Former President Donald Trump is facing a hush money trial, with two key witnesses from the Trump Organization testifying on Monday. Jeffrey McConney, a former controller at the Trump Org., and Deborah Tarasoff, an accounts payable supervisor, provided crucial insights into the payments made to Stormy Daniels’ attorney, Michael Cohen.
McConney walked the jury through the paper trail, revealing how executives organized and reimbursed Cohen for the payments, which were disguised as retainer fees. Tarasoff detailed the process of how checks were paid within the organization and highlighted the instances when Trump’s approval was required for payments.
During his testimony, McConney disclosed that Cohen received a total of $420,000 from Trump’s revocable trust and personal account, including 12 checks of $35,000 each in 2017. Business records related to these transactions were presented as evidence in the trial.
Trump’s attorney questioned McConney about Trump’s involvement in the payments, to which McConney stated that Trump did not instruct him to take any of the documented actions. The prosecutor estimates that the trial may extend for two more weeks, allowing both sides to call additional witnesses.
In a surprising turn of events, the judge found Trump in contempt for breaching a gag order, specifically for remarks he made about the jury’s composition. Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records, with each charge linked to a specific entry in the Trump Organization’s records. The prosecution alleges that Trump utilized the payments to Daniels as part of his campaign in the 2016 election. As the trial unfolds, more revelations are expected to shed light on the intricacies of the case.
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