Trump hush money trial: Trump found guilty on all counts in historic case
Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts in his hush money trial.
Former President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 felony counts 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 convicted 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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Trump guilty on all 34 counts
Court recesses for lunch
Court recessed for lunch, with the jury continuing their deliberations.
Under the rules of the court, no notes were to come from the jury during the hour-long lunch break.
Trump, on social media, says 'I don't buy stories'
While the jury deliberates, Trump -- from the courthouse -- posted to social media about the readback that the jury just heard.
During the readback, the jury heard former National Enquirer publisher testify about a June 2016 phone call he had with Trump after Playboy model Karen McDougal came forward with a story of a year-long affair with Trump, which Trump has steadfastly denied.
"This story about Karen, since she's claiming that she has a relationship with you, should be taken off the market," Pecker recounted telling Trump -- to which Trump replied, "I don't normally -- I don't buy stories because it always gets out."
"I still think you should buy the story," Pecker testified that he told Trump, to which Trump replied, "I'll speak to Michael, and he'll get back to you."
In his social media post, Trump said, "Testimony conclusively showed that I clearly stated, "I DON'T BUY STORIES!" -- Not that there would be anything wrong with doing that -- NDA's [nondisclosure agreements] are PERFECTLY LEGAL AND COMMON!"
Pecker testified that the National Enquirer eventually paid McDougal $150,000 to catch and kill her story so it would not become public, under the expectation that the money would be reimbursed by Trump -- although the reimbursement never materialized.
-Kelsey Walsh
Jury resumes deliberations after readbacks
At the conclusion of the readback, Judge Merchan asked the jury if he had satisfied both their requests.
"Yes sir," the jury foreman said.
The jury then left the courtroom to return to their deliberations.
"You are excused," Merchan said to the parties before leaving the bench and heading to his robing room.
Trump and his entourage departed the courtroom to head to the waiting area.
Jury rehears Cohen testimony about Trump Tower meeting
Turning to Michael Cohen's testimony, the jury reheard his testimony, under questioning from prosecutors, that Pecker -- during the 2015 Trump Tower meeting -- vowed to keep an eye out for "anything negative about Mr. Trump" and flag them to Cohen.
Q: Could you tell the jury, please, what was discussed and what was agreed to at that meeting?
A: What was discussed was the power of the National Enquirer in terms of being located at the cash register of so many supermarkets and bodegas; that if we can place positive stories about Mr. Trump, that would be beneficial; that if we could place negative stories about some of the other candidates, that would also be beneficial.
Q: Was there anything else that Mr. Pecker said he could also do for Mr. Trump's candidacy?
A: Yeah.
Q: What, in substance, did he say?
A: What he said was that he could keep an eye out for anything negative about Mr. Trump, and that he would be able to help us to know in advance what was coming out and try to stop it from coming out.
Q: And who did he say he would get in touch with if his -- he was able to identify those types of stories?
A: The answer was: Me. Mr. Trump also. Knowing my relationship with David, "The two of you should work together. And anything negative that comes , you let Michael know, and we'll handle it."
Defense says Daniels took advantage of 'Access Hollywood' tape
Advancing his argument that Trump was extorted by Stormy Daniels, defense attorney Todd Blanche told jurors that Stormy Daniels and her agent Gina Rodrgiuez saw a "time to strike" after the release of the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape.
"Ms. Daniels and Ms. Rodriguez seized an opportunity," Blanche said. "They came back to Mr. Howard again and said ... now it is the time to strike."
Turning a prosecution argument on its head, Blanche argued that rather than being the catalyst for the Daniels hush payment and the eventual falsifying of business records, the "Access Hollywood" was Daniels and Rodriguez seizing an "opportunity."
Shouting emphatically, Blanche ticked through the three alleged catch and kills in an attempt to shred prosecutors' theory that they constituted a conspiracy to influence the election.
The doorman story was "not true," he said. Susan McDougal didn't want her story out. Daniels came forward after the "Access Hollywood tape" and David Pecker said, "Nah, I want nothing to do with it,' Blanche said.
"That's the conspiracy?!" Blanche yelled. "That's the three catch and kills!?"