MICHAEL COHEN, Donald Trump’s former personal attorney.
Closing arguments in the “hush money” trial of former president Donald Trump on Tuesday showed two different views of the events surrounding the payment of $150,000 to former porn star Stormy Daniels.
In the New York City courtroom, the prosecution claimed that Trump paid the money to Daniels in order to have her agree not to publicize their sexual relations, fearing it would damage his chances to be elected president in 2016. Trump has denied any such relationship.
The defense argued that the witnesses against Trump were not reliable. “President Trump is innocent. He did not commit any crimes and the district attorney has not met their burden of proof, period,” said attorney Todd Blanche.
Trump is accused of filing falsified business documents, stating that payments to Daniels were listed as “legal expenses.”
Pope Francis apologizes for slur
POPE FRANCIS (WIkipedia)
An apology was issued by Pope Francis for having used a vulgar and insulting term for homosexual men in an earlier conversation with Italian bishops.
The pontiff had used the word humorously on May 20 during a talk between closed doors. The pope reportedly employed the term while speaking of the church’s policy banning gay Catholics from entering seminaries or becoming priests.
His remarks come at a time when the pope has expressed interest in the Roman Catholic Church considering outreach to gay and lesbian Catholics.
Democrats’ plan for Biden in Ohio
DEMOCRATIC Convention in 2016 (Wikipedia).
In response to an Ohio law which could keep President Joe Biden’s name off the November ballot, Democrats are planning an electronic end run.
Under the law, candidates must be certified by Aug. 7, but the Democratic National Convention, the body that officially nominates its choices for president and vice president doesn’t meet until Aug. 19.
To meet that deadline, Democrats are planning on holding a “virtual roll call” of conventions delegates, thus nominating Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris without the traditional formality on convening physically in Chicago.
Israeli forces press ahead
HAMAS vs. Israel (Shutterstock).
In a drive to defeat remaining Hamas forces in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, Israeli tanks are pressing ahead into the center of Rafah.
Those armored vehicles advanced by night in which Israeli forces said were “targeted” and “precise” thrusts toward that area from which Hamas militants reportedly fired rockets last week.
Israel claims it evacuated about 950,000 Gaza’s from the area before making the move, which came two days after an Israeli air strike started a fire at a replacement camp in which 45 or more civilians died, including women and children.
Sports: LA vs. NY
The Angels host the Yankees and the Dodgers visit the Mets in a double-header. Results will be posted later.
Weather: It’s all the same
You won’t need a meteorologist to tell you what’s going on outside the next few days: the weather will pretty much be the same. Partly cloudy skies are predicted for our West Orange County area through Saturday. Daytime highs will be 72 or 73 with overnight lows at 59.