Trump attorney has testy exchange with Stormy Daniels’ ex-lawyer

CNN
2 May 202411:01

Summary

TLDRThe cross-examination of Keith Davidson, former attorney for Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, is underway with Trump's attorney Emil Beauvais questioning Davidson's interactions with Michael Cohen and Donald Trump. Davidson confirms no direct interactions with Trump and testifies on Cohen's distress over not receiving a job in the Trump administration. The defense aims to portray Davidson as an opportunist, highlighting his negotiation tactics and past dealings with celebrities like Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan. The strategy suggests an attempt to discredit Davidson's credibility and paint Trump as a victim of extortion and political persecution. The examination also touches on the timing of payments made to Daniels, suggesting they were influenced by the election's proximity rather than the affairs themselves.

Takeaways

  • 📚 Keith Davidson, the former attorney for Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, is being cross-examined by Trump's attorney, Emil Beauvais.
  • 🚫 Davidson confirmed to the jury that he has never had direct interactions with Donald Trump.
  • 👀 The court's focus is on a call between Davidson and Michael Cohen in December 2016, where Cohen's disappointment over not getting a job in the Trump administration is discussed.
  • 🗣️ Davidson testified that Cohen was so distraught that he thought Cohen might harm himself, highlighting Cohen's instability.
  • 💭 Lanny Davis, presumably Cohen's counsel, suggests that Cohen's past actions will be judged on credibility by the jury.
  • 🤔 Trump's attorney is insinuating that Davidson was cautious not to make payments to Daniels before the election to avoid the appearance of extortion.
  • 💰 The line of questioning aims to establish whether Davidson was negotiating to avoid extortion while getting money from Michael Cohen for Stormy Daniels.
  • 📉 Davidson's credibility is being questioned as he repeatedly says he cannot recall certain events, which could affect the jury's perception of his testimony.
  • 🤝 The defense is painting Davidson as an opportunist who profits from tabloid culture and targets vulnerable individuals for money.
  • 📉 Davidson's past work with other celebrities, such as Hulk Hogan and Lindsay Lohan, is being brought up to establish a pattern of behavior.
  • 🕰 The timing of the payments to Daniels and McDougal is crucial, with the defense arguing that the payments were made due to Davidson's opportunistic approach rather than the looming election.

Q & A

  • Who is Keith Davidson and what is his role in the court proceedings?

    -Keith Davidson is a former attorney for adult film star and director Stormy Daniels, as well as 1998 Playboy Playmate of the Year Karen McDougal. He is a critical witness in the court proceedings, being questioned by Trump's attorney Emil Beauvais.

  • What significant confirmation did Keith Davidson provide to the jury?

    -Keith Davidson confirmed to the jury that he has never had any direct interactions with Donald Trump, the former president of the United States.

  • Why is the call between Keith Davidson and Michael Cohen in December 2016 significant?

    -The call is significant because it is a point of focus for Trump's attorney, Emil Beauvais, who is trying to establish a narrative around Michael Cohen's state of mind and his expectations of a job in the Trump administration.

  • What did Keith Davidson testify about Michael Cohen's state of mind after not receiving a job in the Trump administration?

    -Davidson testified that he thought Michael Cohen was so distraught about not receiving a job in the Trump administration that he believed Cohen might harm himself.

  • How is the defense trying to portray Keith Davidson in the court proceedings?

    -The defense is attempting to portray Keith Davidson as an opportunist who profits off of tabloid culture and targets people for money, thereby casting doubt on his credibility and the legitimacy of his actions.

  • What is the defense's strategy regarding the timing of the payments made to Stormy Daniels?

    -The defense is suggesting that the payments were made to avoid the appearance of extortion, particularly as they were made prior to the election, and that Keith Davidson was careful not to threaten that the payments be made before the election.

  • Why does the defense bring up other celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and Hulk Hogan?

    -The defense is using these examples to establish a pattern of Keith Davidson's behavior, painting him as someone who extorts people on behalf of his clients, and thus questioning his credibility and the tactics he used in the case at hand.

