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.


What to know about the hush money case

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


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Court back in session for Day 4

Court is back in session for Day 4 of the trial, kicking off what is widely expected to be the last day of jury selection.

Former President Trump is in his usual seat at the defense table, along with his lawyers. His aide Steven Cheung and attorney Cliff Robert are sitting in the back row of the courtroom.

"Good morning, Mr. Trump," Judge Merchand said as he entered the courtroom, which, like yesterday, is quite chilly.

"We're still working on the temperature in the courtroom," Merchan told all those assembled.


'I want to be open,' Trump tells reporters

Entering the courthouse this morning, Trump again criticized the limited gag order in the case, telling reporters, "Every time I come out to speak to you, I want to be open because we did absolutely nothing wrong."

It was a continuation of his campaign against Judge Merchan's limited gag order, which prevents him from targeting potential witnesses in the case, as well as jurors, lawyers, court staff, and the families of Merchan and District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

"The gag order has to come off. I should be allowed to speak," he said.

-Kelsey Walsh and Michael Pappano


Alternate jurors expected to be picked today

The temperature is rising in Donald Trump's New York criminal trial -- just not in the courtroom itself.

As the parties worked to select the jury Thursday, prosecutors alleged that the former president had violated the limited gag order in the case seven additional times beyond the three instances they flagged on Monday. The accusation came a day after Judge Juan Merchand scolded the former president for muttering within earshot of the jury.

As for the actual temperature, Trump and his attorneys complained it was too cold.

"I'm sitting here for days now from morning till night in that freezing room," Trump told reporters Thursday during a break in the proceedings.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche asked Judge Merchan is he could turn up the heat in the courtroom "just one degree," but the judge politely declined, saying he feared a one-degree bump in the nearly century-old building could increase the temperature by 30 degrees.

But the parties persevered, seating the jury's 12 members by the end of the day. Today they'll work to seat the jury's six alternates, in the hope of starting opening arguments on Monday.


'I'm supposed to be in North Carolina,' Trump tells reporters

Following court, Trump exited the courtroom where he reiterated to reporters that he spent the day in the courtroom instead of campaigning for president.

"I'm supposed to be in … New Hampshire … I'm supposed to be in Georgia. I'm supposed to be in North Carolina, South Carolina. I'm supposed to be in a lot of different places campaigning, but I've been here all day on a trial that really is a very unfair trial," he said.

The former president went on to claim that legal experts and various media outlets suggest there's no case.

"The case is ridiculous," he said. "It's missing fraud. There is no fraud."

A reporter, referring to a juror who had characterized Trump during questioning as "selfish and self-serving", shouted, "The juror called you selfish. How does that make you feel?" but Trump did not respond and exited the hallway.

-Kelsey Walsh and Michael Pappano


Pecker says McDougal's story could have 'hurt the campaign'

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified that he believed Donald Trump had knowledge about the $150,000 contract to buy Karen McDougal's silence regarding an alleged year-long affair.

"Do you know if anyone else besides Michael Cohen had any knowledge of this contract?" prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked.

"Yes, I believe Donald Trump did," Pecker responded.

"Was your principal purpose to suppress the story to prevent it from influencing the election?" Steinglass asked.

"Yes," Pecker said.

"Were you aware that expenditures by corporations made for the purpose of influencing an election made in coordination with or at the request of a candidate or campaign were unlawful?" Steinglass asked.

Pecker said he was aware and confirmed that the Enquirer's parent company, AMI, never reported the payment to the Federal Election Commission.

"We purchased the story so it wouldn't be published by any other organization," Pecker said.

"Why did you not want it to be published by any other organization?" Steinglass asked.

"We didn't want the story to embarrass Mr. Trump or embarrass or hurt the campaign," Pecker said.

"Who is we?" Steinglass followed up.

"Myself and Michael Cohen," Pecker said.

According to Pecker, AMI agreed to the $150,000 payment on the promise that Donald Trump or the Trump Organization would reimburse AMI for the payment. He frequently followed up with Cohen about the reimbursement and got a similar answer from Cohen.

"Why are you worried? I am your friend. The boss will take care of it," Pecker said about Cohen's response.