Wednesday, May 8, 2024

5/8 WAKE-UP CALL: Porn Star Testifies In Trump Trial


Porn star Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's hush money trial and her testimony did not disappoint those who anticipated juicy revelations. Trump is on trial for 34 counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors allege Trump covered up reimbursements paid to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who was convicted of violating campaign finance law when paying Daniels $130,000 in 2016 to stay quiet about their 2006 alleged sexual encounter. While Trump has denied the allegation, Daniels' testimony about the July 2006 night provided plenty of details.

Judge Juan Merchan appeared upset that her testimony contained so much arguably irrelevant information, sustaining many of Trump lawyer Susan Necheles' frequent objections. The sexual encounter is at the heart of the case over whether the former president falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to buy the adult-film star’s silence on the eve of the 2016 election. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has denied the affair and any wrongdoing. He has said the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, charged him out of political spite. The trial was expected to resume Thursday with cross-examination of Daniels continuing.

➤ANOTHER TRIAL PP: A federal judge postponed indefinitely Tuesday the trial of former President Donald Trump on charges he hoarded classified documents after leaving the White House. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that finalizing a trial date without first resolving disputes about classified documents “would be imprudent and inconsistent” with preparations to present the case to a jury. Cannon had tentatively scheduled the trial to start May 20 but removed that date without setting a new one. She said she would set a new date that takes into account Trump’s right to a fair trial and the public’s right to the fair and efficient administration of justice. Deadlines for written arguments over the classified documents now run to July 22, pushing any trial off for months.

➤ISRAEL CONTROLS GAZA BORDER CROSSING:  Israeli forces took control of a key Gaza border crossing as cease-fire talks intensified. The operation at the Rafah entry point to Egypt followed Israeli warnings to civilians to evacuate and airstrikes against Hamas targets. 

More than one million people are sheltering in the southern Gaza city. Truce negotiations resumed in Cairo the day after Hamas reported agreeing to a pact that included the militant group exchanging hostages it abducted on Oct. 7 for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. But it added conditions that Israel hadn’t approved, such as Israel completely withdrawing from Gaza and ending the blockade on the enclave. The U.S.-designated terrorist organization offered amendments to yesterday’s proposal, American officials said. The Rafah campaign is widening the rift between Israel and the U.S.

➤TIK TOK SUES U-S: TikTok sued the U.S. government over the constitutionality of a new law that forces a sale or ban of the social-media app. The suit seeks a court order preventing enforcement of the bipartisan measure that requires parent ByteDance to offload TikTok by mid-January. TikTok alleges that the law violates the platform’s and 170 million U.S. users’ right to free speech. Beijing-based ByteDance has said that it can’t and won’t sell its U.S. operations by the deadline. The law was borne of national security concerns because of the app’s Chinese ownership. TikTok says it has taken measures to safeguard user data and prevent Chinese government influence. The U.S. has long restricted foreign ownership of radio and television broadcasting.

➤UKRAINE CLAIMS Z PLOT FOILED: Ukraine said that it foiled a Russian plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky. The plan for what it said was Moscow’s latest attempt to kill Zelensky involved hitting his convoy with missiles and drones. Two of five agents involved were under the direction of Russia’s Federal Security Service, according to the Ukrainian Security Service. The Kremlin didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. With Moscow’s troops gaining ground in the east, Kyiv continues to recruit replacements for its depleted troops while awaiting new shipments of weaponry from the U.S. Next door, Vladimir Putin was inaugurated as Russia’s president for another six-year term.


➤TRUMP PROSECUTOR ONCE PAID BY DNC: The Democratic National Committee paid Trump prosecutor Matthew Colangelo thousands of dollars for "political consulting" in 2018. Colangelo delivered opening statements in the unprecedented criminal trial of former President Trump and currently serves as a top prosecutor with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's Office on the case. Colangelo joined Bragg’s office in December 2022 after the resignations of Mark Pomerantz and Carey Dunne — prosecutors who were investigating Trump and resigned in protest of Bragg’s initial unwillingness to indict the former president. Colangelo left a senior role at the Biden Justice Department to join Bragg's team. Bragg afterward brought charges against the former president in April 2023, raising questions among some in the GOP about alleged politicization of the case.

➤BIDEN PRESSURED TO DEPORT AGITATORS:  Biden faces pressure to deport student agitators. Some of those involved in the unruly campus protests against Israel are guests of the U.S. on foreign student visas, and pressure is mounting on President Biden to start revoking those visas to help schools regain control of their grounds. “We put people on planes and send them to El Salvador for being here illegally. Why can’t we put people on planes and send them back for being arrested for violence on university campuses?” said Emilio Gonzalez, who ran U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the George W. Bush administration.

