, to illustrate what Trump didn’t want the public to know before the election.
The prosecutor asks her what her expectations were.
Daniels: I didn't really have
expectations
Daniels said when she entered the hotel room Trump was wearing satin pajamas, & she said “does Hugh Hefner know you stole his pajamas?"
She asked him to change, & he did.
Prosecutor: did [Trump] ask about your work?
Daniels says Trump asked how much money she made, if she got residuals, if she was tested for STD's
The jury is not present for these procedural motion hearings. It would be better if they knew Justice Merchan’s ruling & admonition to #Trump#legal team. given that they were present when #Merchan admonished #StormyDaniels & prosecution during the morning #testimony.
Merchan reminds the defense that “the remedy is on cross-examination,” meaning that the defense will be able to make its own case as it questions Daniels.
Susan #Hoffinger, the prosecutor, takes #StormyDaniels thru talking about writing & directing adult films - focusing on the #professional aspects of the industry & giving Daniels credit for not just acting but steering her productions.
Prosecutors have made a point to note that Daniels did nude modeling & adult films as a way to make money & survive.
Daniels goes thru her CV, including mainstream movies she appeared in like “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.”
#StormyDaniels is now being asked about a statement she signed denying having had an affair w/ #Trump, given to her by her lawyer & dated 10 Jan, 2018. This is the same statement that Trump recently posted on Truth Social had been "JUST FOUND."
#Blanche was unable to defend the post last week in the contempt hearing related to Trump's #GagOrder. The statement clearly had not just been found.
Daniels makes it clear that she didn’t want to sign the statement, & that it wasn’t true.