  • null

    -null

  • What is the significance of the Access Hollywood tape in relation to Stormy Daniels' story?

    -The Access Hollywood tape's release led to a surge of interest in Stormy Daniels' story, which Keith Davidson admitted was an opportunity for his client to potentially make money, highlighting the increased value of the story at that time.

  • What is the defense's argument regarding the timing of the payments to Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels?

    -The defense argues that the reason for the payments in September and October 2016 was because Keith Davidson, as an opportunist, pounced on the situation when Trump was in a vulnerable position due to the upcoming election.

  • What is the defense's approach to undermining Keith Davidson's credibility?

    -The defense is using a combination of questioning Davidson's memory on key issues, suggesting he has a history of targeting people for money, and implying that he is not being completely upfront about his dealings with other celebrities.

  • Why is the defense questioning Keith Davidson's memory regarding a supposed 90-day bar suspension?

    -Questioning Davidson's memory about the suspension aims to undermine his credibility, suggesting that he is not being truthful or forthcoming, which could affect how the jury perceives his testimony.

  • What is the judge's role in the line of questioning regarding Keith Davidson's past with other clients?

    -The judge may intervene to instruct Davidson to answer certain questions or to sustain objections if they believe the questioning is not relevant or is meant to harass the witness, as seen when Judge Mershon sustained an objection to a remark made by Trump's attorney.

Outlines

00:00

👤 Keith Davidson's Cross-Examination

The cross-examination of Keith Davidson, former attorney for Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, is underway. Davidson confirms he never interacted directly with Donald Trump. The questioning by Trump's attorney, Emil Beauvais, focuses on a call between Davidson and Michael Cohen in December 2016, where Cohen's disappointment at not securing a job in the Trump administration is discussed. Davidson's testimony suggests Cohen was so distraught it could have led to self-harm. The defense attempts to paint Davidson as an opportunist, highlighting his tactics in negotiating payments and insinuating potential extortion, especially regarding the timing of payments made to Daniels before the election. The strategy seems aimed at undermining Davidson's credibility and casting doubt on Michael Cohen's testimony.

05:01

📚 Davidson's Reputation and Client History

The defense continues to question Keith Davidson's credibility by bringing up his past work with other celebrities, including Hulk Hogan and Lindsay Lohan. They suggest a pattern of Davidson profiting off tabloid culture and exploiting vulnerable individuals. Davidson's representation of various celebrities is used to portray him as an opportunist who may have targeted people for money. The defense also questions Davidson's memory regarding a supposed bar suspension, aiming to cast doubt on his reliability. The judge is asked to instruct Davidson to answer questions about his past work, and the defense uses the opportunity to argue that Davidson's actions were part of a pattern, not specific to the case at hand.

10:03

🕰️ Timing and Opportunism in the Legal Strategy

Trump's lawyers aim to convince the jury that Keith Davidson is an opportunist who capitalized on the timing of the alleged affairs involving Donald Trump, which occurred a decade before the payments were made. The defense argues that the reason for the payments in September and October 2016 was due to Davidson's threatening approach rather than the looming election. They suggest that Davidson's tactics are a common practice among those in the public eye, citing other celebrities like Charlie Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The goal is to create doubt in the jury's mind about the motives behind the payments and to challenge the prosecution's narrative that the payments were made to influence the election.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cross-examination

Cross-examination is a legal term referring to the questioning of a witness by the opposing counsel to test the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of the witness's testimony. In the context of the video, it is a critical part of the trial where Keith Davidson, the former attorney for Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, is being questioned by Trump's attorney Emil Beauvais.

💡Keith Davidson

Keith Davidson is a former attorney who represented adult film star Stormy Daniels and 1998 Playboy Playmate of the Year Karen McDougal. He is a key figure in the video as he is the one being cross-examined, and his credibility and past actions are central to the defense's strategy in the trial.

