On Thursday, the defense lawyers in the “Hush Money Case” involving former President Donald Trump accused adult film star Stormy Daniels of inconsistency in her statements, attempting to prove that this key prosecution witness is not trustworthy.
The trial has entered its 14th day, with Daniels detailing her alleged affair with Trump in a hotel room back in 2006. She claims to have met Trump multiple times over the following year, a claim vehemently denied by Trump. In 2016, former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen paid her $130,000 to keep silent before the election.
During the extensive three-hour questioning on Thursday, Trump’s lawyer Susan Necheles questioned the credibility of Daniels, portraying her as money-driven and suggesting that her career as an adult film actress provided her with the experience to fabricate the alleged sexual encounter.
Necheles hinted at Daniels’ dishonesty by pointing out inconsistencies in her statements over the past 18 years regarding her encounters with Trump, including details such as whether they had dinner together, whether Daniels blacked out at one point, and whether Trump’s security, Keith Schiller, stood outside the suite.
The lawyer stated that Daniels made over a million dollars from her story of meeting Trump, including earnings from her book, documentary, Cohen’s payment, and other related merchandise revenue.
As tensions rose in the trial, Daniels maintained her stance but appeared less irritable than on Tuesday. However, for the prosecution, Daniels’ testimony may not be as helpful.
“Stormy doesn’t help the prosecution, she might harm them instead,” former Manhattan prosecutor Karen Friedman Agnifilo told Bloomberg. “If she comes across as a blackmailer and a fraudster, she might garner sympathy from the jury and make his story (Trump’s) more believable.”
Necheles also depicted Daniels as someone harboring resentment towards Trump, as she lost a defamation lawsuit against him and currently owes him hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
On Tuesday, when asked if she hated Trump, Daniels answered, “Yes.”
When asked if she hoped Trump would go to jail, Daniels replied, “I hope he takes responsibility.”
In comparison to the cross-examination on Tuesday, jurors appeared more engaged on Thursday, sometimes exchanging glances during intense confrontations.
While paying hush money is not illegal, Daniels’ testimony, while attention-grabbing, is not directly related to Trump’s criminal charges.
Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charges allege that Trump falsely reported hush money payments under the guise of legal fees, concealing the payments.
With the case nearing its conclusion, the prosecution is expected to soon subpoena another key witness, Michael Cohen.
Ultimately, Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche requested the judge to modify the gag order on Trump to allow the former president to publicly respond to Daniels’ testimony.
However, Judge Juan Merchan of the New York State Supreme Court presiding over the case rejected the motion, stating that his concern is not only about protecting Daniels.
Merchan remarked, “I am concerned about protecting the integrity of the entire litigation process.” He added that the gag order was implemented because he was worried Trump might attack Daniels and other witnesses and individuals involved.