➤BIDEN COMEBACK OUT OF STEAM:  Immediately following President Biden’s State of the Union address in March, the incumbent president saw a surge in the polls which seemed poised to revive his campaign and reenergize the Democratic Party. Now, just two months later, it increasingly appears that Biden’s quiet comeback is running out of steam. A new national poll from CNN shows former President Donald Trump leading President Biden by 6 points in a head-to-head horserace, 49 percent to 43 percent. Worse, just one-third (34 percent) of voters approve of Biden’s handling of the economy, a tried and true metric for how Americans will likely vote. 

➤BOY SCOUTS CHANGE NAME: The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion. The organization steeped in tradition has made seismic changes after decades of turmoil, from finally allowing gay youth to welcoming girls throughout its ranks. With an eye on increasing flagging membership numbers, the Irving, Texas-based organization announced the name change Tuesday at its annual meeting in Florida.

💸GEN Z IN DEBT:  Gen Z falling deep into debt . . . Young Americans are starting out with more credit-card debt than generations before them. That financial burden can have long-lasting effects. The rising debt load largely reflects a surge in prices for food and shelter at the start of their careers, coupled with a larger percentage of Gen Z who graduated with student loans. The average credit-card balance for 22- to 24-year-olds was $2,834 in the last quarter of 2023, compared with an average inflation-adjusted balance of $2,248 in the same period in 2013, according to new data from credit-reporting agency. 

🕇'GREASE' ACTRESS DIES: "Grease" actress Susan Buckner, who portrayed Sandy's preppy friend Patty Simcox, has died at the age of 72. The former actress was best known for her role in the 1978 musical film, acting opposite Olivia Newton-John, wearing big glasses and appearing in all the big "Grease" dance numbers.

🏈MORE TROUBLE FOR CHIEFS' RASHEE RICE:  Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is under investigation after an alleged assault at a nightclub, according to Dallas police. Authorities are interviewing witnesses who say Rice, 23, allegedly hit a photographer early Monday at Lit Kitchen, according to local ABC affiliate WFAA. A man was taken to the hospital with “visible swelling on one side of his face” and non life-threatening injuries, a police spokesperson told The Dallas Morning News. Rice is currently facing charges for a March hit-and-run crash in Dallas where his Lamborghini crashed into his friend’s Corvette while driving 119 mph, leading to a six-car pileup and at least four injuries. Video also showed Rice and others leaving the scene.


⚾DODGERS 8 MARLINS 2: Max Muncy hit a first-inning grand slam and the Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to six games with an 8-2 victory over the visiting Miami Marlins on Tuesday. Gavin Lux also homered while right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (4-1) gave up two runs on five hits over a career-best eight innings for the Dodgers. Yamamoto struck out five without issuing a walk. Los Angeles moved one victory away from a perfect six-game homestand while winning for the 13th time in their past 15 games.

⚾MLB SCORES:

  • Yankees 10 Astros 3
  • Phillies, who have won 18 of their last 21 games
    Rays 5 White Sox 1
  • Phillies 10 Blue Jays 1
  • Dodgers 8 Marlins 2
  • Giants 5 Rockies 0
  • Mets 7 Cardinals 5
  • Brewers 6 Royals 5
  • Mariners 10 Twins 6
  • Cubs 3 Padres 2
  • Braves 4 Red Sox 2
  • Nationals 3 Orioles 0
  • D-Backs 6 Reds 2
  • Angels 9 Pirates 0
  • Tigers 11 Guardians 7
  • Rangers 15 Athletics 8

🏀NBA SCORES:

  • Thunder 117 Mavericks 95
  • Celtics 120 Cavaliers 95

Jaylen Brown scored 32 points Tuesday night, and the Celtics were in control from start to finish in defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers, 120-95, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at TD Garden.

🏒NHL SCORES:

  • Avalanche 4 Stars 3
  • Rangers 4 Hurricanes 3

🌪MIDWEST STATES SEE VIOLENT WEATHER: Michigan is among the Midwest states grappling with violent and dangerous weather Tuesday afternoon and evening. A tornado was spotted about 6 p.m. local time Tuesday on the ground northwest of Portage, Michigan near Kalamazoo, the National Weather Service confirmed on X (formerly Twitter). Tornado warnings – which indicate conditions are ripe for tornadoes to form – have been placed in several cities including Battle Creek, Albion and Marshall where golf ball sized hail was forecast. The weather service warned people in the area to take cover immediately.

➤WEDNESDAY WEATHER:






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