Intercourse Tapes! Superstar Rehab! Trump Trial Will get Even Extra Tabloid

What explains their cameo appearances on week two of testimony within the only-ever prison trial of a present or former president?

Seems every has had a run-in with lawyer Keith Davidson, a key prosecution witness who repped each former Playboy Bunny Karen McDougal and porn star Stormy Daniels.

Manhattan prosecutors say that Trump falsified 34 enterprise information with the intention to cover an unlawful, election-influencing, 2016 hush-money cost to Daniels.

On direct, Davidson advised jurors how each girls pursued catch-and-kill money from the Enquirer for his or her tales of intercourse with Trump.

On Thursday, Trump lawyer Emil Bove went on the assault.

Bove appeared to have one foremost mission in cross-examining Davidson — to create distance between Trump and his marketing campaign on one aspect, and the lawyer’s wheeling and dealing on the opposite.

“You’ve got by no means met President Trump, appropriate?” Bove requested Davidson, as his very first query.

“By no means,” Davidson answered.

“And Tuesday was the primary time that you’ve got been in the identical room as him, proper?” Bove requested.

“That is true,” the witness answered.

“You’ve got by no means spoken to President Trump?”

“By no means,” he answered.

Scandals and cash

Then Bove amped up his assault, with a collection of questions suggesting that Davidson, who was a prime supply of tales for the Enquirer’s editor, had made a profession of shakedowns and scandal-mongering,

Trump was a sufferer, not an instigator, in any hush-money schemes, the road of questioning implied.

“What does the phrase ‘extortion’ imply to you?” Bove requested Davidson.

“Extortion is the —” Davidson fumbled. “It is the acquiring of property by menace of concern or pressure,” he mentioned.

“While you had been negotiating on behalf of Ms. McDougal and on behalf of Stormy Daniels, one in all your considerations was staying on the precise aspect of the road with respect to extortion, appropriate?” Bove requested.

“I suppose,” Davidson answered, hesitantly.

At one other level, Bove requested, “In 2016, you had been well-versed in getting proper as much as the road, with out committing extortion, proper?”

“I do not perceive the query,” Davidson answered after a pause.

And on this context got here Thursday’s onslaught of C-lister cameos.

First, Hulk Hogan

“Is not it a proven fact that in reference to occasions in 2012, you had been investigated by state and federal authorities for committing extortion in opposition to Terry Bollea — Hulk Hogan,” Bove requested.

Bollea is Hogan’s given title.

“That is true,” Davidson answered.

Then Davidson was requested in regards to the notorious Hogan intercourse tape. It was he who pursued Hogan for money to buy, and bury, the tape, Davidson conceded.

“In some unspecified time in the future in 2012, you reached out to Hulk Hogan’s representatives, proper?”

“Sure,” answered Davidson .

“You made a financial demand to Hulk Hogan’s consultant with the intention to not publish these tapes, appropriate?” Bove requested.

“No,” Davidson answered.

Moments later, as Bove’s cross-examination continued, Davidson backpedaled.

“Did you ask for cash?” Bove requested.

“There was a financial demand made,” Davidson answered, vaguely.

“Was it for buy, in order that Hulk Hogan might buy the tapes? The rights to the tapes?” Bove requested.

“Sure,” Davidson admitted.

Then, Lindsay Lohan

Davidson mentioned he additionally represented an worker on the Betty Ford rehab clinic in 2010.

And he or she “leaked details about the remedy of Lindsay Lohan at a rehab facility, appropriate?” Bove requested.

Davidson spent a really lengthy pause, taking a sip of water.

“It was reported that that is what she did,” the witness answered cautiously.

Bove famous that the story ran in TMZ, and requested “and also you had connections at TMZ on the time, proper?”

“True,” Davidson answered.

“You continue to do, proper?”

“No. Properly, maybe,” Davidson answered.

“Maybe,” Bove responded, skeptically.

You helped the previous rehab worker receives a commission in reference to the Lohan leak, Bove then demanded.

“I do not recall,” Davidson answered.

“You do not recall that TMZ paid $10,000 round this time?

“I do not recall,” Davidson answered once more.

Subsequent up: Tila Tequila

“Have you learnt who Tila Tequila is?” Bove then requested, out of the blue, of the fact TV character.

“I do,” Davidson answered.

“And in 2010, you took steps to dealer a deal of a intercourse tape involving her, appropriate?”

“I consider so,” Davidson answered.

Davidson was requested if he labored on that “engagement” with somebody named Kevin Blatt— “type of referred to as a intercourse tape dealer, is that proper?”

“I feel that is honest,” Davidson answered cautiously.

Bove requested Davidson if he recalled that “Ms. Tequila” was threatened by a person who mentioned if she did not pay $75,000, the intercourse tape can be printed.

“I do not recall that,” Davidson answered.

“You do not recall on the time of that transaction, you had been on a 90-day bar suspension?” Bove pressed.

“I do not recall that,” got here Davidson’s reply, as soon as once more.

And eventually … Charlie Sheen

The subject of the cross-examination then veered with out warning to Charlie Sheen.

“You understand who Charlie Sheen is, proper?” Bove requested.

“I do,” Davidson answered.

“And you have represented some purchasers who you helped receives a commission by Charlie Sheen, proper?” Bove requested.

“I’ve represented a number of purchasers who had claims in opposition to Charlie Sheen,” Davidson answered rigorously.

“And who you extracted sums of cash from Charlie Sheen on behalf of, appropriate?” the Trump lawyer pushed.

Davidson smiled.

“There was no extraction,” he answered, including, “we asserted that there was tortious exercise dedicated and legitimate settlements that had been executed.”

Bove requested Davidson to speak about his illustration of 1 Sheen accuser he mentioned “was below the affect of methamphetamine on the time,” in 2011.

“You do not recall she was barely finishing sentences while you received her to signal the letter” agreeing to Davidson’s illustration, Bove requested.

“No, I do not recall that,” Davidson answered.

Davidson testified he did do not forget that the girl had been referred to him by Blatt, the so-called sex-tape dealer. However he did not keep in mind if Sheen paid the girl $2 million.

“Is it honest to say that your reminiscence appears a bit fuzzy round a few of these points?” Bove requested.

“I’ve had 1,500 purchasers in my profession,” Davidson protested. “You are asking me about occasions that came about many, a few years in the past.”

“A $2 million cost is a typical cost for you on one in all these circumstances? A lot in order that you do not keep in mind it? Is that your testimony?” Bove requested, his voice rising in pitch.

“I do not keep in mind a settlement from 13 years in the past,” Davidson answered.

At one other level within the Sheen portion of Thursday’s testimony, Bove requested Davidson if he remembered “extracting one other settlement from Mr. Sheen” whereas representing Capri Anderson.

“Once more, it was no extraction,” Davidson responded.

“You bought Mr. Sheen to pay, appropriate?” Bove requested.

“Assuming arguendo that he did pay and that there was a settlement settlement, that settlement can be confidential,” Davidson snapped. “And I might not talk about it right here.”

“Look,” Bove shot again. “We’re each legal professionals. I am not right here to play lawyer video games with you. I am simply right here to ask questions and get straight solutions.”

The choose sustained an objection to this non-question from the prosecution.

Davidson then invoked attorney-client privilege in declining to say if there was a settlement between Anderson and Sheen.

Testimony continues Friday.