Trump trial: Judge rebukes Michael Cohen ahead of expected testimony Monday
Former President Trump was in court on Day 15 of his criminal trial in New York.
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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Bookkeeper testifies she mailed checks for Trump to sign
For their next witness, prosectors have called Rebecca Manochio, a Trump Organization employee.
Manochio, on the stand, said she has worked for the Trump Organization for 11 years, including working as former CFO Allen Weissleberg's assistant for eight years. She now works as a junior bookkeeper at the company.
She said that she is testifying pursuant to a subpoena. "I was compelled to testify," she said.
Manochio testified she was the one who personally mailed the checks for Michael Cohen to Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., while he was president, for him to sign.
"How frequently did you have to FedEx checks to Mr. Trump?" she was asked.
"About once a week," she responded.
"Deb would give me the checks in a manilla folder, and I would put them in a FedEx envelope with a return," she testified.
Manochio said she would send Trump a bundle of checks weekly via Federal Express.
Asked about how many checks she sent at one time, she said, "Maybe between 10 and 20. I am not sure though."
Manochio said she would normally receive the signed checks back within a few days.
"Did you always check to make sure they were signed once you got them back?," she was asked.
"Yes," she affirmed.
"Who's signature was on them?" she was asked.
"Mr. Trump's," she said.
Stormy Daniels concludes testimony
During her redirect examination, Stormy Daniels suggested Trump targeted her in a Truth Social post.
"IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I'M COMING AFTER YOU," Trump wrote in August 2023.
Daniels said that Trump made the post shortly after he sued her for legal fees in Florida.
"I wasn't sure, but I thought it was me," Daniels said about the subject of the post.
Prosecutors previously told Judge Merchan that they planned to introduce social media posts to demonstrate a pressure campaign by Trump against known witnesses in the case.
On recross examination, defense attorney Susan Necheles suggested that the post likely referenced Trump's attitude toward a Republican political action committee, not Daniels' conduct.
With her testimony complete, Daniels stepped off the witness stand and departed the courthouse.
Daniels says she's been telling 'the truth' about Trump
"Have you been telling lies about Mr. Trump or the truth about Mr. Trump?" prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Stormy Daniels.
Daniels answered, "The truth," and she said it has cost her.
"I've had to hire security, take extra precautions for my daughter, move my daughter to a safe place to live, move a couple times," she said.
Hoffinger concluded her redirect examination with this question: "On balance, has your publicly telling the truth about your experiences with Mr. Trump been net positive, or net negative?"
"Negative," Daniels answered.
Prosecutors display social posts disparaging Daniels
Prosecutors showed the jury disparaging tweets posted about Daniels, including one that said, "Good luck walking down the street after this."
"Are these two tweets examples of some of the tweets that you have received ... in relation to things you have said publicly about Mr. Trump?," Hoffinger asked.
"Yes. These are tame actually," Daniels responded.
Defense seeks to distance Trump from nondisclosure
In her cross-examination of Stormy Daniels, defense attorney Susan Necheles sought to distance Donald Trump from the nondisclosure agreement Daniels signed.
"You have no personal knowledge of his involvement in that [agreement] and what he did and didn't do?" Necheles asked.
"Not directly," Daniels said.
Necheles also emphasized that Daniels had nothing to do with the crux of the case, which is how the payment to her was labeled on Trump's business records.
"And you know nothing about Trump's business records, right?" Necheles asked.
"I know nothing about his business records, no." Daniels responded. "Why would I?"
Daniels seemed to suggest she wasn't entirely clear on the substance of the charges against Trump in this case -- leading to a jab against the former president.
"You have no knowledge of what he's indicted for?" Necheles asked.
"There are a lot of indictments," Daniels responded.
The judge declined to strike that statement.