Another text from howard a few days later. I really cant say yet, sorry. Davidson reply. The prosecution asked him if he said that because he didnt know or because he wasnt ready to discuss the details yet. He said it was because i was not prepared to discuss the details at that point. A few weeks later, dylan tells davidson, quote, get me a price on mcdougal. All in. Consulting gig programs as a Fitness Expert thrown into the mix. As davidson said Karen Mcdougal was torn between a deal with ami or abc, howard texted quote, we are going to lay it on thick for her. Davidson responded, good, throw in an ambassadorship for me. Im thinking aisle of man. So what does this testimony on top of the other testimony weve already heard prove . And what does donald trump have to say . Judge merchan warned him this morning he is on thin ice, warning him not the say much. Holding him in contempt and fining him 9,000 for violating the gag order and cautioning while under the circumstances, the court
President s culpability, and the cases legal complexity. One of the potential first witnesses expected to testify is david pecker, the former ceo of america media incorporated, who bought and buried damaging stories about trump. Its called catch and kill. He is alleged to have worked with trump and his former attorney, michael cohen, to bury the Stormy Daniels story. Other witnesses expected to testify include michael cohen, Stormy Daniels, former Trump Aide Hope hicks, and former Playboy Model karen mcdougal, who also alleged a sexual relationship with trump. And as former President Trump left court on friday, he continued to insist that he plans to testify in his own defense. Oh, joining us now, former Litigator And Msnbc legal correspondent lisa rubin
Im Ali Vitali in forthan lemaire. Jury selection wrapped up more quickly than we thought it would on friday. Its made up of seven men and five women along with six alternates. According to the new york times, the Prosecution Plans to frame trumps actions quiet about an alleged affair. Thats going to be election interference. The defense, meanwhile, will seize on three apparent weak points, witness credibility, the president s culpability, and the cases legal complexity. One of the potential first witnesses expected to testify is David Pecker who bought and buried damaging stories about trump. Hes alleged to have worked with trump and his former attorney Michael Cohen to bury the stormy daniels story. Other witnesses expected to testify include a whos who in
Reporter again, there are a lot of big question marks, exactly what the prosecution was going to try to argue about Donald Trumps knowledge ahead of the 2016 election about the payment to Stormy Daniels, and we can tell you now based off of Prosecutor Matthew Ka Lang low opening statements inside of the courtroom literally in the last 60 seconds, he directly says that Michael Cohen had discussed with trump the Stormy Daniels story, in October Of 2016 and that those conversations led to Donald Trump being frustrated and acknowledging that he did not want the story to come out, that it would be devastating to his campaign. For timing purposes, this was just days after the Access Hollywood Tape came out in 2016 when of course there were republican allies, the rnc that were concerned about Donald Trump going on to be the nominee over the course of that month
And Donald Trump with the prosecutors are looking to outline to The Jury is that he was made aware from Michael Cohen and the editor in chief of the National Enquirer that an additional woman, Stormy Daniels had a story that she wanted to be published and sell, and the National Enquirer was in discussions with Stormy Daniels about potentially being the one to buy her story. But in the intervening days, the prosecution says, that Michael Cohen was put in touch via the national inquirer with Stormy Daniels and her attorney, and that is when the 130,000 payment was arranged. We want to be very clear what is significant in the last two minutes about this is is that the prosecution is explicitly telling The Jury they will present to them in the upcoming weeks that Donald Trump was intimately aware of the stormy Daniels Story in October Of 2016 and the payment to silence her from having that story go public. Vaughn hillyard, thank you very much