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.


What to know about the hush money case

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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.


Under re-direct, McConney says he was following orders

Before ending his cross-examination, defense attorney Emil Bove attempted to pour cold water on a small narrative element prosecutors advanced about the location of handwritten notes containing arithmetic related to the reimbursing of Michael Cohen.

Then-CFO Allen Weisselberg, who jotted down the notes, ordered McConney to put the notes in a locked cabinet, McConney said earlier, suggesting that the document was intended to remain secret.

But Bove argued that "the reason that cabinet was locked was because the payroll book" was inside of it, containing sensitive information about employee salaries, bonuses and social security numbers.

"It's not that these notes were particularly sensitive," Bove said. "You locked the drawer to keep that sort of sensitive information secure?"

Furthermore, Bove asked, "Isn't it a fact that most of the drawers in your office were locked?"

McConney confirmed this, and said he had "a lot of sensitive information" in his office.

During a brief re-direct examination, prosecutors attempted to distance McConney from the agreement to reimburse Cohen for the Stormy Daniels payment and suggest that McConney was just following orders.

"Did you participate in any conversations with Mr. Trump, Mr. Cohen and Mr. Weisselberg?" prosecutor Matthew Colangelo asked.

"No sir," McConney said.

"This was all happening above your head?" Colangelo asked.

"Yes," McConney said.

"You were told something and you did it?" the prosecutor asked.

"Yes," McConney responded.

Court subsequently recessed for the lunch break.


Daniels describes alleged sexual encounter with Trump

As Stormy Daniels described how she and Trump began having sex, Trump tapped his attorney Susan Necheles again, presumably to encourage her to object. Necheles then raised an objection about details of the sex, which was sustained.

Trump has steadfastly denied that he had a sexual encounter with Daniels.

"The next thing I know I was on the bed," Daniels said. "I had my clothes and my shoes off. I believe my bra however was still on."

Jurors seemed riveted -- a few were furiously jotting down notes, but most have their eyes fixed securely on Daniels.

"Do you remember how your clothes got off?" Hoddinger asked.

"No," Daniels said.

"Did you end up having sex with him on the bed?" Hoffinger asked.

"Yes," Daniels said.

"Did you touch his skin?" Hoffinger asked.

"Yes," Daniels said.

"Was he wearing a condom?" Hoffinger asked.

"No," Daniels said.

"Was that concerning to you?" Hoffinger asked.

"Yes," Daniels said.

Before detailing the sexual encounter, Daniels noted there was an "there was an imbalance of power" but she was not threatened.

"He was bigger and blocking the way. I was not threatened verbally or physically," Daniels said.

When it was over, Daniels said Trump told her, "We have to get together again soon."

She said he never expressed any worry about his wife finding out.