💡Donald Trump

Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, is a central figure in the video's narrative as the trial revolves around his alleged interactions with Keith Davidson and the payments made to Stormy Daniels. His attorney is questioning Davidson to challenge the credibility of the claims made against Trump.

💡Stormy Daniels

Stormy Daniels is an adult film star who had a legal representation by Keith Davidson. She is significant in the video as her case is directly related to the legal proceedings being discussed, with the focus on the payments she received and the circumstances surrounding them.

💡Extortion

Extortion is the criminal act of obtaining money, property, or services from an individual or institution, typically through coercion. In the video, the defense is trying to establish whether there was an insinuation of extortion in the negotiations for the payment to Stormy Daniels, which is a key point of contention in the trial.

💡Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen is a former attorney for Donald Trump who is mentioned in the video in relation to his interactions with Keith Davidson and his expectations of a job in the Trump administration. Cohen's frustration and alleged instability are highlighted to question the credibility of any potential testimony he might provide.

💡Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan, a celebrity, is mentioned in the video as part of the defense's strategy to portray Keith Davidson as an opportunist who profits off of tabloid culture and vulnerable individuals. The mention of Lohan serves to illustrate Davidson's business practices and to question his integrity.

💡Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan, a professional wrestler and celebrity, is used as an example in the video to further establish a pattern of Keith Davidson's alleged opportunistic behavior. His name is brought up to suggest that Davidson has a history of targeting celebrities for financial gain.

💡Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen, an actor, is mentioned in the context of having paid a client represented by Keith Davidson. This is used by the defense to imply a pattern of Davidson securing payments for his clients, potentially through questionable means, and to undermine his credibility.

💡Bar Suspension

A bar suspension refers to the temporary revocation of a lawyer's license to practice law. In the video, it is suggested that Keith Davidson had a 90-day bar suspension, which he claims not to recall. This detail is used by the defense to question his credibility and integrity as a legal professional.

💡Jury

The jury is a group of individuals sworn to listen to evidence and arguments presented in a trial and determine the facts in dispute. In the video, the jury's role is emphasized as they are the ultimate deciders of the case's outcome, with the defense and prosecution attempting to sway their perception of the witnesses and evidence.

Highlights

Keith Davidson, former attorney for Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, confirmed he never had direct interactions with Donald Trump.

Davidson testified that Michael Cohen was distraught at not receiving a job in the Trump administration, suggesting Cohen's instability.

Trump's attorney, Emil Beauvais, questioned Davidson's negotiation tactics to avoid the appearance of extortion.

Davidson admitted that the interest in Stormy Daniels' story surged after the Access Hollywood tape, indicating a strategic timing for monetary gain.

Defense attorneys for Trump suggested that Davidson targeted celebrities for monetary settlements, painting him as an opportunist.

Davidson's credibility was questioned as he repeatedly stated he could not recall certain events, raising doubts about his testimony.

Trump's attorneys attempted to establish a pattern of Davidson profiting off tabloid culture and vulnerable individuals.

The defense highlighted Davidson's alleged tactics, including a possible 90-day bar suspension, to undermine his integrity.

Davidson pushed back on allegations, stating he was providing truthful answers without breaching client confidentiality.

Trump's legal team aimed to convince the jury that Davidson's actions were part of a pattern of extortion, not unique to Trump's case.

The defense argued that the timing of the payments was influenced by Davidson's opportunistic approach rather than the election.

Davidson's representation of other celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Hulk Hogan was brought up to portray him as someone who extorts people.

Trump's attorneys used the example of other wealthy individuals, such as Charlie Sheen, to argue that paying off allegations is commonplace.

The defense suggested that Davidson's actions were part of a broader scheme to target wealthy and vulnerable individuals for financial gain.

The judge sustained an objection to a remark by Trump's attorney, indicating rising tension in the courtroom.

Davidson's website, which features pictures of celebrities he has represented, was mentioned to emphasize his connections in the industry.

The defense's strategy is to cast doubt on Davidson's testimony to potentially discredit the prosecution's case against Trump.

