The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York City on Friday blocked his attempt to subpoena broadcasting company NBC Universal over a documentary it produced about adult actress Stormy Daniels.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has been indicted on 34 state felony counts for allegedly falsifying business records in New York to conceal an alleged “hush money” payment to Daniels about his alleged extramarital affair with her. To support his defense in the case, Trump had sought to subpoena NBC Universal for documents it possessed about Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, in connection with a film it produced about her alleged relations with him, which Justice Juan Merchan of the Supreme Court of New York’s Trial Division denied by granting NBC’s motion to quash the subpoena in a ruling on Friday. (RELATED: Judge Expands Gag Order Against Trump After Fiery Social Media Criticism)
“The instant subpoena is far too broad and seeks general discovery,” wrote Merchan in his four-page ruling. “Defendant claims that the materials sought by the subpoena will establish collusion between NBCU and Daniels relating to the release date of the documentary. Defendant argues that NBCU and Daniels conspired to release the documentary as close to the start date of this trial as possible to prejudice Defendant and maximize their own financial interests.”
Read the judge’s ruling here:
Decision and Order on Motion to Quash Defendant’s Subpoena, People v. Trump, IND-71543-2023 (NYS Trial Div…. by Daily Caller News Foundation on Scribd
Merchan’s ruling also blocked the subpoena on the grounds that NBC Universal is a media organization, and Trump’s claim did not meet the burdens required by New York Civil Rights Law to do so.
NBC Universal, through its subsidiary Peacock, released the documentary film “Stormy: Being Outspoken Is Not A Crime” on March 8 at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. The film chronicles her early life and involvement in controversies regarding Trump, according to a summary by NPR.
Daniels will be testifying in Trump’s criminal trial in New York as a witness for the prosecution, alongside Michael Cohen, a convicted felon and Trump’s former personal attorney.
“Defendant’s claims are purely speculative and unsupported, his subpoena and the demands therein are the very definition of a fishing expedition,” Merchan concluded.
Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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