South-Carolina

Michael Cohen continues cross-examination in Trump's criminal hush money trial

Published

4 months ago

May 16, 2024

Michael Cohen continues cross-examination in Trump's criminal hush money trial

Updated May 16, 2024 at 13:22 PM ET

NEW YORK — Michael Cohen isback on the stand to testify against his former boss Donald Trump in a New York criminal trial, and he is faced with his own criminal history. Still, prosecutors, who are nearing the end of their case, allege Trump committed 34 felony counts of falsified business records — and Cohen is central to proving it.

Cohen testifiedearlier this week to his longtime relationship and falling outwith the former president. In testimony, he detailed how he negotiated a settlement with adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump in the months leading up to the 2016 election. A $130,000 settlement was paid for by Cohen, which he said was at the direction of Trump, and later reimbursed by Trump. Those reimbursements constitute the 34 falsified documents.

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche began cross-examination Tuesday, questioning Cohen’s motivations against Trump and about his recent profiting off of merchandise promoting Trump being put in jail. Picking up on Thursday morning, Blanche walked through Cohen’s history of perjury, including lying to Congress and federal investigators.

In 2018, when presented with an 80-page potential indictment that included his wife, Cohen said he decided to plead guilty to lying to banks, tax evasion and violating campaign finance laws. Cohen doubled down on Thursday that although he has taken responsibility, he does not believe he should have been charged for the tax evasion charges.

Blanche questioned Cohen about past testimonies related to that case before Congress in 2019, while under oath at the Southern District Court of New York and during Trump’s civil fraud trial in the fall. In those examples, Blanche was highlighting shifting statements from Cohen.

“I accepted responsibility and I suffered the consequences,” Cohen said, while also recalling that he testified in October that he falsely plead guilty to the tax evasion charges.

Before lunch, Blanche got into the settlement with Daniels.

The jury and Cohen have been shown call logs between Trump’s body guard Keith Schiller and Cohen in October 2016. Cohen has said that during that phone call he spoke with Trump about the “Stormy Daniels situation.”

On Thursday, Blanche pointed to new evidence in the form of text messages that also show Cohen was talking to Schiller about a series of harassing phone calls he had been receiving. The 1 minute and 36 second phone call became the focus of a pre-lunch questioning over whether or not Cohen recalls talking to Trump at all in that time and also speaking to him about the Daniels deal.

“Based upon what was going on and the other text messages, yes I believe I was telling the truth,” Cohen said when referencing Tuesday’s testimony.

Prosecutors have spent weeks setting up Cohen’s corroboration of Trump’s knowledge of the 34 allegedly falsified documents. But they also set him up as someone bullish, unlikeable and self-interested. At the same time, the defense and Trump himself have long attacked Cohen’s credibility.

The jury has so far listened to four weeks of testimony, including Daniels herself last week. Jurors have also heard from former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, who first testified to the details of the deals made to flag potentially damaging stories to Cohen and Trump. And jurors heard from Keith Davidson, the lawyer who negotiated the nondisclosure agreements and settlement payments for Daniels and former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal. McDougal is not expected to be called to testify.

Trump has pleaded not guilty, and he has denied allegations of extramarital affairs

Several former and current Trump employees, both from his flagship company and his administration, testified to the process in which Trump received personal invoices and paid personal checks — including those used to pay Cohen back.

Jeenah Moon / Getty Images

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Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and Bob Good, R-Va., arrive on Thursday to attend Trump’s criminal trial.

Trump’s defense may begin their case as soon as next week.

More guests come to support Trump

Trump’s special guest appearances have ramped up for the week of Cohen’s testimony, with groups of congressional members coming in to watch, especially those from his new home state of Florida and from the House Congressional Freedom Caucus.

On Thursday, Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and Bob Good, R-Va., sat in the row right behind Trump as proceedings began.

Earlier in the week, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a vice president hopeful, and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy flanked the former president.

