Donald Trump’s team tries to prevent porn star Stormy Daniels testifying at hush-money trial
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Former President Donald Trump’s legal team is making moves to prevent key witnesses, including adult-film star Stormy Daniels, from testifying in his hush-money criminal case. The case revolves around 34 felony charges of falsifying business records related to alleged hush-money payments made to conceal an alleged sexual encounter Trump had with Daniels in 2006.
Trump, who is also a Republican presidential candidate, has denied the affair and pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyers have filed a 47-page motion asking the judge to block testimony from Daniels, former Playboy model Karen McDougal, and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen. The motion attacks the credibility of the witnesses, claiming Daniels would provide false and contrived testimony with salacious details. It also portrays Cohen as a liar and argues that McDougal’s testimony would be unduly prejudicial.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office has requested a gag order for Trump before the trial, which is scheduled to begin on March 25th. Prosecutors allege that Trump paid Daniels $130,000 through Cohen shortly before the 2016 presidential election to prevent her from publicizing the alleged sexual encounter. They also claim that Trump falsified business records to cover up the payment.
The prosecution argues that a gag order is necessary due to Trump’s history of using social media, speeches, rallies, and other public statements to attack individuals he considers adversaries. They believe these remarks and reactions from Trump’s followers could pose a significant threat to the orderly administration of the criminal proceeding and cause material prejudice.
Daniels has previously shared her experience of being in the spotlight following news of the alleged affair, describing it as overwhelming and vicious. She emphasized the importance of having a thick skin in her line of work but acknowledged the challenges she faced due to the intense scrutiny.
The upcoming trial will mark the first criminal trial Trump will face, with additional state and federal charges pending related to efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and his handling of government documents post-presidency. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges, making him the first president to face criminal charges in history.
In a separate civil fraud trial in New York, Trump was recently ordered to pay $454.2 million, including a significant penalty of almost $355 million. The financial implications of these legal battles are mounting for the former president as he navigates multiple legal challenges.
As the hush-money trial approaches, the focus remains on the testimonies of key witnesses like Stormy Daniels and the implications their statements could have on the outcome of the case. Trump’s legal team’s efforts to block their testimony underscore the high stakes of this criminal proceeding and the intense scrutiny surrounding the former president’s actions.
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Stormy Daniels
