Sorry if the headline is salacious but it’s fitting. As outlets including Reuters reported earlier this morning Stormy Daniels was going to be testifying. I don’t think it’s unfair to crack jokes about it being a “Stormy Day” today for Trump. Or to be even cruder.
As I write this she’s now on the stand. Trump’s nature led to his lifelong behavior with women. The running around, or rather screwing around. Including cheating on spouses. There’s no telling how many women have signed NDAs over sex with Trump including some encounters I’m sure that have resulted in Trump paying for abortions. Some of his trysts have been assisted via his association with Epstein, and of course he enjoyed spending time at the Playboy Mansion where Hefner introduced him to all manner of beautiful women.
And yes, he fancied himself stud enough to get it on with porn stars. One of them spoke up years ago and it went pretty much unnoticed. Then Trump ran for President. Trump’s pal David Pecker was on the lookout to “catch and kill” any stories about Trump’s sexual indiscretions and we’ll hear from former Playmate of the Year Karen McDougal before all this is over. However, it was a tryst, a one-night-stand (although Trump wanted it to continue for subsequent trysts) with a one-time top porn actress that’s at the heart of this trial. It wasn’t illegal for Trump to buy her silence. It’s the illegal methods taken to do so to cover it up to save his chances of getting elected that are the problem.
When the Access Hollywood story broke Daniels decided to speak up. This is a woman who succeeded in a tough business and she’s smart and savvy. She had Trump’s number and knew what a small, inadequate (in more ways than one!) man he was. So a mad scramble to pay her off to keep her silent took place. And got bungled to the point where crimes, felonies were committed.
This case will be proven with documents more than anything else. White collar, documents cases are by their nature boring for juries and even relatively simple ones like this (as opposed to big corporate malfeasance) are difficult for them. Dry and boring ain’t the half of it. THIS trial however has an element most such trials don’t have. Sleaze in the form of SEX and scandal. The prosecution has interspersed compelling witness testimony with the dry documents and experts proving veracity of documents, recordings and even standard Trump and Trump Org practices (Trump’s hands on – no pun intended) to money going out the door.
SEX revives attention. And an actual porn star? Man will the jury be riveted! It’s been ruled that certain graphic details like the size (or lack thereof) and shape of Trump’s “junk” won’t be mentioned. But Trump’s attitude and the general stuff about how and why she had her encounter with Trump will be more than enough. Daniels can provide more than enough detail to spice up this trial like a hard-core Cajun cook from her native Louisiana. When the jury starts deliberating and sorts through those documents they will have Daniel’s face and physique, albeit tastefully dressed but still obvious overlaying every single page.
She will “shower” them with yucky “Eeeeeewwww” mental images of the fat, sleepy, farting orange blob at the defense table and her going at it. Even if she’s not allowed to describe him dropping his tighty-whities and lasting (mercifully for her since she was giving him a “give him a mercy f**k so I can get the hell out of here) tumble. No, to suggest she’s going to give him a legal “golden shower” is I think exactly the right way to characterize her appearance today.
It’s still early in direct examination. Here’s what to watch for, especially if Emil Bove does the cross. As things stand the Access Hollywood tape won’t be played. The judge ruled it too prejudicial and only a transcript is allowed into evidence. However I can see the possibility of Trump egging on his lawyers to be more aggressive as he grows increasingly infuriated over the humiliation of Daniels testifying goes on. And they might do an “oops” and make a statement or ask a question that “opens the door” to introduction of the actual Access Hollywood tape!
Stay tuned. It’s going to be a Stormy day for Trump to be sure, but a starkly informative one for the public at-large.