Transcripts

00:00

Cross-examination is just

00:01

getting underway for a critical witness.

00:03

This is Keith Davidson,

00:04

the former attorney

00:06

for adult film star and director

00:07

Stormy Daniels

00:08

as well as 1998 Playboy

00:09

Playmate of the Year Karen McDougal.

00:11

Mr.

00:12

Davidson

00:12

being questioned by Trump

00:14

attorney Emil Beauvais.

00:16

Davidson just confirmed

00:17

for the jury that he has never had

00:19

any interactions

00:20

directly with Donald Trump,

00:22

the former

00:22

president of the United States.

00:24

CNN reporters inside the courtroom

00:25

telling us

00:26

that Trump is staring at the witness

00:29

passing answer questions,

00:30

answers questions

00:30

from Donald Trump's attorney.

00:33

What's going on in

00:33

court is significant right now.

00:35

Emil Beauvais,

00:35

who is Donald Trump's

00:36

attorney, is talking to Keith Davidson,

00:39

the attorney

00:39

for Stormy Daniels,

00:40

and very little about Michael Cohen.

00:42

And Beauvais is zeroing in on a call

00:44

the Davidson had with Michael Cohen

00:46

in December. 2016.

00:48

Davidson testifies of Cohen quote,

00:50

I thought he was going to kill himself.

00:53

This is because Cohen had thought

00:54

he was going to get a job

00:55

in the Trump

00:56

White House, the Trump administration.

00:58

And he did not get that.

00:59

We know that Michael Cohen

01:01

was frustrated by that from Davidson's

01:03

previous testimony.

01:04

But this is the first time

01:05

we've ever heard Keith Davidson express

01:08

that he was convinced of Michael Cohen's

01:11

being so distraught

01:12

as to actually be in the realm of self

01:15

harm.

01:16

And Lanny Davis,

01:18

this is obviously being cited

01:20

as an example,

01:21

being brought forward

01:23

as an example of Cohen's instability,

01:26

his rashness.

01:27

Davidson says that Cohen's had times

01:29

at times

01:29

talked with him

01:30

about being Trump's chief of staff

01:31

or attorney

01:33

general.

01:34

I don't know if you

01:34

have any thoughts on this,

01:35

but that you know Michael Cohen

01:36

better than the rest of us.

01:37

First of all, that's

01:38

an opinion testimony by a lawyer, right?

01:40

It's not necessarily a fact.

01:42

And secondly,

01:43

no, I'm not going to comment on that.

01:44

I know Michael

01:46

is going to tell the truth,

01:47

and it'll be up to the jury

01:48

given those kinds of assertions,

01:50

whether he's believable.

01:51

And I think the key question

01:53

for everybody

01:53

watching

01:54

is whatever

01:55

Michael Cohen

01:55

did in the past,

01:56

when he testifies,

01:57

will the jury use common sense

01:59

and reach a conclusion

02:00

that what he's testifying to

02:02

and this moment is backed up and is true.

02:06

And it will be up to them to decide

02:07

We are getting updates

02:08

from inside the courtroom

02:10

as of this moment.

02:11

And Trump's attorney is suggesting

02:13

that Keith Davidson was careful

02:15

not to threaten that the payments

02:16

those to eventually went to Stormy

02:18

Daniels be made prior to the election.

02:20

Keith Davidson says he doesn't

02:22

remember this.

02:23

And Karen,

02:23

as we're looking

02:24

at this line of questioning,

02:25

essentially what a mill

02:27

Beauvais is asking, Keith

02:28

Davidson is

02:29

if he was trying to make sure

02:31

to avoid the appearance of extortion

02:33

as he was negotiating this payment,

02:35

getting this money

02:36

from Michael Cohen to his client,

02:38

Stormy Daniels.

02:39

What do you make of this

02:40

line of questioning that

02:41

that they've started with?

02:42

Well, there's always the concern

02:44

if you're negotiating one of these deals

02:47

on behalf of a client,

02:49

that you could be

02:50

or there could be an insinuation

02:52

of extortion, because, in essence,

02:55

they want to get that

02:56

issue out

02:57

in front of the jury

02:58

because it is kind of

02:59

a form of extortion. Right.

