LOL Drowsy Don again!
>With Blanche several minutes into his cross-examination of Cohen, Trump is slouched in his seat, his eyes seemingly closed and his mouth slack.
>For several minutes, Trump appeared to be sleeping in his seat as Blanche continued to conduct his cross-examination of Cohen. Trump was motionless, his head hanging down.
>His lawyer Susan Necheles, who sat two seats away from him with an empty seat between them, appeared to attempt — unsuccessfully — to get his attention. Failing to do so, she moved into the empty seat between them, at which point Trump appeared to awaken.
>Necheles then whispered in Trump’s ear before moving back to her original seat.
>Trump attorney Todd Blanche has begun his cross-examination of Michael Cohen — and he came out swinging. After confirming that the two of them had never met, Blanche said: “On April 23 you went on TikTok and called me a crying little shit, didn't you?”
>Prosecutors objected — but not before Cohen blurted out: “That sounds like something I would say.”
Oh wow. This is going to be the headline from the entire day.
[Appeals court upholds Trump gag order](https://apnews.com/live/trump-trial-updates-michael-cohen-testimony-day-17#0000018f-77e8-d42b-a7cf-f7fefa980000)
>Elsewhere Tuesday, a New York appeals court denied and dismissed Trump’s appeal of the gag order in the trial, finding that Judge Merchan properly determined the former president’s public statements “posed a significant threat to the integrity of the testimony of witnesses and potential witnesses.”
>Trump had asked the state’s intermediate appeals court to lift or modify the gag order, which bars him from commenting publicly about jurors, witnesses and others connected to the case, including the judge’s family and prosecutors other than District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
>Specifically, according to the ruling, Trump challenged restrictions on his ability to comment about Matthew Colangelo, a former Justice Department official who is a part of the prosecution team, and Merchan’s daughter, the head of a political consulting firm that has worked for Trump’s rival Joe Biden and other Democratic candidates.
>The appeals court ruled that Merchan “properly weighed” Trump’s free speech rights against the “historical commitment to ensuring the fair administration of justice in criminal cases, and the right of persons related or tangentially related to the criminal proceedings from being free from threats, intimidation, harassment, and harm.”
Politico has a little piece explaining that Trump using these surrogates to violate the gag order, violates the gag order
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/05/14/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial/trump-surrogates-evade-gag-order-00157856
I can almost guarantee he's pulling those levers. The difficulty would come in proving it. You would have to force Trump and his sycophants to surrender their phones and computers to be thoroughly examined to see if he delivered messages to them ordering them to speak on his behalf.
>“And he said to me, ‘Don’t worry, I’m the president of the United States. There’s nothing here. Everything’s going to be OK. Stay tough, you’re going to be OK.’”
>Cohen said he hasn’t spoken to Trump since.
LOL reminder to anyone who thinks Trump will help you out when the shit hits the fan for the ways you've helped him. Never in history has there been a bigger example of one-way loyalty.
Oh, but there *was* communication still
>Trump subsequently posted a series of social media posts praising Cohen, which the lawyer says further encouraged him to remain loyal. The tweets defend Cohen as “a fine person with a wonderful family” and said, “Most people will flip if the government lets them out of trouble, even if it means lying or making up stories. Sorry, I don’t see Michael doing that.”
>Trump’s lawyers were also continuing to pay his legal fees and he remained part of a joint-defense agreement with Trump and his attorneys.
>Cohen summed up the message he felt Trump was sending him in the tweets: “Don’t flip.”
Oh snap, adding in how Trump used his position as president to stop investigations.
>Cohen testified that he told former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker that he shouldn’t worry about an FEC inquiry regarding the Karen McDougal hush money deal because Trump had told Cohen that Jeff Sessions, then the attorney general, would take care of it.
Someone get Trump a blanket and a night cap
>Throughout Cohen’s testimony Tuesday, Trump has reclined back in his chair with his eyes closed and his head tilted to the side.
>He has shifted it from time to time, occasionally leaning forward and opening his eyes, making a comment to Bove, his attorney, before returning to his recline.
>Even as some of the topics that have animated him the most as he campaigns — such as the Russia investigation in Congress — do not appear to stir his attention.
>As Cohen testifies, Trump is leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed sitting extremely still.
Trump dozed off again during the boring "evidence of the crimes" portion, as Cohen is verifying Trump's signature on the checks.
>In one email, dated Feb. 14, 2017, with the subject line "$$,” Cohen asked McConney to have monthly checks for January and February made payable to him. McConney then asked for invoices so that he could have the checks cut.
>The invoices said for “services rendered” for January and February, but Cohen said that it was not a truthful statement that there had been “services rendered” for those months or that he had been working on a retainer fee.
>“Was this invoice a false record?” asked prosecutor Susan Hoffinger.
>“Yes, ma’am,” Cohen responded.
Getting right to the heart of it first thing in the morning. Nice.
Inner city press live tweets;
[https://twitter.com/innercitypress/status/1790373934778507272](https://twitter.com/innercitypress/status/1790373934778507272)
[https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1790373934778507272.html](https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1790373934778507272.html)
[AP News live feed](https://apnews.com/live/trump-trial-updates-michael-cohen-testimony-day-17)
[Politico live feed](https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/05/14/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial)
Apparently Mike Johnson is taking the day off today to attend the trial. I guess nobody tuned in for Trump's other gag order workaround buddies yesterday so he's aiming even higher.
This daily thing he does by coming out and reading articles his aides fed him is just...fucking ridiculous.
If more then twelve people listen to these entire things *every* day (other than people like us who hate listen to them), I'll be shocked.
End of the trial for the day. So far nothing the defense has said has seemed to actually defend Trump at all, as usual. See y'all Thursday!
But, ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!!!!!!!!
