(NEW YORK) — Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
May 06, 11:07 AM
Jurors see 1st invoice for Cohen’s repayment
Former Trump Organization controller Jeff McConney testified that Michael Cohen emailed an invoice to McConney for payment, which was displayed on screen for the jurors, marking the first time the jurors have seen one of the 34 records charged in this case.
“Just a reminder to get me the invoices you spoke to Allan about,” McConney had emailed Cohen.
“[Cohen] typed an invoice into his response email,” McConney testified.
The invoice Cohen sent was ultimately sent to and approved by then-CFO Allan Weisselberg, McConney testified.
In an email shown to the jury, Weisslberg clearly wrote: “ok to pay as per agreement with Don and Eric.”
Eric Trump, in the front row of the gallery, nodded yes repeatedly as the email flashed on screen.
May 06, 10:59 AM
Jury sees paper trail detailing Cohen repayment plan
The jury was shown the paper trail of handwritten notes from both controller Jeff McConney McConney and CFO Allen Weisselberg memorializing the repayment to Michael Cohen for his handling of the Stormy Daniels payment.
First, the jury saw a paper statement from Essential Consultants LLC, the shell company Cohen created to pay Daniels. Weisselberg had marked up the account with handwritten notes to outline the repayment plan.
Jurors also saw McConney’s notes on Trump-branded letterhead. They largely matched the repayment plan outlined by Weisselberg, with some additional reminders, such as ” x2 for taxes” regarding the plan to double the repayment to compensate for the taxes Cohen would owed on the payment.
Last, jurors saw an email dated Feb. 6, 2017, from McConney to Cohen with the subject line “$$.”
“Just a reminder to get me those invoices you spoke to Allen about,” McConney wrote in the email.
“I sent Michael an email to send us the invoices — at least the invoice for that month,” McConney testified.
May 06, 10:48 AM
McConney’s notes show Cohen’s repayment schedule
Former Trump Organization controller Jeff McConney’s handwritten notes from a conversation with then-Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg memorialize a monthly reimbursement schedule to Michael Cohen that prosecutors allege was ultimately falsified to keep voters in the dark about the hush payment to Stormy Daniels.
“We were going to wire the funds monthly from Mr. Trump’s personal account,” McConney said.
Cohen was to be paid $35,000 each month for twelve months. “That was just math,” McConney said.
McConney calculated the monthly payment based the $130,000 wire to Keith Davidson, Daniels’ attorney, plus $50,000 to the IT consulting company Red Finch.
Cohen doubled the $180,000 total.
“Michael recorded $360,000 for tax purposes,” McConney said. There was an addition $60,000 to be paid as a bonus after “Michael was complaining his bonus wasn’t large enough.”
May 06, 10:34 AM
McConney says Weisselberg told him about reimbursing Cohen
Former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney testified about how he learned about the need to reimburse Michael Cohen in 2017.
“Allen [Weisselberg, the CFO] said, ‘We have to get some money to Michael — reimburse Michael,” McConney said. “He tossed a pad toward me and I started taking notes on what he said. That’s how I found out about it.”
McConney said that the money included Cohen’s bonus for the year and “some other money he was owed.” Prosecutors allege that the payment reimbursed Cohen in part for his $130,000 hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
Asked to describe Cohen’s role in the company, McConney responded, “He said he was a lawyer.”
May 06, 10:27 AM
McConney says only Trump could sign personal checks
Former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney testified that Donald Trump was the only one who could sign checks that were cut from his personal checking account.
“Who had signature authority for checks from the DJT account?,” he was asked.
“Just President Trump,” McConney responded.
But McConney also testified that in 2017 there were multiple individuals who could have signed checks that cut from the revocable trust, including Eric Trump and then-CFO Allan Weisselberg.
“For checks under $10,000 any of them [could sign],” McConney said. “Over $10,000 needed two signatures”
Eric Trump, who is seated in the first row, did not react when his name was repeatedly mentioned from the witness stand. He continued staring at the monitor to his left.
May 06, 10:21 AM
McConney tells story of Trump saying, ‘You’re fired’
Trump once told McConney, “You’re fired” — but it was just a “teaching moment,” the former Trump Organization controller testified.
McConney shared an anecdote from early in his tenure at the Trump Organization, in the late 1980s — which might have foreshadowed the iconic catchphrase Trump later brandished on his reality TV show, The Apprentice.
“I would hand-deliver the [cash position] report to him once a week,” McConney explained.
On one of those occasions, McConney said he entered Trump’s office while Trump was on the phone. After he dropped off the report, McConney said he turned to leave. Trump asked whoever he was on the phone with to “hold on.”
“Jeff, you’re fired,” he said Trump told him, before turning back to his conversation on the phone.
McConney said he waited until Trump rang off. When he did, he said, “Jeff, you’re not fired. But my cash balances went down since last week.”
“It was a teaching moment,” McConney said. “Just because someone is asking for money, negotiate with ’em, talk to ’em — don’t just do it mindlessly.”
Trump, sitting at the defense table, appeared to flash a smile as McConney relayed the anecdote.
May 06, 10:08 AM
McConney says he worked daily with CFO Allen Weisselberg
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo began his questioning of former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney, who is testifying under subpoena. McConney said the Trump Organization is paying for his attorneys in this matter.
McConney, who oversaw the company’s general ledger and managed the accounting department, told jurors that he directly reported to Allen Weisselberg, the former Trump Organization CFO, from “the day I was hired until the day he left.”
McConney told jurors that he interacted with Weisselberg on a daily basis.
“Other than having lunch everyday, whenever I needed to. His office was next to mine,” McConney said.
May 06, 9:53 AM
DA calls ex-Trump Organization comptroller as next witness
Prosecutors have called as their next witness Jeffrey McConney, the former longtime controller at the Trump Organization.
McConney served as the Trump Organization’s controller for over 20 years before leaving the company with a $500,000 severance payment amid multiple criminal and civil investigations. He was among the Trump Organization executives who, along with Trump himself, was found liable earlier this year for committing a decade of business fraud.
Prosecutors have said he allegedly received and processed nearly a dozen fraudulent invoices from Michael Cohen to reimburse him for paying Stormy Daniels a $130,000 hush money payment just days ahead of the 2016 election.
May 06, 9:38 AM
Judge again holds Trump in contempt, threatens jail time
Judge Juan Merchan has found former President Trump violated the limited gag in the case for a 10th time and has held him in contempt.
“I find you in criminal contempt for the 10th time,” Merchan said.
Merchan said that the $1,000 dollar fines per violation “are not serving as a deterrent” and threatened to jail Trump moving forward.
“Mr. Trump, last thing I want to do is put you in jail, you are the former president of the United States, and possibly the next president as well,” Merchan said, directly addressing Trump.
“At the end of the day I have a job to do,” Merchan said.
May 06, 9:30 AM
Trump enters courtroom
Trump has entered the courtroom, carrying a stack of papers in his hand.
The former president is joined for the second time by his son Eric Trump, who is sitting in the front row of the gallery next to Trump lawyer Alina Habba, who is in court for the first time.
Prosecutors have also filed into the courtroom.
May 06, 7:36 AM
3rd week of testimony to begin
The third week of testimony in former President Trump’s criminal hush money trial gets underway this morning.
Jurors on Friday heard the completion of Hope Hicks’ testimony, as the former top Trump aide recounted the 2016 Trump campaign’s reaction to the release of the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape, and also said she felt it would have been out of character for Michael Cohen to have made the $130,000 Stormy Daniels hush money payment on his own.
The trial is scheduled to resume this morning with testimony from the prosecution’s next witness.
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