Trump trial: Trump hit with contempt, witnesses detail Stormy Daniels deal

Stormy Daniels' former attorney testified on Day 9 of Trump's 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

READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.


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Prosecutors want to ask Trump about gag order violations

In a conference with with judge and other attorneys during the mid-morning break, prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told Judge Merchan that prosecutors would like to cross-examine Donald Trump, if he opts to testify, about his nine violations of the case's limited gag order that the judge handed down this morning.

"The people will seek to cross-examine him on those findings," Colangelo said.

Colangelo also argued that prosecutors should be able to introduce evidence about what he called Trump's "pressure campaign" and "intimidation effort" for witnesses like Michael Cohen.

Colangelo argued that defense attorneys "opened the door" to the evidence during their opening statement by arguing that some of the witnesses like Cohen and Stormy Daniels benefited personally from their involvement in the case. He mentioned that prosecutors have approximately half-a-dozen exhibits to demonstrate Trump's effort attacking witnesses.

Colangelo said the evidence would help show Trump's "consciousness of guilt" and explain why some witnesses made contradictory statements about the case.


Farro says opening Cohen's LLC account raised no red flags

While Michael Cohen's former banker, Gary Farro, testified that Cohen took steps to quickly open the account for Essential Consultants, the shell company Cohen used to pay Stormy Daniels, Farro said the process did not prompt any red flags based on the information Cohen provided.

"Not based on the answers I was given ... on the questions I asked," Farro said when asked about potential red flags.

Farro added that accounts in the real estate world were often opened quickly.

"It's not unusual, it's not every time. It's not unusual," Farro said.

Farro testified that he was not involved with the decision to end First Republic Bank's relationship with Cohen, adding that if a client provides false information, First Republic Bank would sever their relationship.

"The decision was not mine," Farro said during a brief re-cross examination.


Farro explains how Cohen's LLC account was opened

Gary Farro, under cross-examination, said that First Republic Bank did not open the account for Essential Consultants LLC for Michael Cohen to operate a shell company.

"I don't open up shell corporations," Farro, who was Cohen's banker, said of the LLC that was used for Cohen to send payment to Stormy Daniels in 2016. "Shell corporations that have no business behind them would give me pause."

While First Republic allows some accounts to be opened with limited transactions -- such as an account for an LLC to own a property or aircraft -- the account created by Cohen had the listed business purpose of "investment consulting" work, according to evidence.

Farro added that the information that Cohen provided -- such as not listing himself as someone's agent -- allowed the account to be opened quicker.

"Not only would it raise more questions, but it would require more paperwork," Farro said.


Farro says Cohen was removed as his client in 2017

Under cross-examination by defense attorney Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen's former banker testified about his first interactions with Cohen.

Gary Farro said his boss introduced him to Michael Cohen in Cohen's office in Trump Tower.

"He was a challenging client because of his desire to get things done so quickly," Farro said. "Ninety percent of the time, it was an urgent matter."

Farro said that his supervisors removed Cohen as his client in 2017, as the details about the transactions in question "went public."

"They didn't want me to have communication with the client any longer," Farro said.


Davidson walks through genesis of Stormy Daniels deal

Stormy Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson testified that National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard reached out to him in June 2016 to let him know that Stormy Daniels' agent Gina Rodriguez was attempting to shop around the Daniels' story.

"Gina is trying to hawk Stormy again," Howard texted Davidson in messages shown to the jury.

"Lol - she's trying to sell the story to you?" Davidson replied.

"Yep," wrote Howard.

Davidson testified that the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape, in which Trump was heard bragging about grabbing women, reinvigorated interest in Daniels' story.

"As far as I am aware, it had a tremendous influence," Davidson said. Before the 'Access Hollywood' tape, there was very little if any interest. It wasn't until 'Access Hollywood' that interest reached a crescendo."

"Trump is f-----," Davidson write in an Oct. 8, 2016, text message to Howard that was displayed for the jury.

Davidson also testified that the post about the alleged Daniels-Trump affair was active again, adding to Trump's problems.

"The Dirty post was bad, but it could get a lot worse," Davidson said.

According to Davidson, Howard and Rodriguez worked out a deal for AMI to buy Stormy Daniels' story for $120,000, but AMI backed out at the last moment. Howard suggested that Rodriguez reach out to Cohen to broker the deal, but she refused. Rodriguez instead asked Davidson to contact Cohen directly.

"Michael Cohen stepped into AMI's shoes" after "AMI washed their hands of the deal," Davidson said.

Davidson said he padded the Stormy Daniels' deal so he could get paid at the request of Gina Rodriguez.

"It is going to be the easiest deal you've ever done in your entire life," Davidson said to describe Rodriguez's request. Her only ask, according to Davidson, was that he would need to "talk to that a------ Cohen."

"It was the original [$120,000], plus $10,000," Davidson said about the $130,000 payment made by Cohen.