Judge Juan Merchan on Monday rejected a bid from former President Donald Trump to prevent the testimony of his former attorney, Michael Cohen, and adult film actress Stormy Daniels as part of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against him.
Trump’s legal team in late February petitioned Merchan to block their testimony.
In the filing, they claimed that Cohen “recently committed perjury, on the stand and under oath, at a civil trial involving President Trump” and appeared poised to do so in the current case. Of Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, they said she “has made clear through public statements that she intends to offer false, salacious, and unduly prejudicial testimony.”
Merchan’s Monday orders came as part of a series of decisions he made about what materials and evidence may be presented in the upcoming trial, The Hill reported.
Bragg has charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a 2016 payment Cohen made to Daniels. Trump has pleaded not guilty and contends that the case is part of a broader political witch hunt designed to derail his 2024 presidential campaign.
The judge will not allow the playing of an “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump talks about how he approaches women but will reportedly allow testimony related to the tape.
