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.
Some jurors reveal unexpected connections
As the prospective alternates continue to answer the questionnaire questions one by one, some jurors have revealed loose connections to Trump and others surrounding the case.
A young woman who works in financial services said that her father is a "lifelong friend" of Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor who then ran Trump's 2016 transition team before becoming a critic of the former president.
The mention of Christie's name drew a rare laugh from Trump.
The woman also revealed a loose connection to Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen.
A man who lives in Midtown and said he uses his spare time to "try to find a wife" said he has multiple family members who work for the New York State Court -- and is related to a court officer who's currently present in the courtroom. Trump attorney Todd Blanche let out a laugh.
The man said it wouldn't affect his ability to be fair and impartial.
One woman stood up and tearfully explained she served time in Massachusetts over 10 years ago. Trump appeared to crane his neck and turn all the way to look at her, before Judge Merchan called her to the bench for a sidebar.
"I apologize for crying," the woman said as she continued with her questionnaire.
Trump has been sitting at the defense table flipping through papers that contain either charts, photos or graphics.
Several prospective alternates have read 'The Art of the Deal'
After a prospective alternate said he has a minority stake in a company that produces Michael Cohen's "Mea Culpa" podcast, Trump leaned forward and turned toward the man at the mention of his former attorney's name.
The man also said he had volunteered for a Democratic get-out-the-vote effort during Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign.
Several of the prospective alternates said they had read Trump's "Art of the Deal," including a management consultant who likes to be outdoors when he's not working.
A retired teacher made the requisite pledges, saying, "I will solely make my decision solely based on the evidence in the courtroom. There is no reason why I can't be a fair and impartial juror."
"I believe that everyone should obey the law," he said.
A woman with an MBA in information systems who likes to "cook, bake, watch hockey" inquired about the court's schedule for Passover. Told the court was planning to break early this coming Monday and Tuesday, she said that would give her plenty of time to travel to her seders in New Jersey.
A contract specialist for a fintech company said she likes to take her two boys to Knicks games and Rubik's Cube speed competitions.
Another prospective alternate skipped the questionnaire and told the judge she could not be impartial.
"After thinking about this yesterday after hearing the questions, I don't think I can be impartial," the woman said before Judge Merchan excused her without objection.
'I don't think I can be impartial,' says woman who's excused
Asked to share her responses to the jury questionnaire, one prospective alternate said she wanted to "jump ahead" to Question 34, which asks whether any strong opinions of Trump would interfere with the ability to be fair.
"The last day, after some introspection, I don't think I can be impartial," the woman said. "I had every intention when I first started, but I think after the questions posed to prospective jurors and asking the questions to myself, I don't think I can be impartial."
Judge Merchan excused her without objection from the attorneys.
A prospective alternate who works for the New York City Law Department said in response to a question that she had read Trump's "Art of the Deal." Trump, who appeared to have his eyes closed, opened them right away at that response and looked at the woman.
The woman also said she had been sexually assaulted "a couple of times on the train."
Trump also appeared to have been chewing on something. He has been conferring with defense attorney Emil Bove throughout the more mundane parts of the questionnaire responses.
A chef for a "large hospitality group" said he follows the White House account on Instagram, "so when Mr. Trump was president, obviously I was receiving updates." Trump turned his head to look at the man after he had been slumped over the defense table looking down.
Prospective alternates begin tackling questionnaire
Members of the remaining pool of jurors are reading aloud their answers to the jury questionnaire in order for the parties to pick the final alternates needed for the trial -- but even before the first prospective alternate began, she said, "I have really bad anxiety" about people possibly finding out who she is.
"I might not be able to be completely fair and that concerns me," the woman said. "More and more people in my life know I'm here without me even telling them, just by putting the pieces together."
She was immediately excused by Judge Merchan without objection from the lawyers.
There are 22 prospective alternates in the jury box that will respond to the questionnaire before the lawyers question them individually. The court must seat five additional alternate jurors after one was seated on Thursday.
'This story is true,' Pecker recounts being told of Stormy Daniels
"Do you know someone by the same of Stephanie Clifford?"
The question, by assistant district attorney Josh Steinglass, was the jury's introduction during the evidentiary phase of the trial to the woman whose long-denied claim of a sexual tryst with Donald Trump set in motion the alleged falsification of business records.
"Stormy Daniels is, or was, a porn star," former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker replied, using Clifford's stage name.
Pecker was having dinner with his wife on a Saturday night in early October 2016 when he said he received an urgent call from National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard.
"He said that she, she being Stormy Daniels, is trying to sell a story that she had a sexual relationship with Donald Trump, and Dylan can acquire the story for $120,000 from Keith Davidson if we made a decision right now," Pecker recalled.
In a series of text messages the jury saw, Howard told Pecker, "I know denials were made in the past but this story is true."
Pecker replied to Howard, "We can't pay 120k." The company had already paid $30,000 for the Dino Sajudin story and $150,000 for the Karen McDougal story, and Pecker recalled thinking, "I am not a bank."
In the text exchange, Howard responded, "Perhaps I call Michael and advise him and he can take it from there, and handle."
Pecker texted back, "Yes a good idea."
Pecker recalled having "a number of conversations" with Michael Cohen about Stormy Daniels. Cohen wanted Pecker to catch and kill the story.
"I said, 'I am not purchasing this story, I am not going to get involved with a porn star,'" Pecker testified he told Cohen. "He was upset and said the boss would be furious with me."