03:00

Pay me or I'm going to go forward.

03:02

It's legal.

03:03

It's lawful

03:04

because you're using an attorney

03:06

and you're not actually saying

03:07

those words that it's this or that.

03:10

But and so all lawyers are really careful

03:13

to do that when you're negotiating this.

03:15

So I'm not really sure why Davidson isn't

03:18

admitting that,

03:19

because you have to be careful of that

03:21

when you are negotiating

03:22

these types of deals.

03:23

But that's what they're trying to show

03:25

is just to plant

03:26

that seed in front of the jury,

03:28

because that's

03:28

what they're going to argue

03:29

that, look,

03:30

Donald Trump is being extorted

03:31

right before the election.

03:33

They paid Michael Cohen paid it off.

03:35

And they're really

03:36

drilling down on this

03:37

because Trump's attorney just asked

03:38

Keith Davidson again.

03:40

Keith Davidson

03:41

is the man who was acting as Stormy

03:42

Daniels as attorney at this time.

03:44

To say that in 2016

03:45

he was going, quote, right up to the line

03:47

without committing extortion.

03:49

Davidson responded and said,

03:50

I don't understand the question, Paula.

03:53

I mean,

03:53

we knew that

03:54

they were going to go on here

03:55

and try to

03:56

essentially make Keith Davidson

03:58

look bad as he was negotiating

03:59

these deals

04:00

and had been commenting

04:01

on how little money they believe

04:02

Trump had, how stingy he was, what it

04:05

and that line of questioning.

04:06

And he also set this up

04:07

because he talked about how interest

04:09

in his client,

04:10

Stormy Daniels

04:10

story had kind of waned

04:12

until the Access

04:13

Hollywood tape is released.

04:14

And then suddenly there's

04:15

this surge of interest.

04:16

So he admitted on the stand

04:18

during direct the right,

04:19

she knew this was her opportunity

04:21

to potentially make money.

04:22

And of course, he's

04:22

applying a lot of pressure

04:23

on Michael Cohen to get this money.

04:25

He also knows there's an incentive

04:27

to pay him before the election.

04:29

So it is a fine line.

04:30

And like I said earlier,

04:31

we knew that the defense attorneys

04:33

were going to seize on that.

04:34

And we are now learning

04:35

that Trump's attorney is pressing

04:36

Keith Davidson on

04:37

whether he helped someone

04:38

get paid in connection with that story.

04:41

They're talking about a Lindsay

04:43

Lohan story and a TMZ story about her.

04:46

Paul read,

04:46

I wasn't quite expecting Lindsay

04:48

Lohan to give up at the

04:50

first criminal trial

04:51

of a former president.

04:52

But here we are.

04:53

Yeah, well, not on my bingo card either.

04:54

But clearly

04:55

they're trying to establish Davidson

04:56

as being a bit of an opportunist. Right?

04:59

This is the game he plays.

05:01

This is how he makes money

05:02

profiting off of this tabloid culture

05:05

and people where in a situation

05:06

like Lindsay Lohan,

05:08

not in a very vulnerable position.

05:10

And it appears that they're now

05:12

going through other instances as well.

05:14

I think we're going to

05:15

hear a lot of other

05:17

really surprising names about to come up.

05:19

What's the point of bringing up

05:20

Hulk Hogan and Lindsay Lohan?

05:23

I mean, what is the pattern

05:24

that Trump's attorneys care?

05:26

I do believe

05:26

we're trying to establish here

05:27

with this line of questioning.

05:28

I think

05:29

they're trying to dirty up Keith Davidson

05:31

and make him look like he's

05:33

somebody who goes out and extorts people

05:36

on behalf of his clients. Right.

05:38

And I think what he's

05:40

and he keeps answering,

05:41

I don't recall to to six questions

05:44

so far from Amil Beauvais.