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South-Carolina

Gameday Guide: South Carolina vs. Old Dominion

Published

3 hours ago

August 31, 2024

Press Room

Gameday Guide: South Carolina vs. Old Dominion

The South Carolina Gamecocks open the 2024 season by hosting Old Dominion on Saturday, Aug. 31.

GamecockCentral’s Gameday Guide features game info, TV, odds, notes, and more below!

Old Dominion (0-0, 0-0 Sun Belt) @ South Carolina (0-0, 0-0 SEC)

When: Aug. 31, 2024 – 4:15 ET
Where: Columbia, S.C. – Williams-Brice Stadium (77,559)
Broadcast: SEC Network (Dave Neal, Aaron Murray, Ashley ShahAmadi)
Local Radio: Gamecock Sports Network (Todd Ellis, Tommy Suggs, Chet Tucker)
Satellite Radio: Sirius/XM Channel 106 or 190
Odds: South Carolina -21
Weather: 92°, Sunny

ALSO SEE: South Carolina football recruiting visitors for the Old Dominion game

South Carolina vs. Old Dominion Preview Content

How to watch today’s game

As South Carolina kicks off the 2024 season Saturday against Old Dominion, SEC Network will carry all the action from the 4:15 p.m. kickoff at Williams-Brice Stadium.

The SEC Network is available nationwide from every major cable, satellite, and streaming provider.

GC LIVE: Gamecocks vs. Old Dominion Preview

Watch on YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS feed

Quick notes from South Carolina Athletics

QUICKLY: The South Carolina Gamecocks begin the fourth year of the Shane Beamer Era in non-conference fashion when they host the Old Dominion Monarchs out of the Sun Belt Conference at Williams- Brice Stadium (77,559) in Columbia, S.C. on Saturday, Aug. 31. Game time has been set for 4:15 pm ET.

OVER THE AIRWAVES: The 2024 season opener will be televised on the SEC Network. Long-time SEC play-by-play voice Dave Neal will call the action, with former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray providing the color commentary. Ashley ShahAmadi will patrol the sidelines. The Gamecock Sports Radio Network features a pair of Gamecock great quarterbacks in Todd Ellis (33rd season) and Tommy Suggs (52nd season) in the booth. Chet Tucker returns for his second season as the network’s sideline reporter.

A LITTLE HISTORY: 2024 marks year four of the Shane Beamer Era and the 131st season of intercollegiate football at the University of South Carolina, dating back to 1892. It is the 118th-consecutive year in which South Carolina has competed on the gridiron. The University did not field a team in either 1893 or 1906. Carolina owns an all-time record of 634-613-44, a .508 winning percentage. Since the start of the 21st century, the Gamecocks have posted a 168-131 record, a .562 winning clip. In three seasons under Coach Beamer, the Gamecocks are 20-18, a .526 winning percentage.

[Win two tickets to the South Carolina-LSU football game]

OPENING REMARKS: Through 130 years of intercollegiate football, the Gamecocks have compiled an 86- 40-4 record in season openers, a winning percentage of .677. In the 97 seasons in which the Gamecocks have opened at home, the record is a very impressive 73-20-4, which translates into a .773 winning mark. In 28 seasons in which the Gamecocks have opened on the road, they are 10-18 for a .357 winning pct. South Carolina opened the 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2023 seasons at a neutral site, posting a 3-2 record in those five contests. Carolina has won all three of its home openers under Coach Beamer.

IT JUST MEANS MORE: The 2024 season will mark South Carolina’s 33rd year in the Southeastern Conference. South Carolina and Arkansas joined the SEC prior to the 1992 campaign. The Gamecocks earned the SEC Eastern Division title in the 2010 season. The Gamecocks are 109-148-1 (.424) all-time in SEC regular season play but posted a 42-38 (.525) record in conference action from 2010-19. Under Coach Beamer, the Gamecocks are 10-14 in SEC play, a .417 winning percentage.

