The Stormy Daniels affair: Hope Hicks' version and Donald Trump's response

Hope Hicks is expected to be among the prosecution's witnesses during her former employer's trial in the Stormy Daniels case, including several media outlets. CNN And NBC News. The former White House communications director under Donald Trump met with members of the Manhattan district attorney's office last year. Her presence on the stand means she would be willing to change the known version of the facts.

Until now, Hope Hicks has said publicly that she was not involved in the discussions surrounding the $130,000 payment to the porn star and that she had not heard about it until reporters asked her about it. This version was already questioned during a publication in 2019 Declaration of Affirmation From an FBI investigator. According to the latter, Hicks participated in a telephone conversation with Michael Cohen and Donald Trump on October 8, 2016, the day after the video of the event was released. Approach Hollywood The Republican presidential candidate boasted that he could grab women's genitals without shooting them.

“I found out about that in the days after that videoApproach HollywoodCohen exchanged a series of calls, texts and emails with Keith Davidson, who was Stephanie Clifford's attorney at the time. [Stormy Daniels]David Becker and Dylan Howard of American Media Inc., publisher National EnquirerTrump, and Hope Hicks, who was press secretary for Trump's presidential campaign,” the FBI investigator wrote in his sworn statement.

He added: “Based on the timing of these calls and the content of the text and email messages, I believe that at least part of these communications was about the need to prevent Clifford from speaking publicly, particularly in the context of history.Approach Hollywood. »

Hicks' testimony could be important because the credibility of Michael Cohen, who planned to pay off Daniels/Clifford, could come under attack in 2018 due to perjury charges.

Of course, the question is whether Hicks is willing to testify against his former employer.

Confirmed that Hicks is on the list of potential witnesses in Trump's first impeachment trial. Conclusion The judge who heard the case, Juan Mercant, wanted to extend the scope of the vandalism order against the former president. The latter is banned from assaulting not only witnesses, judges and prosecutors involved in the trial, but also family members of court employees, including his daughter, who served as a consultant to Democratic candidates.

“The average observer, upon hearing the defendant's recent assaults, must conclude that if he has engaged in these activities, however implicitly, he should be concerned not only for himself, but also for his relatives.” Explained Judge Merson in his judgment. Such concerns “undoubtedly interfere with the fair administration of justice and constitute a direct attack on the rule of law,” he said.

Trump responded to the judge's ruling on Truth Social: “I learned that another corrupt New York judge, Juan Mercen, strengthened me from talking about the corruption and infighting in his court on a case that everyone, including the attorney, thought should never have been brought up. They could talk about me, But I can't talk about them??? »

Under the partial gag order imposed on him, Trump can continue to attack Judge Merchan and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Brock and their decisions.

(Photo by Reuters)