Donald Trump's fixer-turned-foe awaits a bruising round of questioning from the former president's lawyers on Tuesday after testimony that linked the celebrity client to all aspects of a hush money scheme that prosecutors say was aimed at stifling stories that threatened his 2016 campaign.
Information from Eyewitness News, ABC News and the Associated PressDonald Trump's fixer-turned-foe awaits a bruising round of questioning from the former president's lawyers on Tuesday after testimony that linked the celebrity client to all aspects of a hush money scheme that prosecutors say was aimed at stifling stories that threatened his 2016 campaign.
Daniels needed to be paid to prevent her from going public about a sexual encounter she says she had with Trump, who was running for the White House in 2016. She told jurors last week that she received $130,000. On Oct. 27, 2016 - less than two weeks before the 2016 election - Cohen finalized the payments to buy Daniels' story. Immediately, he went to Trump to inform him the deal was done.In afternoon testimony at Donald Trump's hush-money trial, Michael Cohen said he used the Jewish high holiday of Yom Kippur - the day of atonement - as one of many excuses to delay completing a deal with Stormy Daniels.
A similar episode occurred after Cohen alerted Trump that Playboy model Karen McDougal had alleged that she and Trump had an extramarital affair. Cohen said Trump ordered him to "make sure it doesn't get released." Cohen recalled going to Trump's office, asking Trump if he knew McDougal or anything about the story.Cohen said he communicated regularly with National Enquirer publisher David Pecker and editor Dylan Howard to stop the story from getting out. He said the tabloid executives updated him regularly on their discussions and that he kept Trump apprised of developments.
Cohen said he was seeking to harness the power of the National Enquirer to Trump's benefit, given its high visibility next to the cash registers at tens of thousands of supermarkets across the U.S. Text messages, audio recordings, notes and more have all been introduced or shown to jurors in recent weeks to illustrate what prosecutors say was a scheme to illegally influence the election that year. And sometimes dramatic testimony from witnesses that included former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, ex-Trump staffers and porn actor Stormy Daniels added to the intrigue.
"Right now it's seems to me we're trying to jump the gun. We're trying to explain why he's not here without making any effort to get him here," Merchan said. "If counsel prefers, we'd be willing to stipulate that Weisselberg is in jail for perjury," Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy responded.
"Actually, I kind of enjoyed it," the paralegal said matter-of-factly, to chuckles from the courtroom audience.Meanwhile, Trump continued to scrutinize some papers on the table in front of him, as he had for much of the courtroom day.Georgia Longstreet, a paralegal at the Manhattan district attorney's office who previously testified about procuring social media posts and other publicly available evidence, returned to the witness stand in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday.
Rather than the tabloid making the deal, Trump's then-lawyer Michael Cohen ended up paying Daniels $130,000 - a higher price to add compensation for a lawyer who negotiated on her behalf. The text messages add another dimension to the negotiations, which were previously discussed in testimony by former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker and others.
Under questioning from Trump lawyer Susan Necheles, Westerhout testified Friday that the packages were sent to aides directly because it took items a long time to percolate through the White House mail system. Over more than 7 hours of testimony, Daniels relayed in graphic detail what she says happened after the two met at a celebrity golf outing at Lake Tahoe where sponsors included the adult film studio where she worked. Daniels explained how she felt surprise, fear and discomfort, even as she consented to sex with Trump.
Westerhout provided the White House perspective on that arrangement, recounting how Trump would receive packages about twice a month - some containing one check and others with a stack about a half-inch thick. The checks were often attached to invoices stating what the payment was for. Before going to the White House, Westerhout worked for the Republican National Committee. She was there when Trump's infamous "Access Hollywood" tape was made public weeks before the 2016 election.
Prosecutor Becky Mangold began questioning by having Menzie read some sections of the book specifically attributed to Trump. Blanche also said they will seek to prevent former Playboy model Karen McDougal from testifying and that they will make further arguments about the gag order that bars Donald Trump from speaking publicly about jurors, witnesses and others connected to the case.Daniels acknowledges she never spoke to Trump about the hush money payment
Necheles asked Daniels if she was aware of what Trump had been indicted for, producing an uncomfortable answer that the lawyer wanted stricken from the record. Her answer: "There's a lot of indictments." Several times, defense lawyer Susan Necheles accused Daniels of altering the details of her story over time, saying at one point: "Your story has completely changed."
