Stormy Daniels’ lawyer argued at Donald Trump’s trial Thursday that the $130,000 she was given was “not a quid pro quo and was not hush money.”
Keith Davidson was on the witness stand in Manhattan Supreme Court when he made his confession, and cheekily wanted to describe the arrangement (set up with the porn actress by then-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen) as “a consideration in a civil settlement.” I testified. ”
Trump is on trial for allegedly falsifying payment records.
In a 2018 statement written on Daniels’ behalf, Davidson claimed that Daniels had never had a “sexual and/or romantic relationship with Donald Trump,” and that statement It focused on and defended a very specific and technical definition.
“I don’t think anyone would argue that her interactions with Mr. Trump were romantic,” the lawyer testified.
Davidson also testified that even though Daniels wrote the letter and she signed it, it was his “understanding” that she actually had sex with Trump.
Prosecutors say Daniels was paid by Cohen to keep quiet about her alleged secret meeting with President Trump in 2007 ahead of the 2016 election. claims.
The charges against Mr. Trump are that Mr. Trump repaid Mr. Cohen $130,000 and allegedly falsified business records by listing it as “legal expenses.”
Mr. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felonies and denies having sex with Mr. Daniels, but Mr. Daniels may testify at a future trial.
Mr. Trump’s lawyers also drew out details of Mr. Davidson’s rather unsavory past dealings during a tense cross-examination, noting that he represented a client who received hush money from actor Charlie Sheen. and asked if another client had paid him for leaking Lindsay Lohan’s medical files. TMZ.
An exasperated Davidson said of the Lohan episode: “I don’t remember it.”
Mr. Davidson also described his relationship with Mr. Cohen, and appeared to have developed a fairly close relationship with Mr. Cohen.
He testified Thursday, explaining that President Trump apparently removed him from a top Cabinet position in a single phone call on Dec. 9, 2016.
“Jesus, can you believe I’m not going to Washington?” Davidson recalled.
“I’ve saved that guy’s butt so many times, you never know,” Cohen added of Trump, Davidson told jurors.
Cohen, who left the Trump Organization in 2018 and turned his back on his former employer, had previously spoken to Davidson about his desire to be named Trump’s attorney general or chief of staff, Davidson said. told the jury.
He added that during the call, Cohen ranted about money he had paid Daniels that had not yet been reimbursed.
“That son of a bitch didn’t give me $130,000 back,” Cohen said of the payment to Daniels.
Ms Cohen was “depressed” and “despondent” in a December 2016 phone call, and Ms Davidson said she was “depressed” and “despondent” at the “bizarre” event, which included an “Alice in Wonderland” theme, including a giant rabbit on display. ” said it happened while shopping at a decorated California department store.
When asked again about the phone call during cross-examination by Trump’s lawyer Emile Bove, Davidson recalled, “I thought he was going to kill himself.”
Prosecutors also eventually introduced recordings of Cohen’s phone calls, pleading guilty to charges of tax evasion and making false statements in court.
In it, he tells Davidson about Trump:
In context, it appears that Cohen is referring to Daniels’ payment.
“And my comment to him was, ‘But everyone you talked to said it was the right thing to do,'” Cohen added in the recording.
Mr. Trump, 77, wore a navy blue suit, white shirt and mustard yellow tie as he sat quietly in the defense box, observing testimony.
Lawyers for the former president argued that Cohen’s future testimony at trial was unreliable. That’s because a lawyer who was sentenced to prison based on the same hush money payment as Daniel is bent on revenge against Trump.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office acknowledged that Cohen had “baggage” but said evidence on paper and testimony from other witnesses would corroborate his account.
If President Trump is convicted of falsifying business records, he could be sentenced to up to four years in prison.
After his day in court, Trump visited members of the New York City Police Department and Fire Department at the Midtown fire station at 51st E. East, where he brought a stack of pizzas.
One firefighter told The Post over a slice of pepperoni. “It’s always special when the president shows up at work.
“We had a conversation. I thanked him for coming, and he thanked us. He’s a nice guy for going out of his way to come.”
