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.
Trump arrives in court
Donald Trump has arrived in court with his usual entourage of lawyers, staff, and secret service agents.
Trump promptly took his seat alone at the counsel table as his lawyers and paralegals worked around him set up electronics for this morning's contempt hearing, in which prosecutors will seek to have Trump held in contempt of court for repeatedly violating the case's limited gag order.
Three prosecutors -- Joshua Steinglass, Christopher Conroy, and Matthew Colangelo -- are seated at the counsel table, with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and about eight members of his office seated in the first two rows of the gallery.
Bragg appears to have two security agents seated behind him, while a dozen court officers and secret service agents surround the courtroom and former president.
Day 6 of trial to start with contempt hearing
Day 6 of Donald Trump's criminal trial will begin with a hearing in front of Judge Juan Merchan in which prosecutors will seek to have the former president held in contempt for repeatedly violating the limited gag order in the case.
Prosecutors have argued that Trump violated the limited gag order -- which prohibits statements about witnesses, jurors, and lawyers in the case other than Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg -- on at least ten separate occasions this month, and have asked the judge to hold him in contempt of court and fine him $10,000.
Trump's lawyers have argued that prosecutors have not proven the posts in question were willful violations of the gag order, telling Merchan that the former president was defending himself from attacks by the likely witnesses.
Following the hearing, testimony in the hush money trial is scheduled to resume with former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker on the stand. Prosecutors believe he is key to understanding Trump’s motivation for paying off Stormy Daniels so damaging information did not seep into the 2016 campaign.
Trump, after court, says payments were correctly labeled
Moments after his criminal trial adjourned for the day, Donald Trump exited the courtroom and told reporters that his payments to his former attorney Michael Cohen were appropriately labeled as legal expenses.
"Actually, nobody's been able to say what you're supposed to call it," Trump told the media. "If the lawyer puts in a bill or an invoice and you pay the bill ... that's a very small little line ... it's not like you could tell a life story."
"They marked it down for a legal expense. This is what I got indicted over," Trump said.
The former president also attempted to paint Cohen as an unreliable witness and said he "wasn't very good in a lot of ways" as an attorney.
Trump's motorcade then departed the courthouse.
-Mike Pappano
Court wraps for day, Pecker to return tomorrow
David Pecker stepped off the witness stand after his initial testimony. He is scheduled to return to the witness stand tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET.
During his brief testimony, Pecker suggested that former National Enquirer Chief Content Officer Dylan Howard -- an alleged participant in the catch-and-kill scheme alleged by prosecutors -- will be unable to testify due to a medical condition.
Pecker appeared to greet Trump and his lawyers as he exited the courtroom.
Court subsequently wrapped for the day.
Trump left the courtroom flanked by Secret Service agents and staffers, as well as Trump Organization General Counsel Alan Garten.
Judge Merchan is scheduled to hold a contempt hearing about Trump’s alleged violations of the case’s limited gag order tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Pecker describes 'great relationship' with Trump
Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, back on the witness stand, pointed at Donald Trump and flashed a smile when he was asked to identify the defendant. Trump turned his chin up and grinned at his longtime friend.
"I met Mr. Trump at Mar-a-Lago," Pecker said. "I've had a great relationship with Mr. Trump over the years."
That relationship started in 1989 when Pecker wanted to start a magazine called Trump Style.
"He was very helpful in introducing me to other executives in New York. He would always advise me of parties or events that I would go to," Pecker said, adding that Trump was among the first to congratulate him upon acquiring the National Enquirer.
Pecker described how Trump became a "major celebrity" after launching The Apprentice and later Celebrity Apprentice, and how the National Enquirer was there to juice Trump's profile.
"He was always kind enough to send me the content showing the ratings and I was able to publish that," Pecker said of their "great mutual beneficially relationship.
Pecker said he considered Trump a friend from 2015 to 2017, calling him by the familiar "Donald," as he pursued the White House for the first time.
"After he announced his run for the presidency I saw Mr. Trump more frequently, maybe once a month," Pecker said. The two spoke "maybe once every couple of weeks."
Pecker recalled meeting Trump in his office when his assistant brought a batch of invoices and checks to sign.
"As I recollect the entire package was stapled together," Pecker said.
"So you observed him reviewing an invoice and signing a check?" prosecutor Josh Steinglass asked. "That's correct," Pecker responded.
"I would describe him as very knowledgeable, very detail-oriented, almost as a micromanager," Pecker said.
When Steinglass asked how Trump was with money, Pecker responded, "He was very cautious and very frugal."