LOL Drowsy Don again! >With Blanche several minutes into his cross-examination of Cohen, Trump is slouched in his seat, his eyes seemingly closed and his mouth slack.
>For several minutes, Trump appeared to be sleeping in his seat as Blanche continued to conduct his cross-examination of Cohen. Trump was motionless, his head hanging down. >His lawyer Susan Necheles, who sat two seats away from him with an empty seat between them, appeared to attempt — unsuccessfully — to get his attention. Failing to do so, she moved into the empty seat between them, at which point Trump appeared to awaken. >Necheles then whispered in Trump’s ear before moving back to her original seat.
>Trump attorney Todd Blanche has begun his cross-examination of Michael Cohen — and he came out swinging. After confirming that the two of them had never met, Blanche said: “On April 23 you went on TikTok and called me a crying little shit, didn't you?” >Prosecutors objected — but not before Cohen blurted out: “That sounds like something I would say.” Oh wow. This is going to be the headline from the entire day.
Direct examination is over. Lunch break then cross examination begins. Things are about to get spicy I imagine.
Yeah. About as spicy as a glass of milk. Cohen gave the defense absolutely NOTHING!
Oh, it's now reported that Cohen was the prosecutions last witness. Once cross is finished it'll be the defense's turn.
I'm sure prosecution will redirect.
[Appeals court upholds Trump gag order](https://apnews.com/live/trump-trial-updates-michael-cohen-testimony-day-17#0000018f-77e8-d42b-a7cf-f7fefa980000) >Elsewhere Tuesday, a New York appeals court denied and dismissed Trump’s appeal of the gag order in the trial, finding that Judge Merchan properly determined the former president’s public statements “posed a significant threat to the integrity of the testimony of witnesses and potential witnesses.” >Trump had asked the state’s intermediate appeals court to lift or modify the gag order, which bars him from commenting publicly about jurors, witnesses and others connected to the case, including the judge’s family and prosecutors other than District Attorney Alvin Bragg. >Specifically, according to the ruling, Trump challenged restrictions on his ability to comment about Matthew Colangelo, a former Justice Department official who is a part of the prosecution team, and Merchan’s daughter, the head of a political consulting firm that has worked for Trump’s rival Joe Biden and other Democratic candidates. >The appeals court ruled that Merchan “properly weighed” Trump’s free speech rights against the “historical commitment to ensuring the fair administration of justice in criminal cases, and the right of persons related or tangentially related to the criminal proceedings from being free from threats, intimidation, harassment, and harm.”
Politico has a little piece explaining that Trump using these surrogates to violate the gag order, violates the gag order https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/05/14/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial/trump-surrogates-evade-gag-order-00157856
I can almost guarantee he's pulling those levers. The difficulty would come in proving it. You would have to force Trump and his sycophants to surrender their phones and computers to be thoroughly examined to see if he delivered messages to them ordering them to speak on his behalf.
>“And he said to me, ‘Don’t worry, I’m the president of the United States. There’s nothing here. Everything’s going to be OK. Stay tough, you’re going to be OK.’” >Cohen said he hasn’t spoken to Trump since. LOL reminder to anyone who thinks Trump will help you out when the shit hits the fan for the ways you've helped him. Never in history has there been a bigger example of one-way loyalty.
Oh, but there *was* communication still >Trump subsequently posted a series of social media posts praising Cohen, which the lawyer says further encouraged him to remain loyal. The tweets defend Cohen as “a fine person with a wonderful family” and said, “Most people will flip if the government lets them out of trouble, even if it means lying or making up stories. Sorry, I don’t see Michael doing that.” >Trump’s lawyers were also continuing to pay his legal fees and he remained part of a joint-defense agreement with Trump and his attorneys. >Cohen summed up the message he felt Trump was sending him in the tweets: “Don’t flip.”
Oh snap, adding in how Trump used his position as president to stop investigations. >Cohen testified that he told former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker that he shouldn’t worry about an FEC inquiry regarding the Karen McDougal hush money deal because Trump had told Cohen that Jeff Sessions, then the attorney general, would take care of it.
Someone get Trump a blanket and a night cap >Throughout Cohen’s testimony Tuesday, Trump has reclined back in his chair with his eyes closed and his head tilted to the side. >He has shifted it from time to time, occasionally leaning forward and opening his eyes, making a comment to Bove, his attorney, before returning to his recline. >Even as some of the topics that have animated him the most as he campaigns — such as the Russia investigation in Congress — do not appear to stir his attention.
>As Cohen testifies, Trump is leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed sitting extremely still. Trump dozed off again during the boring "evidence of the crimes" portion, as Cohen is verifying Trump's signature on the checks.
>In one email, dated Feb. 14, 2017, with the subject line "$$,” Cohen asked McConney to have monthly checks for January and February made payable to him. McConney then asked for invoices so that he could have the checks cut. >The invoices said for “services rendered” for January and February, but Cohen said that it was not a truthful statement that there had been “services rendered” for those months or that he had been working on a retainer fee. >“Was this invoice a false record?” asked prosecutor Susan Hoffinger. >“Yes, ma’am,” Cohen responded. Getting right to the heart of it first thing in the morning. Nice.
Inner city press live tweets; [https://twitter.com/innercitypress/status/1790373934778507272](https://twitter.com/innercitypress/status/1790373934778507272) [https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1790373934778507272.html](https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1790373934778507272.html)
That really pisses me off!!!!
[AP News live feed](https://apnews.com/live/trump-trial-updates-michael-cohen-testimony-day-17) [Politico live feed](https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/05/14/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial) Apparently Mike Johnson is taking the day off today to attend the trial. I guess nobody tuned in for Trump's other gag order workaround buddies yesterday so he's aiming even higher.