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 tells reporters it's a 'sad day in America'
On his way into the courtroom for the day's proceedings, Trump once again alleged that the trial constitutes election interference, claiming that the proceedings are unfairly keeping him off the campaign trail.
"Everybody knows that I'm here instead of being able to be in Pennsylvania and Georgia and lots of other places campaigning, and it's very unfair," he told reporters.
"It's a very, very sad day in America," he said. "I can tell you that."
The former president is seated at the defense table between his lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove.
-Mike Pappano
Proceedings are underway
The proceedings are underway in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial. Trump and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg are both in the courtroom.
Three prosecutors -- Joshua Steinglass, Matthew Colangelo, and Susan Hoffinger -- are seated at the counsel table.
Bragg is seated in the front row of the gallery with approximately a dozen lawyers and staff from his office.
Ex-National Enquirer publisher to be 1st witness, say sources
The first witness prosecutors with the Manhattan DA's office plan to call is former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
ABC News previously reported that prosecutors planned to call Pecker as a witness, but sources now say he's expected to be the first witness to take the stand.
Pecker served as the longtime chief executive of American Media Inc., which published the National Enquirer.
Shortly after Trump announced his 2016 presidential campaign, Pecker met with Trump and agreed to act as the "eyes and ears" of the campaign by looking out for and killing negative stories about Trump, according to the Manhattan DA.
As part of the arrangement, Pecker allegedly directed a deal to pay $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman regarding the false allegation that Trump allegedly fathered a child out of wedlock, prosecutors say. Then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen allegedly insisted that the deal stay in place even after AMI discovered the allegation was false, and AMI paid the doorman, according to the Manhattan DA.
-Katherine Faulders
Attorneys to present opening statements
After a week-long selection process, the jurors in Donald Trump's New York hush money case are scheduled to hear opening statements this morning in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president.
To prove their case, lawyers for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg need to convince twelve jurors beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump repeatedly falsified records to unlawfully influence the 2016 presidential election.
"This case has nothing to do with your personal politics or your feelings about a particular political issue," prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told prospective jurors on Thursday. "It's not a referendum on the Trump presidency, a popularity contest, or any indication of who you plan to vote for this fall. This case is about whether this man broke the law."
Trump's lawyers are expected to focus their efforts on going after the credibility of prosecution witnesses, suggesting the case itself is politically motivated and arguing that the former president never intended to commit a crime.
'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."