Donald Trump's attorneys are currently in court arguing against the inclusion of his past legal cases and battles in the hush money criminal trial. The former president is reacting to prosecutors bringing up allegations against him.
One of the cases being discussed is a $355 million civil fraud judgment against Trump. His attorney argues that this judgment should not be used in the current case, stating that the evidentiary standard in the civil fraud case was lower than in a criminal case. The attorney expressed concerns that the jury might infer guilt based on past rulings.
Another issue raised is a gag order violation in October 2023, for which Trump was fined $10,000. The prosecution argues that such violations are relevant to a witness' credibility. Trump's attorney objected, citing concerns about introducing different standards of proof.
The E. Jean Carroll defamation case was also brought up, with Trump's attorney arguing against questioning Trump about it. The attorney disputed the relevance of events dating back to the 1990s and expressed concerns about the salacious nature of the allegations. The prosecution countered that the defamation cases from 2019 and 2022 are not remote and are therefore relevant.
Additionally, Trump's attorney argued against including a dismissed lawsuit Trump filed against Hillary Clinton, claiming it was frivolous and in bad faith. The judge questioned why this wouldn't be relevant for impeaching Trump's credibility. The attorney highlighted the cascading effect of multiple civil lawsuits still under appeal.
