'Should be dropped': Internet divided as Trump attorney accuses Stormy Daniels' ex-lawyer of 'extortion'

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: On Thursday, May 2, during the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump, his lawyer argued that the $130K payment made over an alleged affair was a result of "extortion".

According to Reuters, the defense attorney, Emil Bove, questioned Keith Davidson, the former attorney of adult film star Stormy Daniels involved in the “hush money” deal, about other instances of his comparable cash-for-dirt negotiations with other celebrities.

This line of questioning appears to be part of Trump's legal team's strategy to undermine the credibility of prosecution witnesses, in what is the first-ever criminal trial of a former United States President.

What did Emil Bove ask Keith Davidson when he took the stand?

Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, has been accused of attempting to conceal a payment made to porn star, Stormy Daniels, just before the 2016 presidential election.

Trump, who has pleaded not guilty, denies Daniels' claim that they had sexual intercourse.

Keith Davidson, Stormy Daniels' attorney at the time, testified on Thursday that he facilitated the $130,000 payment with Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal attorney.

During the cross-examination, Davidson was asked about his alleged attempts to solicit money from former pro wrestler, Hulk Hogan, in exchange for a sex tape.

Davidson was also questioned about his efforts to obtain compensation from celebrities, such as Charlie Sheen and Tila Tequila, in exchange for maintaining silence over the embarrassing information.

Bove insinuated that the witness had a track record of profiting from celebrities, and interrogated Davidson regarding his involvement in settlements with Charlie Sheen, Lindsey Lohan, and Tila Tequila.

“You were pretty well-versed in getting right up to the line without committing extortion, right?” Bove asked.

Per RawStory, Davidson denied ever committing extortion, however, he admitted that he couldn't recollect for all of his 1,500 clients, which led Trump's attorney to accuse him of having a "fuzzy memory."

"You extracted money from Charlie Sheen, right?" Bove asked. "What about [adult film actress] Capri Anderson?"

"There's no extraction," Davidson replied.

"Look, we're both lawyers," Bove retaliated. "I'm not here to play lawyer games with you."

The former president’s lawyer insisted he was seeking "truthful answers."

"I am giving you truthful answers, sir," Davidson responded derisively. "If you're not here to play legal games, don't say the word 'extract.'"

Who is Emil Bove?

Emil Bove is an Assistant United States Attorney at the US Attorney's Office, for the Southern District of New York, according to the official Albany Law School website.

Before joining the US Attorney's Office, he was an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. He also completed clerkships with the Honourable. Richard J Sullivan, US District Court, SDNY, and the Honourable Richard C Wesley, 71, US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Bove received his Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 2008, and he has garnered an impeccable reputation as a white-collar defense lawyer.

Internet reacts to Trump's lawyer Emil Bove's impressive outing on Week 2 of the hush money criminal trial

One X user remarked, "So this lawyer is guilty of blackmail? Well. Throw the damn case out today!"

Another user claimed, "Looks like Bragg's case is falling apart as it goes. Its only purpose was to sabotage Trump's campaign as much as possible."

Another user said, "The DAs case is going down fast now and I'm here for it."

One X user wrote, "The crime here is the falsification of business records. A paper trail exists showing cohen paid some women money, trump then later reimbursed cohen for exactly the sum he paid the women. The question is was it a legitimate business expense?"

Another user remarked, "Great job! This should be dropped!"

Finally, this user tweeted, "Speculation and circumstantial evidence is all it takes sometimes."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.