Dramatic moment. The second day of the cross-examination and grilling of Michael Cohen in Donald Trump's hush money trial in New York included a dramatic moment that could prove pivotal, according to CNN's reporters in the courtroom.
Defense attorneys were able to confuse Cohen about a call he made to Trump's former bodyguard Keith Schiller. This particular call, they were able to show, had nothing to do with speaking to Trump about Stormy Daniels.
From CNN's Kara Scannell: "It was the most dramatic moment of the cross-examination. Cohen looks like he made up that one call after he saw some records form the prosecution and filled in the blank. It casts doubt on Cohen's memory of phone calls in 2016."
She added: "It's up to the jury to decide whether he made up this one call or all calls."
Here's how Cohen explained it in the afternoon, according to CNN's Jeremy Herb: "Even if he didn't recall the circumstances of every call, he remembers the calls themselves."
Read more updates from the day.
Important point. The prosecution has not called Schiller or Trump's imprisoned former CFO Allen Weisselberg. Both men play key roles in the narrative, and there are reasons they probably weren't called. What will the jury think?
Should Biden have pardoned Trump? Here's the argument from Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney: "Had I been President Biden, when the Justice Department brought on indictments, I would have immediately pardoned him," Romney told MSNBC's "The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle." "I'd have pardoned President Trump. Why? Well, because it makes me, President Biden, the big guy and the person I pardoned a little guy." More.
Biden invokes privilege over Hur recordings. The White House already released transcripts of President Joe Biden's interview by special counsel Robert Hur. But they draw the line at handing over audio recordings. Now House Republicans are moving to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress.
On the one hand, if they have the transcripts, why do they need the audio? On the other hand, why doesn't Biden just release the audio? Maybe Biden's aides don't want it played in a loop in attack ads. Updates.
NFL seeks distance. Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker recently warned graduates at Benedictine College about "diabolical lies" regarding women seeking careers. He believes the young women graduating are "most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world."
It's ballooned into a thing because the NFL has been trying to appeal more directly to women as fans, and because of the power dynamic in Taylor Swift's relationship with Butker's teammate Travis Kelce. Read this analysis of the backlash.
CNN investigation. UCLA's pro-Palestinian encampment was attacked by counterprotesters. A review of video by CNN's investigative team identifies some of them. See the story.
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