YOU’RE SIXTEEN: The Southeastern Conference will take on a new look in 2024 with the addition of blue blood programs in Texas and Oklahoma. The Gamecocks will not face the Longhorns in 2024 but will travel to Norman for their first encounter with the Sooners on Oct. 19. With the additions of the two schools, the league will no longer be divided into two divisions, but rather just one 16-team conference with the top two finishers advancing to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game on Dec. 7.

TOUGH SLATE: South Carolina has one of the nation’s toughest schedules in 2024, as seven of its 12 regular-season opponents are ranked in the nation’s preseason top 20. The Gamecocks’ 2024 slate includes contests against Alabama (5/5), Ole Miss (6/6), Missouri (11/11), LSU (13/12), Clemson (14/14), Oklahoma (16/16), and Texas A&M (20/20).

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South-Carolina

Lawsuit challenges South Carolina's transgender health care legislation

Published

14 hours ago

August 31, 2024

Press Room

Lawsuit challenges South Carolina's transgender health care legislation

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) – A legal challenge now faces a controversial new law in South Carolina.

H.4624, also known as the “Help Not Harm Act,” has already had significant impacts on gender-affirming care since Gov. Henry McMaster signed it into law in late May.

Now a group of transgender South Carolinians are suing to stop them from continuing.

“It’s definitely something that has just been this looming cloud, if you will, over the last three months,” said M. Greg Green, a transgender man who lives in the Midlands.

The lawsuit was filed late Thursday in federal court in Charleston by three transgender South Carolina adults and two families of transgender teens.

In it, they argue the state law “has had and will continue to have devastating consequences for transgender individuals and their families in South Carolina” and claim it violates various federal laws.

Green isn’t among the plaintiffs and said he has not been impacted yet by the law but expects that could happen.

“Now having to figure out how am I going to maintain the medically necessary things that I need is very scary,” Green said.

Green is not alone in those fears.

For several years, nearly $2 billion in South Carolina taxpayer money has sat, untouched, in...

“I’m a transgender man myself, and I haven’t lost care, but I wake up every morning, worried about it,” Jace Woodrum, executive director of the ACLU of South Carolina, said.

The ACLU’s attorney are representing the plaintiffs, who are asking the court to block three key provisions in the law: a ban on minors from undergoing gender-transition procedures, including surgeries, puberty blockers, and hormone therapy; a prohibition on Medicaid from covering these procedures for anyone, minors and adults; and a ban on state dollars directly or indirectly going toward these procedures.

Because of the latter, the state-funded Medical University of South Carolina announced earlier this summer it would no longer provide gender-affirming care to patients of all ages.

While most of the law went into effect with the governor’s signature in May, the ban on gender-transition procedures for minors is not scheduled to take effect until next January.

In total, the ACLU estimates around 800 transgender South Carolinians have lost or will lose access to care.

“On the one hand, 800 people is not insignificant,” Woodrum said. “On the other hand, we have a fairly small population that lawmakers are picking on with this mean-spirited, unconstitutional, political attack.”

MUSC is among the defendants named in the lawsuit, as is Attorney General Alan Wilson.

The Attorney General’s Office said it does not comment on pending litigation but “will vigorously defend the state’s laws.”

McMaster defended the law he signed this year in a statement, saying he “will continue to support our State’s efforts to fight back against those who wish to force harmful gender transition procedures on our children.”

Earlier this year, the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit — which includes South Carolina — found bans on government-sponsored insurance from covering transgender healthcare procedures in North Carolina and West Virginia were illegal.

The new South Carolina law also requires certain school staff notify parents about information concerning their child’s gender identity, like if they ask to use a pronoun that does not align with their sex.

But those school-related provisions are not being challenged in this lawsuit.

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South Carolina Supreme Court ruling lists order six death row inmates will be executed

Published

1 day ago

August 30, 2024

Press Room

South Carolina Supreme Court ruling lists order six death row inmates will be executed

Three Upstate men on South Carolina’s death row now know the order in which the state will put them to death.

