Former President Donald Trump did not personally direct Trump Organization executives to set up reimbursement for former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, according to witness testimony Monday in New York v. Trump. Became.
“Was Michael Cohen a lawyer?” defense attorney Emile Bove asked former Trump Organization administrator Jeffrey McConney Monday at the beginning of the fourth week of the trial.
“Of course I do,” McConney replied.
“And the payments to the lawyers by the Trump Organization are legal costs, right?” Bove asked.
“Yes,” McConney said.
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Trump Organization administrator Jeffrey McConney leaves the New York State Supreme Court on Friday, October 6, 2023, in New York, USA. Donald Trump is facing off against New York Attorney General Letitia James in a controversial civil case. He controls his real estate empire in the state.Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Getty)
“President Trump did not ask you to do what you just described…is that correct?” Bove asked.
“He didn’t,” McConney replied.
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President Trump is in Manhattan for the fourth week of his trial, where he is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records. New York v. Trump case The report alleges that Cohen, President Trump’s former lawyer, paid former porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 in 2006 to quash claims by former porn star Stormy Daniels that she had an affair with the then-real estate mogul. is focused on. Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels.
On April 26, 2024, in Manhattan state court in New York City, Trump was indicted on charges of falsifying business records to hide money he paid to hush porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016. Emile Bove and former President Donald Trump chat during the trial. Courtroom sketch. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)
Prosecutors allege that the Trump Organization reimbursed Cohen and fraudulently recorded the payments as legal costs. Prosecutors are working to prove that Trump falsified records to commit or conceal a second felony crime.
McConney, who was the Trump Organization’s administrator for more than 20 years, took the stand Monday and was roundly criticized by both prosecutors and the defense.
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Mr. McConney was instructed by former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg to repay Mr. Cohen monthly payments of $35,000, with the final payment sent to Mr. Cohen in December 2017. testified that it was done.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen (right) stands outside a federal courthouse in New York, U.S., on Thursday, December 14, 2023. (Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
McConney also detailed that Cohen was initially paid back through a trust and then switched to payments from Trump’s personal account. An email from Mr. McConney to Mr. Cohen was introduced as evidence showing that the controller responded to Mr. Cohen confirming that the check needed to be sent to the White House for Mr. Trump’s signature. It was done.
The total amount paid to Cohen was $420,000, which was “increased” to ensure he didn’t lose out on taxes, according to testimony.
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His testimony under cross-examination strengthened the Trump campaign’s defense, with the official outlining that the 45th president had not taken an active role in redeeming Cohen.
Piers Morgan’s planned interview with Stormy Daniels has resumed after being postponed last week due to security concerns. (Philip Farawan/Getty Images)
“And as far as you know, President Trump hasn’t asked anyone to do that?” Bove continued as prosecutors objected.
“Did you ever suggest in your conversations with Mr. Weisselberg that President Trump told you to do these things?” Bobe pressed.
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“Mr. Allen never told me that,” McConney said.
Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump’s criminal trial continues on charges that he falsified business records to hide money he paid to hush porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016. Inside, sitting in the courtroom. April at Manhattan State Court in New York City. 22nd, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDiarmid/Pool)
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McConney will be the prosecution team’s 10th witness since the trial began in mid-April. Last week, the court heard from lawyer Keith Davidson, who previously represented Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougall. Doug Daus, a computer forensic analyst in the prosecutor’s office. Bank executive Gary Faro. and Hope Hicks, who worked at the Trump Organization and later served as President Trump’s press secretary during the 2016 presidential campaign.
President Trump’s trial is expected to last at least six weeks. President Trump slammed the incident, calling it a “fraud” promoted by the Biden administration ahead of the 2024 election.
Earlier Monday, Chief Judge Juan Melchán said he would consider a prison sentence if Trump continues to violate the gag order. The gag order prohibits President Trump from making public statements about witnesses or their potential participation, or directing others to make statements about court officials, DA officials, or the employees’ families. There is.
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Prosecutors argued that Trump violated the order more than 10 times, and a judge ruled last week that Trump violated the order nine times and fined him a total of $9,000. Marchan on Monday fined the former president an additional $1,000 for additional violations, but argued it was “clear” that a $1,000 fine per violation was ineffective.
“The last thing I want to think about is prison,” Marchan said. “you [the] Former president, and possibly the next president. ”
Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and Michael Lee contributed to this report.
