Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen can testify at Trump hush money trial, judge rules

NEW YORK — Michael Cohen, porn star Stormy Daniels, Playboy model Karen McDougal and a Trump Tower doorman — all of whom prosecutors allege Donald Trump paid to stay silent about a series of sex scandals to win the presidency — may all take the stand at his Manhattan criminal trial, a judge ordered Tuesday.

In a set of rulings ensuring Trump’s anticipated first criminal trial will be a blockbuster, Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan also gave the district attorney’s office the green light to allege he improperly sought to influence the outcome of the 2016 election through an illicit “catch and kill” scheme.

Trump had asked Merchan not to let Cohen testify because he’s “a liar” and to protect “the integrity of this court.” However, the judge said he found no examples of Cohen lying in the matter at hand or precedent barring witnesses whose credibility was previously questioned.

As to McDougal, Daniels, and the doorman, Dino Sajudin, all of whom Trump sought to block from testifying about uncharged crimes, Merchan found their accounts were “inextricably intertwined with the narrative of events” and necessary background for the jury about the 34 falsification of business records felonies that Trump faces.

Prosecutors say Trump paid off McDougal and Daniels in the lead-up to the election with help from Cohen and others to ensure their silence about alleged extramarital trysts early into his marriage to Melania. They say Trump sought to silence Sajudin about rumors that he fathered a child out of wedlock. Trump denies everything.

In a small triumph for Trump, Merchan said prosecutors could describe but not show the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape in which he bragged about molesting women.

DA Alvin Bragg alleges he covered up checks to Cohen in 2017 to disguise that they were reimbursement for hush money payments. Trump’s fixer-turned-foe went to federal prison for campaign finance violations and other crimes in 2018 and is expected to be the star witness.

The parties are due to argue in court on Monday, when the trial had been slated to start, over a dispute about records tied to Cohen’s federal conviction. Merchan on Friday adjourned the trial until at least mid-April.

Trump’s lawyers and a spokeswoman for Bragg declined to comment.

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