Trump Trial

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

65% : In addition to his son Eric, Trump was joined in court today by famed law professor and commentator Alan Dershowitz.
54% : Now, the prosecution indicates they may fly that witness back in (from Louisiana) -- all to authenticate a photograph that only goes to prove something that isn't in dispute, i.e., that Trump and Schiller were together on the evening of the October 24, 2016, call between Cohen and Schiller.
52% : Defense attorney Todd Blanche further got Cohen to acknowledge that he continued doing work for Trump throughout 2017, including in relation to the Mueller investigation.
48% : On further re-direct, Cohen testified that he spoke with Trump roughly 20 times in October 2016 regarding the Stormy Daniels situation.
44% : He also testified it would be better for him if Trump were acquitted, as that would give him more to talk about in the future.
43% : Cohen acknowledged that he continued to sign emails as counsel to Trump, and further acknowledged an email referencing ongoing monthly payments, even though he testified previously that there were to be no further payments (beyond reimbursing him).
41% : Merchan also ruled that Brad Smith, the proposed defense expert regarding the FEC, would not be allowed to testify as to definitions, which Merchan deemed as interpreting federal law and usurping the court's role in terms of instructing the jury.RELATED:Trump Victorious As He Attends Barron's High School Graduation in West Palm BeachBlockbuster Appearance From His Former Attorney Blows Hole Through Michael Cohen's TestimonyThe key takeaway from the morning's discussions between the court and the attorneys is that even though evidence will likely be concluded soon, the closing arguments will not be presented until next Tuesday.
39% : Remember, everything revolves around Cohen, who is now claiming to be a patsy who was just doing the bidding of Trump in cutting the check to Stormy Daniels.
34% : In other words, the prosecution doesn't need to prove that Trump actually committed an underlying crime -- just that he falsified the records with the intent to commit or conceal said crime (which could be election law violations or state tax law violations).
29% : Regarding the email from Costello's former partner:Regarding the campaign finance expert:As Turley rightly notes, this puts the defense in the difficult position of potentially calling a witness who won't (can't) offer much and whose presence on the stand would likely lend to the impression that Trump did, in fact, break campaign finance laws.
29% : Cohen maintains that in the 90-second phone call on October 24, 2016, he not only discussed the issue regarding the 14-year-old pranking him and where to send the number with Schiller, but Schiller also passed the phone to Trump, and he updated him on everything going on with the Stormy Daniels situation.
27% : After a break on Friday to allow for former President Donald Trump to attend his son Barron's high school graduation, court was back in session in Manhattan on Monday in the criminal trial of Trump for allegedly falsifying business records.
27% : Costello also testified that Cohen said multiple times that Trump knew nothing about the payment to Daniels.
26% : He insists he would not have paid Daniels had Trump not signed off on the arrangement.
23% : He maintained up through April of 2018 that Trump had no knowledge of the payments.
22% : And because it comes up so often in discussions regarding this case, here's an explainer from CNN regarding what the prosecution is attempting to prove:Prosecutors need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump falsified business records with the intent to commit or conceal another crime, but they don't have to prove that Trump committed that crime.
20% : After the jury was excused for lunch, the attorneys presented arguments to the court regarding the admissibility of a photograph showing former Trump bodyguard Keith Schiller with Trump on the date of the infamous October 24, 2016 call.
19% : On re-cross, Cohens testified that he felt the loss of his law license was due in part to Trump, though he also acknowledged that Trump had nothing to do with the tax crimes and false bank statements and that any felony conviction in New York automatically results in losing one's bar license.
10% : Cohen acknowledged that in a BBC interview, he stated that Trump did not know about the payment to Stormy Daniels and that "there was no way" he would have told Trump about them.
9% : If the defense elects not to call the expert witness, nor Costello (which would open up some cross-examination regarding his relationship with Rudy Giuliani and Costello essentially serving as a "back channel" of communication with Trump), nor Trump (which would be a horrible decision at this point, given the disaster that Cohen is as a witness), they may not put on much -- if any -- case in terms of witness testimony.
9% : While Costello testified that he advised Cohen if he had truthful information on Trump and cooperated with the Southern District of New York, his legal issues might resolve, he maintains that Cohen said multiple times: "I swear to God, Bob, I don't have anything on Donald Trump."

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