05:45

I mean, of course, you're

05:46

going to remember

05:47

whether or not

05:48

you represented a celebrity

05:50

like Lindsay Lohan or Hulk Hogan.

05:52

Or whoever they're talking about

05:55

that doesn't that

05:55

that's the kind of thing

05:56

that they're going to be able to say,

05:58

oh, come on, this guy's a liar.

06:00

It's not like they're talking

06:01

about someone you don't know.

06:02

You're going to remember

06:03

if this person you represented

06:05

or that you were involved

06:06

in was a particular celebrity.

06:08

And once again,

06:09

they're going to

06:09

try to paint Donald Trump as the victim.

06:12

Of extortion

06:13

and a victim of political persecution.

06:15

But isn't that

06:16

is it this Keith Davidson thing?

06:18

I mean, you can go

06:18

look at Keith Davidson's website

06:20

right now.

06:20

I just looked at it the other day

06:21

and he has pictures

06:22

of a lot of the celebrities

06:24

that he has represented.

06:25

And Karen McDougal's picture

06:27

was on there for a time.

06:28

I don't know if it still is.

06:29

She was unhappy

06:30

with the fact that it was on there.

06:31

I mean, this is kind of cute,

06:32

Davidson's Lane.

06:33

That's why people went to him

06:35

and he was connected

06:36

with people like Stormy Daniels.

06:37

Yeah. And Trump's

06:38

lawyers here are arguing

06:39

that you weren't trying

06:40

to secure

06:41

a great deal necessarily for your client

06:43

to do the best thing by her.

06:44

You were trying to get as much money,

06:45

not for yourself,

06:47

in addition to your client

06:48

when you knew someone in this case.

06:49

And then candidate

06:50

Trump was

06:50

in an especially vulnerable position.

06:52

I mean, go back to his direct

06:54

where he talked about

06:54

how he knew

06:55

Stormy Daniels

06:56

story was suddenly more valuable

06:57

after Access Hollywood tape.

06:59

And while he says that he testified here

07:01

on Cross

07:02

that no one talked directly about it

07:04

as impacting the election,

07:05

they do later on in the transaction.

07:07

There are those text messages.

07:09

Now, the defense has moved on to here

07:10

we go.

07:11

Davidson's work with clients were paid

07:13

by Charlie Sheen

07:14

asking whether he took steps

07:16

that caused Sheen to pay his client.

07:18

Again, bringing up more examples

07:20

of how Davidson

07:21

may have targeted people for money.

07:23

We asserted

07:23

there was some tortious activity

07:25

committed and valid settlements

07:27

that were expected.

07:29

Now, the defense attorney doubts

07:30

that Davidson,

07:30

your memory seems a little fuzzy

07:32

or on some of these issues

07:33

you and Karen

07:34

were just talking about that,

07:35

how he keeps saying, I cannot recall.

07:37

So now

07:37

I'm only the undermining his credibility

07:39

in terms of the type of work he did

07:41

and whether it was extortion,

07:43

but also the fact that he's

07:44

not being completely upfront

07:45

about exactly how some of these deals

07:47

with other celebrities came to fruition.

07:49

Trump's attorney was asking him

07:50

about our supposed 90 day bar suspension

07:54

that Keith Davidson was under a

07:56

Davidson said he did not recall that.

07:58

And Trump's attorneys

07:59

seem to be skeptical of that.

08:00

Trump's attorney says, quote,

08:01

We're both lawyers.

08:02

I'm not here to play lawyer

08:04

games with you.

08:05

The judge, Judge

08:06

Mershon, sustains

08:08

an objection to that remark.

08:10

I mean, this is getting contentious.

08:12

I mean, all they're trying to do here,

08:14

and it's quite

08:14

effective is

08:16

if they can make him

08:17

out to be shady

08:18

and someone not to believe, then

08:20

any points that the prosecution

08:23

scored with this witness,

08:24

they're going to say,

08:25

you can't believe him either.

08:26

He's another liar.