The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled Friday on a petition filed by the men and three others requesting there be at least a 13-week interval between executions. The court responded by setting at least a 35-day minimum between executions.

The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office replied to the inmate’s petition stating there should be “no more than 28 days between executions.” Their reasoning being that a 13-week interval would mean “only two executions could be completed this year” and that “it would take all next year to complete the remaining four.”

A Columbia-based nonprofit advocacy group for inmates, Justice 360, led the inmates in signing the petition. The group declined to comment about the Supreme Court’s decision.

South Carolina last carried out an execution in 2011. Jeffery Brian Motts, 36, of Greenville died via lethal injection.

Here’s the list of inmates expected to be executed in the coming months, all have exhausted their appeals beginning with Freddie Eugene Owens, of Greenville, whose execution has been set for Sept. 20.

More: Greenville deputies suspect a man shot his mother and grandmother before killing himself

Freddie Eugene Owens

On Aug. 23, the South Carolina Department of Corrections gave Owens, 46, notice that he would be executed on Sept. 20.

In 1999, Ownes was convicted of murder in the 1997 Halloween murder of Irene Graves, 41, at a Speedway convenience store. He was sentenced to death.

Owens was originally scheduled to be put to death on June 25, 2021, but he and other death row inmates listed filed a lawsuit that halted the execution.

Owens will have until Sept. 6 to decide his choice of execution.

Richard Benard Moore

Richard Moore, 59, of Spartanburg, was convicted of killing a convenience store clerk in 1999.

Moore received the death penalty on Oct. 22, 2001, after a jury found him guilty of murder for shooting 42-year-old James Mahoney on Sept. 16, 1999, at Nikki’s Speedy Mart in Spartanburg’s Whitney Community.

He was set to be executed in April 2022, but it was also halted because of the lawsuit.

Marion Bowman Jr.

On May 24, 2002, Marion Bowman, 44, was convicted of the murder of KanDee Louise Martin, 21, of Orangeburg.

Bowman was sentenced to death a year later on May 23, 2003.

According to South Carolina Supreme Court documents, Bowman shot and killed Martin on Feb. 17, 2001, then set a car on fire with Martin’s body inside to hide the evidence.

Brad Sigmon

In 2001, Brad Sigmon, 66, of Greenville, was convicted of killing his girlfriend’s parents, David and Gladys Larke. He was placed on death row in July 2002.

He was also sentenced to 30 years in prison for burglary.

Sigmon’s death order was given in April 2022, and execution was set for May 13, 2022, but it was stayed.

Steven Bixby

A Chesterfield County jury gave Steven Bixby, 57, the death sentence in 2007 for the murder of a sheriff deputy and state constable.

In December 2003, Bixby along with his parents, Rita Leona Bixby and Arthur Walls Bixby, shot and killed Abbeville County Sheriff Deputy Danny Wilson and State Constable Donnie Outz.

The shooting occurred after the Bixby family had a dispute with the South Carolina Department of Transportation over the widening of Highway 72. They were upset that a part of their property was to be used for the widening.

Both parents died while in prison.

More: Netflix-star, Greenville-native Rob ‘The Rabbit’ Pitts dies; memorial service details

Mikal Mahdi

Mikal Mahdi, 41, was a resident of Virginia when he went on an East Coast crime spree that ended when he killed a South Carolina deputy.

In 2006, Mahdi pled guilty to the murder and robbery of a North Carolina store clerk and Orangeburg County Sheriff’s captain. He was sentenced to death the same year.

Mahdi started his murder spree on July 15, 2004, when he used a stolen vehicle to travel to Winston-Salem. According to court documents, Mahdi shot and killed a convenience store clerk. Three days later, OCSO Capt. James Myers discovered Mahdi hiding in a shed on his property. Mahdi shot Myers using a gun he found on the property.

Mahdi was eventually caught by law enforcement in Florida.

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