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.


What to know about the hush money case

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


0

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.


Jury hears secretly recorded call between Daniels' lawyer and Cohen

Jurors heard a surreptitiously recorded phone call between then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels' then-attorney, Keith Davidson.

"I just didn't want you to get caught off guard, and I wanted to let you know what was going on behind the scenes," Davidson says on the recording. "And I would not be the least bit surprised if, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if you see in the next couple of days that Gina Rodriguez's boyfriend goes out in the media and tells the story that Stormy Daniels, you know, in the weeks prior to the election was basically yelling and screaming, and calling me a p----."

"Can I, can I ask you a question? Right," says Cohen.

"No, hold on one second," says Davidson. "I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he comes out and says, you know what, Stormy Daniels, she wanted this money more than you can ever imagine. I remember hearing her on the phone saying, you f------ Keith Davidson. You better settle this goddamn story. Because if he loses this election, and he's going to lose, if he loses this election we lose all f------ leverage this case is worth zero. And if that happens, I'm going to sue you because you lost this opportunity. So settle this f------ case. That's a far cry, that's a far cry from far cry from being, you know, bullied and pushed into settling a case."

Trump, sitting at the defense table, appeared highly pleased with this testimony -- he hunched forward over the table in leaned into the monitor on his table that displayed the transcript of the call, firmly nodding is head yes in agreement repeatedly when the tape said "we lose all f------ leverage."

Trump then looked directly at the witness stand when Daniels responded to the tape, saying she never yelled at Davison.