A New York judge ruled on Monday that prosecutors can introduce damaging evidence against former President Donald Trump in his upcoming Manhattan hush-money criminal trial.
Justice Juan Merchan said he would not allow prosecutors to play the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump brags about grabbing women by the genitals but would allow them to question witnesses about the video, according to The New York Times.
The judge also denied Trump’s motion to keep former fixer Michael Cohen off the witness stand and rejected motions to prevent testimony from or about adult film Star Stormy Daniels as well as Karen McDougal and Dino Sajudin — who also allegedly received hush-money payments.
“Testimony from these individuals is essential to the case,” tweeted CNN legal analyst Norm Eisen, noting that the D.A. “won almost everything & Trump lost almost everything.”
“It’s a disaster for Trump and a home run for the DA,” he wrote.
Merchan also denied Trump’s motions regarding arguments about his intent and another seeking to prevent D.A. Alvin Bragg from arguing that Trump improperly influenced the 2020 election with the hush-money payments.
The judge, however, granted Trump’s motion to preclude polygraphs taken by Daniels in the case.
The judge’s order, wrote former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance, “makes it clear he won't tolerate efforts by Trump's lawyers to abuse the court process.”
The Judge takes the same straightforward approach in denying Trump's motion to prevent prosecutors from discussing violations of federal election laws. The Judge says he's already denied that motion & Trump doesn't get a second bite of the apple. Tough but fair.