08:27

He's shady

08:28

He says he doesn't remember these things.

08:30

Of course, you're going to remember

08:31

if you negotiated something

08:33

on behalf of a

08:35

of a celebrity

08:36

or that you were held that you

08:38

you were suspended,

08:38

your bar license was suspended.

08:40

Any lawyer would remember that.

08:41

So he's not like he's saying,

08:43

no, it didn't happen.

08:44

Right. He's saying, I don't recall.

08:46

And that is

08:47

that's going to be

08:47

something that the jury is going

08:49

to shake their head and say,

08:51

I'm not sure we can believe it.

08:53

And Davidson is pushing back

08:54

saying, I'm

08:54

giving you

08:55

truthful answers

08:56

that I'm not going to discuss

08:58

confidential answers.

08:59

Talk about the Trump

09:00

or the client attorney privilege.

09:02

I mean,

09:03

I think it's important

09:03

to keep in mind here

09:04

that what Trump's team

09:05

knows, their only goal, their mind,

09:07

they just need one juror

09:09

to to to essentially side with them here.

09:11

That's exactly right.

09:12

And I think you're going to see them

09:13

do this with many of the witnesses.

09:15

I mean, the idea that you can't talk

09:16

about certain aspects of agreements

09:18

because of your duty, your former client.

09:20

Okay.

09:21

But not remembering a bar suspension.

09:22

Now, attorneys

09:23

are approaching

09:24

the bench, talking to the judge

09:25

for a sidebar up.

09:26

The defense attorney asked the judge

09:28

to instruct Davidson

09:29

to answer a question

09:30

about whether he remembers Charlie Sheen

09:33

paying his clients.

09:34

We'll see what the judge does here.

09:35

It also

09:36

seems to be going back

09:37

to the David Pecker tactic, the technique

09:39

that Trump's attorneys use.

09:40

They are where they brought up

09:42

Mark Wahlberg.

09:43

They brought up Arnold Schwarzenegger.

09:45

They were basically saying

09:46

this is something that rich people do.

09:48

This is commonplace now.

09:49

They're bringing up Charlie

09:50

Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Hulk Hogan as well.

09:53

What is the point of all this to me?

09:56

Anyone is entitled to an attorney

09:58

and it seems like Mr.

10:00

Davidson has created a niche firm

10:02

for himself for sure.

10:04

Two points. One visceral one technical.

10:06

The visceral point is Donald Trump's

10:08

lawyers want the jury to be disgusted

10:10

by this guy.

10:11

They want

10:11

they want the jury to be repelled

10:13

by Keith Davidson, by Stormy Daniels.

10:16

By Karen McDougal.

10:17

And they want to make the point

10:18

that this happened

10:19

because Keith Davidson, they're going to

10:21

argue, is an opportunist.

10:22

And this is the technical point.

10:24

The timing is important. Here.

10:25

The alleged affairs

10:26

with both McDougal

10:27

and Stormy

10:27

Daniels happened a decade before

10:29

2005 and 2000 60 2006 2007.

10:32

Right. And one of the arguments

10:33

the prosecutor is going to make is, gee,

10:35

why would Donald Trump, Michael Cohen,

10:37

only care about paying them off

10:39

in September,

10:39

October of 20, 16, ten years later?

10:42

The answer they're going to say

10:42

is because the election was looming.

10:44

But the counter to

10:45

that is going to be

10:46

the reason they paid in September

10:47

October 2016

10:49

is because

10:49

that's when this opportunist

10:51

they'll say it

10:52

nicely pounced

10:53

and came to us in a threatening way

10:56

the way he did with many other clients.

10:57

I think that's where prosecutor

10:59

Trump's lawyers are going with this.

Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Tags associés
Cross-ExaminationKeith DavidsonStormy DanielsDonald TrumpLegal StrategyCourtroom DramaAttorney TacticsTrump's AttorneyExtortion AllegationsCelebrity ClientsTabloid CultureElection Impact
Avez-vous besoin d'un résumé en français?