Maggie Haberman Calls BS On Trump Lawyer Over Killing Negative Stories In Live Courtroom Updates

R: AP Photo

CNN commentator and New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman called BS on Trump attorney Todd Blanche over the “catch and kill” process involving negative stories about former President Donald Trump.

Although last week was the official start of the Stormy Daniels hush money-election interference trial being prosecuted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and presided over by Judge Juan Merchan, Monday was when the trial kicked off in earnest. Monday began with opening arguments and later included testimony from National Enquirer publisher David Pecker.

Haberman and her Times colleagues reported from inside the courtroom with live updates, as they did last week when Haberman was the first to report that Trump had fallen asleep in court.

Things got off to a rocky start for Trump when investigative reporter Susanne Craig reported that “Trump is struggling to stay awake. His eyes were closed for a short period. He was jolted awake when Todd Blanche, his lawyer, nudged him while sliding a note in front of him.”

During opening arguments, Blanche tried to portray Pecker’s process as normal, which did not sit well with Haberman:

Jesse McKinley
April 22, 2024, 11:48 a.m. ET

Blanche equates the “catch-and-kill” scheme involving The National Enquirer, alleged by prosecutors, to ordinary editorial decisions made by newspapers.

Maggie Haberman
April 22, 2024, 11:48 a.m. ET

Blanche is trying to portray The National Enquirer’s practices as similar to how other news outlets operate, in terms of deciding when and how to publish a story. That is not correct.

Jonah Bromwich
April 22, 2024, 11:49 a.m. ET

Blanche is using the term “catch and kill” in a mocking tone, as if it were a silly concept. Whether his tone will land depends purely on the jurors: some of them may agree that the concept is ridiculous and overblown. But others may be captivated by the prosecution’s narrative. We won’t know until the end of the trial, but these little gestures and touches are so important as Blanche moves toward his conclusion.

Jesse McKinley
April 22, 2024, 11:51 a.m. ET

Blanche makes a point of saying that the activities detailed in the charges took place from 2015 to 2017, “years and years ago,” as he puts it. While technically true, it is not exactly ancient history.

in another update, Haberman reminded readers that some of Trump’s “more heated critics sometimes lose sight of” the presumption of innocence:

Maggie Haberman
April 22, 2024, 11:17 a.m. ET

Blanche highlights that Trump is entitled to the presumption of innocence, which is something that some of his more heated critics sometimes lose sight of.

Maggie Haberman
April 22, 2024, 11:17 a.m. ET

Blanche explains why they all call Trump “President Trump,” saying he’s earned it and it’s the office he’s held. Then he mentions that Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee.

Jonah Bromwich
April 22, 2024, 11:18 a.m. ET

Blanche seeks to have the jurors relate to his client, as he says Trump is doing “what any of us would do.”

Haberman went on to quote Pecker on the stand as saying “We used checkbook journalism, and we paid for stories.”

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