The third week of testimony in Donald Trump’s secret trial ends Friday after jurors heard the dramatic, if not downright sordid, account of porn actor Stormy Daniels, while prosecutors prepare to hear from their most powerful witness. crucial: Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer. .
Daniels’ story about an alleged sexual relationship with Trump has been a crucial element for prosecutors, who seek to show that the Republican and his allies buried unflattering stories in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential election in the purpose of illegally influencing the race.
Trump, who denies the sexual encounter ever occurred, left the court in anger on Thursday, angrily telling reporters: “I’m innocent.” His lawyers pushed for a mistrial because of the level of sordid details Daniels discussed on the witness stand, but Judge Juan M. Merchan denied the request.
During more than 7 1/2 hours of testimony, Daniels recounted in detail what she said happened after the two met at a celebrity golf outing in 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 having sex with Trump.
During the combative cross-examination, Trump’s lawyers sought to portray Daniels as a liar and extortionist who is trying to bring down the former president after making money and fame from her claims. Trump lawyer Susan Necheles asked Daniels why she accepted the payment to keep quiet instead of going public, and the two women exchanged barbs over what Necheles called inconsistencies in the story of Daniels over the years.
“You made all that up, didn’t you?” » Necheles asked Daniels.
“No,” Daniels retorted.
The trial was previously scheduled to begin on May 20.
The defense sought to demonstrate that the money payments made on his behalf were an effort to protect his reputation and his family — not his campaign — by shielding them from embarrassing stories about his personal life.
After Daniels left the stand Thursday, Trump’s lawyers pressed the judge to change the silence order that prevents him from speaking about witnesses in the case so he can respond publicly to what she said to the jurors. The judge also rejected this request.
All of this takes place before Trump and jurors confront Cohen, who arranged a $130,000 payment to Daniels. It’s unclear when prosecutors will take the stand of their star witness, who pleaded guilty to federal charges and went to prison for his role in the hush money scheme.
Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying the Trump Organization’s internal business records. The fees come from documents such as invoices and checks that were considered legal fees on company records. Prosecutors say those payments were largely reimbursements to Cohen for Daniels’ secret payment.
Returning to the witness stand Friday morning is Madeleine Westerhout, a Trump aide who was working at the Republican National Committee when Trump’s infamous “Access Hollywood” tape was leaked just before the 2016 election. This tape is important as prosecutors say the political storm it caused accelerated Daniels’ payment.
Westerhout, who later became Trump’s personal secretary, told jurors Thursday that the recording had so shaken the RNC leadership that “there were discussions about how it would be possible to replace him as candidate , if it came to that.”
Judge Juan Merchan ruled that former President Donald Trump violated the court’s silence order for comments about the jury in his New York criminal case.
Witnesses in the case have fluctuated between accountants and bankers, with testimony often curt to Daniels and others with salacious and unflattering stories about Trump and the machinations of the tabloid world meant to keep them secret. Despite all the drama, this is ultimately a trial about money shifting — business transactions — and whether those payments were made to illegally influence the 2016 election.
The criminal case could be the only one of four against the presumptive Republican presidential nominee to go to trial before voters decide in November whether to send him to the White House. Trump has pleaded not guilty and presents himself as the victim of a politically tainted justice system that is working to deny him another term.
Meanwhile, as Trump threatens jail time over repeated violations of the hush order, his lawyers are fighting the judge’s order and seeking a quick ruling in an appeals court. If that court refuses to lift the silence, Trump’s lawyers want permission to appeal to the state’s high court.
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Richer reported from Washington.
NBC Chicago
