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 hears differing views of his personality
Former President Trump, sitting at the defense table, just finished listening to opposite reviews of his presidency and character.
First, a prospective female juror bluntly said, "I don't like his persona," when asked if she has any strong opinions about him.
"The way he presents himself in public ... he is just very selfish and self serving," the prospective juror said. "So I don't really appreciate that in any public servant. I don't know him as a person ... but just how he is in public, and how he carries himself in public, it's not my cup of tea."
Trump seemed to be leaning forward listening carefully to her answer, at times fidgeting. He leaned back and crossed his arms when she finished.
Then, a male prospective juror took the mic and said he found Trump "pretty amazing."
"He was a businessman in New York. He forged his way," the prospective juror said. "He kind of made history ... I’m impressed with that.”
Trump leaned forward again, listening to this new answer.
"I started as an entrepeneur as well ... made a lot of things happen," the prospective juror said. "Just like he has."
A lifelong New Yorker who works in law enforcement, he said that his love of hockey also made him feel warmly toward Trump.
“As a wannabe hockey player, I still thank him for fixing that Wollman Rink that nobody could fix,” he said of the ice skating rink in Central Park that Trump had refurbished in the 1980s.
Defense attorney probes jury prospects for bias
Defense attorney Susan Necheles is now questioning the potential jurors to probe for any bias they might have regarding the former president.
"Do you have strong feelings about President Trump?" Necheles asked a prospective juror who lives on the Upper West Side and works in publishing.
"I disagree with most of his policies," she responded, though she added she did not have a strong opinion of Trump personally. "It is purely a political opinion."
A woman who lives in Inwood and works as a paralegal at a major law firm acknowledged that she might have made some negative social media posts about Trump.
"His politics aren't always my politics," she said of the former president.
"Is this going to affect how you are going to look at the evidence of this case, even if you want to be fair?" Necheles asked the jurors broadly.
Prosecutor tells jury pool some witnesses have 'baggage'
As the jury selection process continued, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass acknowledged to the prospective jurors that some of the witnesses in the case have "some baggage" -- something that Donald Trump has harped on repeatedly as he's sought to call into question the credibility of the witnesses who may testify against him.
"Some of the witnesses have what you might consider some baggage," Steinglass said, noting they would hear from "a tabloid publisher," a "porn star," and a "former lawyer" of Donald Trump who has plead guilty to other crimes. Steinglass said some of them have gone on podcasts, or "publicly denied" some facts in the case.
"Will you keep an open mind?" Steinglass asked.
Few of the prospective jurors took issue with it.
One prospective juror said she's "100% confident" she can keep an open mind.
"I'd have to wait to hear everything and see if it's compelling or not," said another.
Court resumes with questioning of prospective jurors
Court resumed after the lunch break with the individual questioning of 18 prospective jurors, who are seated in the jury box.
Assistant District Attorney Josh Steinglass began with a rhetorical question for the group: "How am I considered for this case of all cases?"
Steinglass said the case was not a referendum on the Trump presidency or anyone's politics. "This case is about whether this man broke the law," he said, gesturing toward Trump.
"I could be objective," one of the prospective jurors, the security officer with Rangers seats and a flip phone, said.
Before the questions resumed, Judge Juan Merchan addressed the temperature in the courtroom.
"I want to apologize that it's chilly in here," Merchan said.
Earlier, when defense attorney Todd Blanche asked to make the courtroom warmer, the judge had said he feared a one-degree bump in the nearly century-old building could increase the temperature by 30 degrees.
'Thank you for handling' McDougal, Pecker says Trump told him
Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified that he was twice summoned to Trump Tower in the period following the 2016 election: the first time for a meeting with Michael Cohen, and the second with Donald Trump.
The first meeting began in Cohen's office, where Cohen divulged for the first time to Pecker that he personally covered the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, and that he was concerned that he would not receive a bonus from the Trump Organization, Pecker testified.
"He (Cohen) asked me to talk to the boss on his behalf to try to help him get his bonus," Pecker said, referring to Trump.
When Trump himself came into the room, Pecker asked to walk him back to his office -- and at that time, Pecker told Trump that "Michael Cohen is very concerned about his bonus for this year, and I want you to know that he's very loyal."
Trump replied that Cohen had several apartments and taxi medallions, and added, "Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it," Pecker said.
On Jan. 6, 2017, Pecker arrived at Trump Tower for a meeting with Trump and was escorted to his residence by Jared Kushner, he testified.
Pecker said he was ushered into the room, where Trump was surrounded by administration officials James Comey, Sean Spicer, Reince Priebus, and Mike Pompeo -- they were "updating Mr. Trump on the Ft. Lauderdale shooting" that had occurred at the airport there.
Pecker testified that when Trump introduced him to Trump's inner circle of advisers, Trump said of the National Enquirer publisher, "He knows more than anyone else in this room."
"It was a joke. Unfortunately, they didn't laugh," Pecker testified, which brought some laughs from reporters in the gallery. A few jurors smiled at the moment.
Pecker testified that after Trump's advisers left the room, Trump turned to him.
"He (Trump) asked me how Karen [McDougal] was doing -- how's 'our girl' doing. I said, she's writing her articles, she's quiet, things are going fine."
Trump then said, "I want to thank you for handling the McDougal situation." And then he said, "I want to thank you for the doorman situation," Pecker testified.
Pecker testified that he took this to mean that Trump was thanking him "for not publishing any of the stories and helping the way I did."