Press
Stormy Daniels opens up about the hush money trial against Donald Trump. The reactions: She is credible, but her behavior could harm her.
New York – Former porn actress Stormy Daniels only withheld a few details in the hush money trial against former US President Donald Trump. On Tuesday (May 7th) she described her alleged sex affair with the real estate mogul in a New York courtroom. The reactions are critical.
Hush money trial: Ex-porn actress graphically describes Trump meeting
No condom, missionary position and beating with a magazine – The 45-year-old witness recounted in many juicy details her encounter with Trump during a golf tournament at Lake Tahoe in the western United States in 2006. Judge Juan Merchan later said it was “a few things have been said that would have been better left unsaid.”
Nevertheless: Daniel’s descriptions were credible, said CNN legal expert Elie Honig in the broadcast on Tuesday. “I find it hard to believe that a juror heard that and thought it was completely made up,” he said. “There may well be some embellishments… but I think it’s quite clear that they had sex in that hotel room in 2006.”
“Disastrous”: Daniels admits she hates Trump
However, Daniel’s answer to a specific question was problematic: “Do you hate Donald Trump?” Trump’s lawyer Susan Necheles asked the witness. The answer: “Yes.”
“Their reaction was catastrophic. Of course she hates him. This is a big deal,” Honig said. “If the witness hates the person whose freedom is at stake, that’s a big fucking deal! And she posts tweets and dreams about him being in prison. That really undermines credibility.”
The former porn actress owes Trump $500,000 on a court order. She refuses to pay the sum. Daniel’s behavior would send the wrong message: “She is willing to defy a court order. She is not willing to respect a judge’s order,” Honig said. This could raise doubts as to whether Daniels would keep his oath in court and tell the truth.
“Audibly cursed”: descriptions make Trump angry
Daniel’s graphic descriptions apparently infuriated the ex-president. According to later published excerpts from the court transcript, Judge Juan Merchan was compelled to issue a reprimand because, among other things, Trump “sweared audibly” during Clifford’s testimony. After the court hearing, Trump told reporters: “Your case fails.”
In the first criminal trial in history against a former US president, the 77-year-old is accused of covering up a hush money paid to Daniels before the 2016 presidential election by falsifying business documents. He has pleaded not guilty and also denies having sex with the porn star. (AFP/HK)