Trump trial: Stormy Daniels tells (almost) all about alleged sexual encounter with Trump
Donald Trump watched Stormy Daniels testify on Day 13 of his hush money trial.
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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Defense presses Daniels on not paying Trump's legal fees
Defense attorney Susan Necheles played up the animosity Stormy Daniels has for Donald Trump after a California court dismissed a lawsuit she filed against him and awarded Trump legal fees totaling more than a half million dollars.
"You're choosing not to pay President Trump one penny," Necheles said. "You've chosen to disobey a court order."
She read a Tweet from Daniels saying she would go to jail before paying Trump the money a court determined she owed.
Necheles' voice, during questioning, is almost rising to shout, jolting the courtroom.
Judge Merchan reminded Necheles to allow Daniels to answer the question before rushing on to the next one.
Daniels says she hates Trump, wants him 'held responsible'
Defense attorney Susan Necheles began her cross-examination of Stormy Daniels by suggesting that Daniels' testimony was rehearsed.
"The prosecution subjected you to several grueling prep sessions, which included brutal mock cross examinations?" Necheles asked.
"My testimony was not rehearsed," Daniels responded.
"The memories were hard to bring up -- they were painful," Daniels added.
"Am I correct that you hate President Trump?" Necheles asked.
"Yes," Daniels responded.
"And you want him to go to jail?" Necheles asked.
"I want him to be held responsible," Daniels said.
Daniels says she's been paid $100K for Peacock documentary
Stormy Daniels testified that she sold the license rights of her story to Peacock -- which released a documentary about her earlier this year -- for $125,000.
Of that amount, Daniels said she has has received $100,000 so far.
Asked why she felt the need to make the documentary, Daniels responded, "To get the truth out -- the same as the book."
Hoffinger then asked Daniels to read aloud one of Trump's social media posts about her.
"I did NOTHING wrong in the 'Horseface' case," Daniels read, slightly raising her voice. "Never had an affair with her, just another false acquisition [sic] by a Sleazebag."
Daniels testified that Trump has repeatedly called her "horseface."
In the jury box, many of the jurors have been taking notes as Daniels testifies, with others looking back-and-forth between Hoffinger and Daniels as though they're watching a tennis match.
Trump, meanwhile, is slouched back in his seat, looking down or straight ahead -- still seeming to avoid looking toward the witness.
After the last round of questions, Hoffinger concluded her direct examination.
Daniels says Avenatti sued Trump without her consent
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Stormy Daniels about her 2018 lawsuit against Donald Trump for defamation.
Trump had called Daniels' allegations of being threatened in Las Vegas a "con job." A court later dismissed the case and ordered Daniels to pay Trump's legal fees.
According to Daniels, her attorney at the time, Michael Avenatti, filed the lawsuit against her will.
"Did you want him to do that?" Hoffinger asked.
"No," Daniels said. "It just seemed really risky and it didn't seem like something that could be won. It seemed like a bad choice. Not worth it, I guess."
Daniels later fired Avenatti, who was disbarred and imprisoned for stealing from clients.
Daniels testified that she still owes Trump for the legal fees in the case.
"Because I don't have the means to pay that kind of funds and because I didn't think it was fair," Daniels said about why she hasn't paid.
She testified that the outcome of this criminal case will have no outcome on her outstanding fees -- possibly getting ahead of a potential line of cross-examination.
McConney tells story of Trump saying, 'You're fired'
Trump once told McConney, "You're fired" -- but it was just a "teaching moment," the former Trump Organization controller testified.
McConney shared an anecdote from early in his tenure at the Trump Organization, in the late 1980s -- which might have foreshadowed the iconic catchphrase Trump later brandished on his reality TV show, The Apprentice.
"I would hand-deliver the [cash position] report to him once a week," McConney explained.
On one of those occasions, McConney said he entered Trump's office while Trump was on the phone. After he dropped off the report, McConney said he turned to leave. Trump asked whoever he was on the phone with to "hold on."
"Jeff, you're fired," he said Trump told him, before turning back to his conversation on the phone.
McConney said he waited until Trump rang off. When he did, he said, "Jeff, you're not fired. But my cash balances went down since last week."
"It was a teaching moment," McConney said. "Just because someone is asking for money, negotiate with 'em, talk to 'em -- don't just do it mindlessly."
Trump, sitting at the defense table, appeared to flash a smile as McConney relayed the anecdote.