A riveting courtroom battle played out at Donald Trump’s hush money trial Tuesday over the motives and morals of porn star Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors portrayed her as an entrepreneurial, three-dimensional woman defying stereotypes of the adult film industry. Trump’s defense team presented a picture of her as an extortionist and liar eager to cash in on an unlikely brush with fame, reports Politico. The audience for the tense exchanges that approached shouting was the jury of seven men and five women seated in the shabby, 15th-floor courtroom in Manhattan. The packed gallery, the intense security and the TV trucks outside were reminders that Trump’s potential political liability is at least as significant as his legal exposure.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger tried to render a porn star relatable by stressing her protectiveness of her daughter, her work on movies and music videos outside the porn industry, the three books she has written and a flirtation with a 2009 Senate candidacy in Louisiana. Daniels gave a meticulously detailed account of how she wound up in Trump’s Nevada hotel suite. As Daniels recounted one story, Trump appeared to mutter “bullshit” under his breath. That earned Trump a warning from the judge" I understand that your client is upset at this point, but he is cursing audibly, and he is shaking his head visually and that’s contemptuous. It has the potential to intimidate the witness and the jury can see that,” said Judge Juan Merchan. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche asked for a mistrial, complaining that Daniels’ testimony ventured into details that the judge had deemed off limits and that she’d suggested the sex — which Trump denies happened — was coerced. Merchan denied the motion and the trial will continue Thursday.
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