By Aaron Miller-
The trial surrounding former President Donald Trump’s alleged hush money payments to adult film actress , Stormy Daniels, took a dramatic turn as prosecutors presented a detailed paper trail of transactions, including checks bearing Trump’s signature, in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday.
The payments, which were intended to secure Daniels’ silence about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign, were meticulously documented, with a significant portion originating from Trump’s personal checking account during his first year as president.
Mr Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records by disguising payments to his former attorney as “legal expenses” across Trump Organization records
On the bottom of a bank statement that notes the withdrawal of $130,000 to Ms Daniels’ attorney in October 2016, then-Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg scribbled the rough math for Cohen’s reimbursements, according to documents shown in court.
Now, former Trump Organization executive Jeffrey McConney wrote his own notes on a notepad with Trump Organization letterhead, writing that Cohen will receive $35,000 per month beginning 1 February, 2017. The bottom of the note adds “Mike to invoice us.”
“[Weisselberg] said, ‘we have to get some money to Michael,’” Mr McConney said on Monday. “I started taking notes on what Allen said.”
After weeks of witness testimonies shedding light on the inner workings of Trump’s campaign and damage control strategies, prosecutors provided jurors with a comprehensive overview of the allegedly “falsified” business records central to the case.
Two long-serving Trump Organization employees testified extensively, outlining the accounting procedures surrounding payments to Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen.
These payments, disguised as “legal expenses” across Trump Organization records, included monthly checks of $35,000 over 12 months, alongside additional funds to reimburse Cohen’s $130,000 payment to Porn actress, Stormy Daniels.
The court heard how Allen Weisselberg, then-chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, and Jeffrey McConney, former Trump Organization executive, were involved in processing Cohen’s payments.
Weisselberg’s handwritten notes and McConney’s email exchanges provided insights into the orchestration of these transactions.
The defense argued that the payments were legitimate “legal services” rendered by Cohen, duly processed and recorded within the organization’s accounting system.
However, prosecutors emphasized that the checks, ledger entries, and invoices collectively constituted 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The intricacies of the payment process revealed a complex web of approval procedures, with Trump or his sons being the sole authorities for approving invoices exceeding $10,000.
Trump’s personal involvement in authorizing checks from his personal account was also highlighted, underpinning the gravity of the allegations against him.
In a striking moment during McConney’s testimony, he admitted to being “in the dark” about the arrangements between Trump, Cohen, and Weisselberg, indicating that he followed instructions without full knowledge of their implications.
The presentation of this paper trail echoes past legal proceedings involving Cohen’s plea agreement in 2018, where similar evidence was used to establish federal campaign finance violations.
Likely Testimony
The New York Times today published that the now well known Stormy Daniels is likely to testify against Trump in court, with the prosecutor’s strongest witness, Michael Cohen, who arranged the hush money payment describing Daniels as ‘quick on her feet’.
The prosecution is also likely to attack Daniel’s integrity and credibility, as one who sort to exploit the former president t6o further her own financial and career interest.
Ms. Daniels, 45, who has been married four times, has gained international fame ever since her allegation against Trump was made public.
The broad media attention has earned her greater publicity, and she has engaged in paranormal investigations, ghost-hunting shows, and equestrianism, a pastime she has long pursued.
She describes herself on her Audible Podcast, Beyond the Norm as ‘ a writer, an activist, a stand-up comedian, an actress, a psychic medium, a director, a porn star and a witness for the prosecution against former president Donald Trump.
Trump, who is aspiring for a second shot at the presidency has several times attacked credibility of the trial, but will have to use his lawyers to engage the allegations and see what verdict results from it all.
Judge Juan Merchan threatened Trump with jail over a gag order breach, a she found the former president in criminal contempt for the 10th time before they even took the stand.
Only a few days ago, the judge hit the former president with a $9,000 fine, over other comments that flouted the order that bars him from discussing trial witnesses or jurors.
“Mr Trump, as you know the prosecution has filed three separate motions to find you in criminal contempt,” Merchan told Trump before testimony resumed. “It appears that the $1,000 fines are not a deterrent.”
“The 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. “But, at the end of the day, I have a job to do, and part of that job is to protect the dignity of the judicial system.”
Trump’s actions, Merchan said, “constitute a direct attack on the rule of law”.
He said: “I cannot allow that to continue”.