Trump lawyers seek Stormy Daniels communications with Michael Cohen
Former President Trump’s legal team on Monday asked the judge in his hush money case to subpoena adult film actress Stormy Daniels’ communications with Michael Cohen, the former president’s ex-fixer, other witnesses and any material related to NBC’s documentary on the actress.
In a letter to Justice Juan Merchan, Trump’s attorneys asked the judge to enforce a subpoena for the communications Daniels — whose real name is Stephanie Clifford — had with Cohen and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who are both expected to testify in the hush money trial starting later this month.
Trump attorney Todd Blanche argued Daniels’ communications with these witnesses or confirmation the communications were deleted would suggest the witnesses “communicated in order to coordinate their false testimony.”
“Communications between Clifford [Daniels] and other women who have sought to monetize sexual assault claims against President Trump are probative of Clifford’s motive and intent to do the same through false trial testimony,” Blanche wrote.
Trump is also seeking Daniels’ communications with advice columnist E. Jean Carroll — who brought a defamation case against Trump last year — along with Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff, who both testified in Carroll’s civil rape trial against the former president.
Pointing to comedian Kathy Griffin’s recent statements that she has text communications with Daniels and Carroll on a “daily basis,” Trump’s legal team argued Trump is also entitled to this evidence.
Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment Cohen made to Daniels to cover up an alleged affair ahead of the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty.
Jury selection for the trial is slated to begin April 15 and an appeals court on Monday rejected Trump’s latest bid to further delay it and have it tried outside of Manhattan.
Trump is also looking for Merchan to enforce a subpoena on Daniels’ communications regarding the premiere, production, marketing and compensation for NBC’s “Stormy” documentary.
The request comes just days after Merchan blocked the former president’s attempt to gain access to NBC’s documentary material relating to the film actress.
Merchan said the Trump lawyer’s subpoena was “far too broad” and did not meet the legal standard to compel NBC Universal to turn over documents and other items related to the documentary “Stormy.”
The Hill reached out to Daniels’ legal team for further comment.
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