Trump trial: 1st week of testimony ends with testimony from Michael Cohen's former banker
Banker Gary Farro testified in Donald Trump's hush money 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 to hide the reimbursement of a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
Top headlines:
- Banker says he set up LLC, which Cohen used to pay Daniels
- 'Thank you for handling' McDougal, Pecker says Trump told him
- 'This story is true,' Pecker recounts being told of Stormy Daniels
- Pecker describes $150,000 negotiations for McDougal's story
- Secret Service has plans if Trump is confined for contempt: Sources
What to know about the hush money case
READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.
DA files formal request to hold Trump in contempt
The Manhattan district attorney's office has filed its formal request to hold former President Trump in contempt over a series of recent social media posts that, among other things, call witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels "sleaze bags."
Prosecutors said yesterday that three of Trump's social media posts this month "plainly violate" Judge Merchan's limited gag order because they target known witnesses who will testify at the trial.
"And defendant's violations were knowing and willful -- indeed, they are the latest in what this Court has already recognized as a deliberate strategy to impede this criminal trial," prosecutors wrote in Tuesday's filing. "To be sure, defendant has loudly and repeatedly complained that the order is unlawful, in both court filings and other public statements. But no court has agreed with his objections, and a defendant's mere disagreement with a court's order is no defense to criminal contempt."
Defense attorneys have insisted Trump was responding to "repeated, salacious, demon attacks" by Daniels and Cohen.
The judge has scheduled a hearing on the matter next Tuesday.
Trump seated at defense table as court gets underway
Former President Trump has reclaimed his seat at the defendant's table, Judge Juan Merchan is back on the bench -- and the second day of the criminal trial of the former president is underway.
Trump greeted court officers upon arrival, mouthing to one, "How are you?" as he made his way down the aisle accompanied by lawyers Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles and Emil Bove.
Trump is once again seated between Blanche and Bove.
The three men appeared to be in and out of conversation as they awaited the judge, with Trump periodically looking down at the desk or at the monitor in front of him.
Trump says Cohen payments were 'legal expense'
Former President Trump, addressing reporters on his way into court, defended the way payments were made to his former attorney Michael Cohen, pushing back on the crux of the DA's case that they were improperly labeled as legal expenses.
"I was paying a lawyer and I marked it down as a legal expense, some accountant," Trump said. "I didn't know. That's exactly what it was."
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has accused Trump of improperly labeling the money as legal expenses to Cohen in order to hide that the funds were to repay hush money paid to Stormy Daniels to boost Trump's electoral prospects.
"Legal expense -- that's what you're supposed to call it," Trump said.
"This is a trial that should never happen, it should have been thrown out," he said.
Trump arrives at courthouse
Former President Trump has arrived at the courthouse for the second day of jury selection.
Unlike Monday when a small group of supporters and protesters greeted the former president, there were essentially none at the courthouse this morning.
He again railed on social media against the limited gag order that prevents him from targeting witnesses and others associated with the case.
"I want to speak, or at least be able to respond," Trump wrote on his social media platform, attacking Judge Juan Merchan and again claiming the trial is "election interference."
ABC News' Soo Rin Kim and Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report.
Judge affirms 'Access Hollywood' tape can't be played
Prosecutors will not be allowed to play audio or video of the former president's infamous "Access Hollywood" tape or his video deposition from the E. Jean Carroll defamation case for jurors, Judge Merchan ruled.
Joshua Steinglass, a prosecutor, argued that the words used in the "Access Hollywood" tape was necessary for jurors to get a complete picture of their case. Blanche framed the video as "extremely salacious evidence that's very, very, very prejudicial."
On the matter of the "Access Hollywood" tape, Merchan reaffirmed his prior ruling that it should not be played for the jury -- but said prosecutors can read Trump's words aloud.
"It's not a little point," Merchan said. "My ruling that we were not to play the tape was, and remains, that the tape itself is so prejudicial -- to see Mr. Trump depicted, the words coming out of his mouth, the facial expressions … the tape itself should not come in."
On the 2005 tape, Trump can be heard saying that "when you're a star, you can do anything" to women, including "Grab them by the p----."
Merchan also said video from Trump's deposition in E. Jean Carroll's defamation trial should not be played to the jury.