Talk show host Bill Maher criticized Democrats for failing to hold Trump accountable, saying the Stormy Daniels case in Manhattan may be their last chance.
“I mean, the Democrats have had four years to put Trump on trial and it is all just going away. They blew it at every turn,” Maher said.
“Here’s what’s happened this week,” he said. “Georgia … They’re gonna take up Trump’s argument about Fani Willis. You know, she’s the prosecutor: she’s having an affair with the guy she hired. I mean, it’s not really relevant to the case, but they left an opening. And now that one’s gonna be delayed.”
“The stolen documents one. That’s never gonna happen because that’s a Trumpy judge down there. So it’s Stormy or bust,” Maher said.
Maher added, “If this one doesn’t work, and she’s a bad witness, because… let me show you a little video. This is when I had Stormy on in 2018, and first I asked her why she had sex with Trump, listen to that, and then listen to what she says after that, and then we’re going to talk about the trial, because it’s quite at variance with what she told me in 2018.”
Maher played a 2018 clip where Daniels said her encounter with Trump wasn’t assault or coercion, contradicting her current testimony.
“Why did you [expletive] Donald Trump?” Maher asked.
Daniels said, “I have no idea. It is not a me too case. I wasn’t assaulted. I wasn’t raped. I wasn’t attacked or raped, or coerced or blackmailed. They tried to shove me in to the me too box.”
Legal analysts panned the trial, saying Judge Merchan allowed irrelevant salacious details from Daniels and let prosecutors submit misleading records after deleting calls.
Former federal prosecutor Brett Tolman said the judge isn’t properly applying rules to prevent confusion and irrelevant evidence.
“So what I’m shocked to hear is the lack of this judge referencing what we call Rule 403 and 404 of the rules of evidence. And that is, in essence, these are rules to prevent confusion, to prevent waste of time, and to prevent evidence from coming in that’s not relevant,” former U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman said.
“What we have so far is actually evidence that is completely confusing, it is a waste of time, and it is entirely irrelevant,” he added. “So it tells me that what is happening in this courtroom is not necessarily a concerted effort by a judge to make sure that certain facts are admitted to this jury and certain are not.”
“In fact, the judge seems to be participating in this charade, this show of a trial,” he said.
Critics argue the kangaroo court proceedings aim to interfere in the 2024 election by draining Trump’s resources and time rather than achieve justice, as Merchan tolerates loose evidentiary standards and prosecutors may have obstructed justice.