Several times on Thursday, Stormy Daniels has taken issue with Trump lawyer Susan Necheles' questioning. After Necheles showed Daniels a social media post she'd made that did not reflect those precise words, Daniels replied: "I don't see the 'instrumental' or 'jail.' You're putting words in my mouth."
While Daniels said she was most interested in getting her story out and ensuring her family's safety, Necheles accused her of refusing to share the story with reporters because she wouldn't be paid for it."The better alternative was to get my story protected with a paper trail so that my family didn't get hurt," Daniels replied.
She hired Michael Avenatti, who sued Donald Trump and prevailed in getting the non-disclosure agreement nullified. Trump was ordered to pay Daniels about $100,000 in legal fees. "Locating and purchasing the information from Daniels not only completes the narrative of events that precipitated the falsification of business records but is also probative of the Defendant's intent."
"This goes directly to her credibility, which they attacked and I'm sure will continue to attack," Hoffinger said, arguing that the defense had "opened the door" for the testimony in its opening statements and prior witness questioning. "This is the kind of testimony that makes it impossible to come back from," he said, adding that it is also "unfair" as Trump has to go out on the campaign trail later today.
After fining Trump $1,000 on Monday for again violating his gag order, Judge Juan M. Merchan said he was prepared to send him to jail if the former continues violating a court mandate barring him from speaking publicly about jurors, witnesses and some others connected to the case. Trump was fined $9,000 last week for nine other violations of the order.
"They were interested in paying for the story, which was the best thing that could happen because then my husband wouldn't find out but there would still be documentation," Daniels said. Asked if Trump ever told her to keep things between them confidential, she testified: "Absolutely not." Daniels said she spoke with Trump several more times by phone and that he eventually told her he wouldn't be able to put her on "The Apprentice." She testified that Trump told her "someone high up's wife overruled" the idea.
After multiple discussions with the judge in the hush money case and Trump's lawyers out of the earshot of jurors, prosecutor Susan Hoffinger navigated her questioning about the encounter with exceeding caution.Trump's lawyers repeatedly objected as Daniels described certain details, and Judge Merchan repeatedly shot down Daniels' attempts to describe the encounter in more vivid detail - striking several of her answers from the official court record.
"I thought, 'Oh my God,' what did I misread to get here?" Daniels testified. "Because the intention was pretty clear. Somebody stripped down in their underwear and posed on the bed, waiting for you." "He's like, 'this is your chance for somebody to see you and maybe give you that opportunity,'" Daniels said. "He pitched it as a win-win."When Stormy Daniels went to meet Donald Trump for dinner in 2006, she testified Tuesday, she took an elevator up to the penthouse level of the hotel where was staying per instructions from his bodyguard.
"I said, 'Does Mr. Hefner know you stole his pajamas,'" Daniels recalled, referring to the late Playboy owner. Trump then left her to quickly change into a suit. She said Trump's hotel suite was three times the size of her apartment. Daniels was upbeat and voluble on the stand, speaking over the prosecutor's questions occasionally and laughing at times as she recounted her wide-ranging resume. She was twice asked by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger to slow down so that a court stenographer could keep up.
Trump stared straight forward as Daniels entered the room, turning his head slightly in her direction as she approached the witness stand. The readings appeared to be designed to show that Trump was hands-on at his company and willing to retaliate against those he perceived to have done him wrong. Merchan agreed with the prosecution that the details will be necessary because of the porn actor's credibility concerns and past denials. Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger said that prosecutors intend to establish that Daniels and Trump did have intercourse but that the testimony "will not involve descriptions of genitalia" or other seamy details.An attorney for Stormy Daniels says the porn actor isDaniels arrived and walked inside 100 Centre Street.
Asked about the trial's timeline after prosecutors advised Judge Merchan that they expect to wrap their case two weeks from tomorrow, Trump told reporters, "The government just says that they want you three more weeks ... that means they want to keep me off the trail for two to three weeks now."
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