New Revelations in Trump Hush-Money Cases: Cohen, Davidson, and the Role of the Trump Organization

New York City, New York, USA United States of America
Davidson represented both McDougal and Daniels, also previously represented Hulk Hogan, Lindsay Lohan, Floyd Mayweather, Tila Tequila and Charlie Sheen in similar confidentiality agreement cases
Donald Trump involved in hush-money deals during 2016 presidential campaign
Keith Davidson believed hush money deals may have helped Trump win 2016 election
Michael Cohen and Keith Davidson facilitated payments to Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels respectively
Trump spoke with Allen Weisselberg of the Trump Organization about setting up a company for hush money payment
New Revelations in Trump Hush-Money Cases: Cohen, Davidson, and the Role of the Trump Organization

In the midst of ongoing criminal trials, new revelations have emerged regarding hush-money deals involving Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign. Two key figures in these deals, Michael Cohen and Keith Davidson, have been under scrutiny for their roles in facilitating payments to Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels respectively.

According to court records, a secret recording between Trump and Cohen was played during the trial. In this conversation, Trump responded to Cohen discussing the need to open a company for facilitating a $150,000 payment to Karen McDougal. It was also revealed that Trump had spoken with Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, about setting up this company.

Meanwhile, Keith Davidson testified that he believed hush money deals may have helped Trump win the 2016 presidential election. He exchanged texts with Dylan Howard from American Media Inc., discussing 'funds received' for the hush-money payments. However, it is important to note that these allegations are still under investigation and have not been proven in a court of law.

Davidson represented both McDougal and Daniels in their deals with American Media Inc. for their stories about having affairs with Trump. Prior to this, he had previously represented several celebrities including Hulk Hogan, Lindsay Lohan, Floyd Mayweather, Tila Tequila and Charlie Sheen.

Charlie Sheen had several clients who sued him and Davidson helped them get paid. These deals involved confidentiality agreements similar to those in the Trump cases.

As the trial continues, it is crucial to remain impartial and report on all facts without bias or deception. The importance of transparency and accuracy cannot be overstated.


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Confidence

96%

Doubts
  • It is unclear if the payments directly influenced the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.
  • The allegations regarding the hush money deals are still under investigation and have not been proven in a court of law.

Sources

75%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Sex tapes! Celebrity rehab! Trump trial gets even more tabloid

Business Insider Laura Italiano Friday, 03 May 2024 12:34
  • Unique Points
    • Keith Davidson represented both Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels in their deals with American Media Inc. (AMI) for their stories about having affairs with Donald Trump.
    • Davidson had previously represented several celebrities including Hulk Hogan, Lindsay Lohan, Floyd Mayweather, Tila Tequila, and Charlie Sheen.
    • Charlie Sheen had several clients who sued him and Davidson helped them get paid.
  • Accuracy
    • Trump’s attorney, Emil Bove, questioned Davidson during cross-examination to create distance between Trump and his campaign from Davidson’s wheeling and dealing.
    • Hulk Hogan was investigated for extortion in 2012 over a sex tape. Davidson pursued him for cash to purchase and bury the tape.
    • Lindsay Lohan’s employee leaked information about her treatment at a rehab facility, which Davidson helped her get paid for.
    • Tila Tequila had a sex tape involving her that Davidson tried to broker a deal for in 2010. He believed he worked with Kevin Blatt on this engagement.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains multiple instances of selective reporting and sensationalism. The author focuses on the salacious details of past cases involving attorney Keith Davidson and various C-list celebrities, such as Hulk Hogan, Lindsay Lohan, Tila Tequila, and Charlie Sheen. These details are presented in a way that is intended to grab the reader's attention and create intrigue. The author does not provide any context or analysis of how these past cases relate to the ongoing hush-money trial involving Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels.
    • Hulk Hogan was name-dropped during testimony in Donald Trump’s NY criminal trial.
    • The article is chock-full of talk of C-list celebrity sex tapes and rehab scoops, as if the supermarket tabloid had somehow engulfed the proceeding.
    • Lindsay Lohan also made a cameo appearance, at least by name.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The author uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing the trial as 'full National Enquirer' and 'chock-a-block with talk of C-list celebrity sex tapes and rehab scoops'. This is an appeal to emotion and a dichotomous depiction, implying that anything related to these topics is tabloid or sensational. The author also uses the phrase 'hush money trials' repeatedly, which could be considered an appeal to authority as it implies that there is something inherently wrong with these types of payments.
    • ]The trial was so chock-a-block with talk of C-list celebrity sex tapes and rehab scoops, it was as if the supermarket tabloid had somehow engulfed the proceeding.[
    • Charlie Sheen, Hulk Hogan, Lindsay Lohan, Floyd Mayweather, Tila Tequila – all were name-dropped in morning testimony.
  • Bias (75%)
    The author, Laura Italiano, uses language that depicts the individuals named in the article as 'C-list celebrities' and 'scandals', which could be perceived as a negative or derogatory way to describe them. This could be seen as a form of celebrity bias.
    • Charlie Sheen, Hulk Hogan, Lindsay Lohan, Floyd Mayweather, Tila Tequila – all were name-dropped in morning testimony.
      • Hulk Hogan was name-dropped during testimony in Donald Trump’s NY criminal trial.
        • Lindsay Lohan also made a cameo appearance, at least by name.
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        95%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Secret recording between Trump and Michael Cohen played in court

        CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Daniel Lewis Friday, 03 May 2024 11:08
        • Unique Points
          • Trump responded to Cohen discussing the need to open a company for facilitating a $150,000 payment to Karen McDougal.
          • Trump had spoken with Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s chief financial officer, about setting up this company.
        • Accuracy
          No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        88%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        'What have we done?' Stormy Daniels' attorney thought hush money aided Trump in 2016 election

        USA Today Thursday, 02 May 2024 00:00
        • Unique Points
          • Keith Davidson, Stormy Daniels’ attorney, believed hush money deals may have helped Trump win the 2016 presidential election.
          • Davidson texted Howard ‘I have a blockbuster Trump story’ as he was aware of National Enquirer’s support for Trump.
          • Howard responded ‘Talk first thing. I will get you more than ANYONE for it.’
          • Davidson believed there was an implicit awareness that the parent company of the National Enquirer had endorsed Trump’s campaign.
          • Davidson texted ‘What have we done?’ on election night, reflecting his belief that their activities may have helped Trump’s campaign.
        • Accuracy
          • Keith Davidson believed hush money deals may have helped Trump win the 2016 presidential election.
          • Davidson and Dylan Howard of National Enquirer exchanged texts about McDougal and Daniels’ stories ahead of the election.
          • American Media Inc.’s former CEO David Pecker testified that they helped Trump’s campaign.
        • Deception (50%)
          The article quotes Keith Davidson, the attorney who previously represented Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, as saying he believed the hush money deals may have helped Donald Trump win the 2016 presidential election. This is an example of editorializing by the author as they are not stating any facts to back up this claim but instead presenting it as a possibility. The author also implies that these actions were taken to help Trump's campaign without providing any peer-reviewed studies or concrete evidence linking the hush money deals to election outcomes. This is an example of sensationalism and unsubstantiated claims.
          • Keith Davidson, the sixth witness to take the stand in Trump's hush money trial, discussed several texts he exchanged with the tabloid National Enquirer's top editor Dylan Howard about McDougal's and Daniels' stories ahead of the election.
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        92%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Trump defense suggests he was shakedown target, not hush money schemer

        The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Devlin Barrett, Thursday, 02 May 2024 20:23
        • Unique Points
          • Donald Trump's defense team suggested that unscrewed entertainment figures targeted Trump for a shakedown attempt during his 2016 presidential campaign.
        • Accuracy
          • ][The defense team suggested] Donald Trump's defense team suggested that unscrupulous entertainment figures targeted Trump for a shakedown attempt during his 2016 presidential campaign.[/]
          • [Keith Davidson] Keith Davidson testified and denied accusations of extortion in negotiations to keep potentially damaging stories from public eye.[
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        81%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Jury Hears Tape of Trump and Cohen Discussing Hush-Money Deal

        The Name Of The NZ Prefix. I PWA NZI.P.Was Dropped. Jonah E. Thursday, 02 May 2024 19:59
        • Unique Points
          • Michael Cohen discussed a hush-money deal with Karen McDougal regarding her claim of an extramarital affair with Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign.
          • Trump instructed Cohen to 'pay with cash' for financing the hush-money deal.
          • Keith Davidson testified about text messages exchanged regarding 'funds received' for the hush-money payments.
        • Accuracy
          No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
        • Deception (30%)
          The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the authors' position of Trump's involvement in a hush-money deal. The authors also use emotional manipulation by describing the voices on the recording as 'loud, deep and unctuous' for Michael Cohen and 'casual' for Trump, which creates a negative impression of Cohen and Trump. Additionally, there is sensationalism with phrases like 'autopsy not only of the politics of 2016, but of the celebrity-obsessed digital media environment in which Mr. Trump rose to prominence'.
          • There was talk of stints in rehab by the actress Lindsay Lohan and an attempt to shake down Mr. Sheen.
          • The recording vividly captured how Mr. Cohen reported details of a key transaction to his then boss.
          • The existence of the recording, made by Mr. Cohen about two months before the election, was previously known. But it demonstrated for the jury the direct involvement of the future president in what prosecutors have said was a conspiracy to help him get elected.
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (80%)
          The authors use language that depicts Trump in a negative light, referring to him as a 'future president' who is 'sitting mutely' during the trial and describing his actions as a 'conspiracy to help him get elected'. They also use the term 'hush money deal' multiple times, which could be seen as having a negative connotation.
          • a conspiracy to help him get elected.
            • hush-money deal.
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication