✕
Close
Donald Trump is making history once again as the first American president to ever stand trial on criminal charges.
The former president has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in a bid to conceal a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election, in order to silence her over an alleged affair in 2006.
The charges on their own are misdemeanours but have been elevated to felonies because Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg says they were carried out to facilitate another crime – violating state or federal election laws.
Mr Trump denies both the affair and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Before jury selection gets underway, Judge Juan Merchan has denied a recusal motion and both sides are now debating what evidence can be admitted. A transcript of the Access Hollywood tape will be admitted, as will testimony from ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal but not in the context of Melania Trump’s pregnancy.
Earlier on Monday morning, Mr Trump instantly unleashed a series of rants on Truth Social blasting “the Biden Manhattan Witch Hunt Case” and claiming he wants “my VOICE back”.
Key Points
- Judge will allow evidence about Karen McDougal but not Melania Trump’s pregnancy
- Judge to allow discussion of Access Hollywood tape
- Trump unleashes Truth Social rant as he wakes to historic first day of criminal hush money trial
- What will happen at today’s jury selection?
- The porn star, the doorman and the disgraced lawyer: Who’s who in Trump’s hush money case?
- Inside the Stormy Daniels hush money case that led to Trump’s arrest
Watch: Trump appeared to fall asleep, Haberman says
New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman says Donald Trump appeared to be asleep for some of this morning’s hearing.
Oliver O'Connell15 April 2024 18:06 1713199500Trump couldn’t pardon Jan 6 rioters even if he wins in November, report argues
Trump has repeatedly promised to pardon supporters of his who have been charged, convicted and, in some cases, imprisoned for crimes committed during the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.
But according to a new report from anti-authoritarianism group Protect Democracy, he may not actually have that power even if he is returned to the White House after this year’s election.
The report, titled Checking the Pardon Power: Constitutional Limitations & Options for Preventing Abuse, lays out a number of circumstances in which a presidential pardon would not be valid because it would not be a legitimate use of the president’s authority to grant reprieves for “offenses against the United States”.
Andrew Feinberg reports.
Trump couldn’t pardon Jan 6 rioters even if he wins in November, suggests new report
Ex-president claims violent convicts are ‘political prisoners’ and has vowed to free them if reelected
Oliver O'Connell15 April 2024 17:45 1713198714Trump Media stock plunges again as former president faces trial
Trump Media shares plummeted more than 13 per cent on Monday morning after the company filed to register millions of additional shares – marking the latest blow for the struggling stock.
In a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) said it was proposing releasing 21.4 million shares of common stock.
Trump Media, the parent company of Truth Social, said the plan – a move that could help the company at a time it is losing money – was issuable “upon the exercise of warrants”, which give investors the ability to buy shares of stock at a certain price in a specific timeframe.
However, issuing new stock can devalue existing shareholders’ stock.
Ariana Baio reports:
Trump Media stock plunges 13% on morning of ex-president’s first criminal trial
Trump Media filed to register additional shares of its stock on Monday, contributing to the falling price of the
Oliver O'Connell15 April 2024 17:31 1713198530Prosecutors want to hold Trump in contempt over Truth Social posts
The Independent’s Alex Woodward reports from the courthouse:
Prosecutors are now calling up Trump’s latest series of posts from the 1 April gag order and demanding that Trump remove them. The written request does not include a post from earlier this morning.
“It’s entirely possible it could have been done in this courthouse,” prosecutors argue.
The prosecution is asking for permission to file a motion to hold Trump in contempt of court, with a fine of $1,000 for each violation.
Todd Blanche calls them “limited responses to a barrage of attacks”.
“It’s not as if President Trump is going out and targeting individuals. He’s responding to salacious, repeated, vehement attacks,” he adds.
The court is now breaking for lunch until 1.30pm.
Oliver O'Connell15 April 2024 17:28 1713198169Trump want to be present for everything, says lawyer
Alex Woodward reports for The Independent from the courthouse:
Todd Blanche just gave a word salad answer to elaborate on whether Trump will waive his presence at any point in the trial. His initial reply, however, was: “President Trump wants to be present for everything.”
Judge Merchan asked Trump a series of questions that all criminal defendants typically receive, including whether he understands that he has a right to be present at the trial, that his right to be present based on his conduct can be stripped, and that he can be sentenced in absentia. Each time he was asked if he understood, Trump could be seen nodding and mouthing yes.
Oliver O'Connell15 April 2024 17:22 1713197437
Judge keen to move to jury selection
Alex Woodward reports from the court in Lower Manhattan:
Trump lawyer Todd Blanche is now raising some issues with the court’s filing rules. He claimed he wasn’t even allowed to email the court. “That’s not entirely accurate,” Judge Merchan said, cutting him off. “You are permitted to email the court.”
The judge reminded the parties that the reason the court adopted rules for pre-trial motions and motion letters is that they were “inundated” with them, “most of which were close to frivolous if not frivolous.”
“I’m really not interested in getting into this minutia,” he said at one point, mentioning there’s 500 jurors waiting to get called up. “There’s more important work to be done.”
Merchan is now reading through the trial roadmap, how the trial works, what parties are and are not allowed to say to or ask of witnesses, etc.
Oliver O'Connell15 April 2024 17:06 1713196817Alex Woodward reports:
Judge Merchan says his earlier decision regarding Michael Cohen was clear, and leaves it at that.
Prosecutors “certainly cannot imply or suggest” that because Cohen pleaded guilty Mr Trump is also guilty.”
Oliver O'Connell15 April 2024 17:00 1713196637First courtroom sketches show historic trial
Prosecutors seek clarification about what can be said about Cohen’s 2018 guilty plea
The Independent’s Alex Woodward reports from court:
Prosecutors want clarification about what they can say about Michael Cohen’s guilty plea to campaign finance violations. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche said the defence doesn’t intend to open the door to that plea during cross-examination.
Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations as well as tax evasion and making false statements in 2018, including an admission that he received “$280,000 in payments to be made to silence two women who otherwise planned to speak publicly about their alleged affairs with a presidential candidate, thereby intending to influence the 2016 presidential election,” according to federal prosecutors at the time.
Blanche said the defence has no intention of raising the campaign finance violations when they bring up charges against him.
“I’m not sure how you can pick and choose,” Judge Merchan replied.
Oliver O'Connell15 April 2024 16:50 Newer1 / 9OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
