Trump trial: Stormy Daniels tells (almost) all about alleged sexual encounter with Trump
Donald Trump watched Stormy Daniels testify on Day 13 of his hush money trial.
Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
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Tarasoff says CFO generally ran decisions by Trump
As the accounts payable supervisor at the Trump Organization, Deborah Tarasoff described her responsibilities in this way: "I get approved bills, I enter them in the system, and I cut the checks."
That type of response -- using as few words as she can -- seems in line with her other commentary from the stand. Tarasoff has a terse sensibility.
"Do you have any sense of how many entities make up the Trump Organization?" prosecutor Christopher Conroy asked her.
"There's a bunch," she said.
Asked to describe the general ledger, she said: "That's where everything goes into and they keep track of things."
Conroy established early in his questioning that she did not necessarily have regular exposure to Donald Trump, but was an important cog in the machine of the Trump Organization -- particularly as it pertains to the allegations in this trial.
"Did you just follow instructions?" Conroy asked.
"Yes," she said.
Tarasoff told jurors that any expenses over $10,000 would need to get direct approval from either Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr. or Eric. Trump.
Tarasoff added that at the time of the events in question, Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg generally ran decisions by Trump directly.
Trump watches as another longtime employee takes stand
As Deborah Tarasoff took the witness stand, Donald Trump watched expressionless as another one of his longtime employees began her testimony.
Unlike controller Jeffrey McConney, who testified this morning, Tarasoff remains an employee of the Trump Organization, where she has worked for 24 years.
Tarasoff, whose legal bills are being footed by the Trump Organization, is being questioned by prosecutor Christopher Conroy.
Longtime Trump employee Deborah Tarasoff to take stand
All parties are back in the courtroom for the day's afternoon session, where prosecutors are preparing to call longtime Trump Organization employee Deborah Tarasoff as their next witness.
Tarasoff worked as an accounts payable supervisor at the Trump Organization when Michael Cohen submitted invoices in 2017 to be reimbursed for the hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels. A direct report to controller Jeffrey McConney, Tarasoff processed and labeled the invoices as "legal expenses."
In his opening statement, defense attorney Todd Blanche argued that Tarasoff was just following orders when she labeled the invoices.
Before Tarasoff takes the stand, defense lawyers are first objecting to the evidence prosecutors plan to introduce during her testimony.
Jurors appear engaged with accounting testimony
The day's morning session was marked by laborious testimony about invoices, legers, and tax documents -- but the jurors appeared surprisingly engaged following two weeks of testimony involving sex scandals and crisis management.
Many jurors this morning took copious notes and looked back and forth at witness Jeff McConney on the stand and the lawyers questioning him.
When the handwritten notes on Michael Cohen's repayments appeared on the courtroom monitors, many jurors appeared lasered in. One juror placed their elbow on the armrest and rested their head on their hand, staring intently into the monitor in front of them.
But as testimony stretched into hours, and prosecutors put accounting document after accounting document onto the screen, at least some jurors' minds appeared to wander. One juror rubbed his eyes and another slumped down in his seat, rested his cheek in his palm and sighed deeply.
"What is a 1099?" a prosecutor asked at one point, prompting a juror to rub his forehead tightly.
Court ends for the day
Judge Merchan has ended the proceedings for the day.
Former President Trump was conferring with his attorney when Stormy Daniels passed by the defense table on her way out of the courtroom, and she and Trump did not appear to acknowledge each other.
Court is off tomorrow, with Daniels' cross-examination scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. ET on Thursday.