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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Westerhout testifies about Trump's check signing process
Trump White House aide Madeleine Westerhout testified that Trump would sometimes receive a stack of checks to sign from the Trump Organization that was sometime "maybe half an inch thick."
"It was consistent -- maybe twice a month," she said about the frequency of receiving a package of checks.
Asked about the number of checks in each package, Westerhout said, "Sometimes there was one. Sometimes there was a stack -- maybe half an inch thick. I never counted them."
From the times when Westerhout saw Trump signing checks, she recounted that Trump signed the checks individually using a felt-tip pen.
Once he was done signing, "He would give the folder back to me, and I would put it in a pre-labeled Fedex envelope and send it back to the Trump Organization."
If Trump had a question about any of the checks, Westerhout said Trump would call then-CFO Allen Weisselberg.
Westerhout says she brought checks for Trump to sign
Prosecutor Becky Mangold asked Trump White House aide Madeleine Westerhout about a series of exhibits, including an email with Michael Cohen coordinating an in-person meeting with Donald Trump in February 2017, as well as correspondence with then-Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg.
"I understood them to be close," she said of Trump's relationship with Weisselberg.
The conversation with Westerhout then turned to then-President Trump's personal expenses.
"It's my understanding they were handled by checks," Westerhout said. "Checks were sent from the Trump Organization to an employee at the White House and I brought them in for the president to sign."
At first, the checks were sent to Keith Schiller, "and then later they were sent to me," Westerhout said.
"The checks came in a FedEx envelope. Inside was a manila folder with a stack of checks and I brought the manila folder into the president," testified Westerhout, who said there were invoices attached to some of the checks.
Westerhout had list of people who got patched through to Trump
Prosecutors showed jurors a contact list for Trump that Trump Organization executive assistant Rhona Graff passed along to White House aide Madeleine Westerhout in 2017.
Among the names listed were Tom Brady, Bret Baier, Sean Hannity, Jerry Falwell, Bill O'Reilly, and Joe Scarborough.
Michael Cohen, David Pecker, and Allen Weisselberg were also included on the list.
Westerhout said the list included the names of people Trump spoke to often or might want to speak with.
Westerhout said if someone called the White House who was included on the list, she would try to patch them through to Trump directly.
Westerhout testifies that Trump didn't use computer, email
Trump White House aide Madeleine Westerhout testified that Trump did not use email or a computer.
"What is Mr. Trump's preferred method of communications?" prosecutor Becky Mangold asked.
"He liked speaking to people in person or over the phone," Westerhout said.
"Did Mr. Trump use a computer?" Mangold asked.
"Not to my knowledge," Westerhout said, adding Trump did not use email.
"He liked hard-copy documents," Westerhout said.
Westerhout testified that Trump paid attention to details and signed things himself, preferably with a Sharpie.
"He preferred to sign things himself," Westerhout said.
"Did he typically read things before signing them?" Mangold asked.
"Yes," Westerhout said.
Judge said defense's concerns can be address on cross
On Stormy Daniels' first day on the stand on Tuesday, her graphic testimony about her alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump -- which Trump denies took place -- prompted attorneys for the defense to seek a mistrial.
Daniels told the jury about noticing an "imbalance of power" with Trump, how she was "blacking out" and found herself nearly naked on the bed of Trump's hotel suite, and how the two engaged in unprotected sex.
Defense attorneys for Trump argued that the testimony did enough damage to merit tossing the trial entirely on the grounds that it was prejudicial in the eyes of the jury.
Judge Juan Merchan denied the bid, saying the defense will have its say during their cross-examination -- which began Tuesday and is scheduled to continue today.