Trump trial witness says Trump didn’t tell him to pay Cohen
Former President Trump was not directly involved in orchestrating reimbursement payments to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, according to testimony presented on Monday during the ongoing NY v. Trump case.
“Michael Cohen was a lawyer?” defense attorney Emil Bove queried former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney at the trial’s commencement.
“Yes, that’s correct,” McConney affirmed.
“And legal expenses for lawyers paid by the Trump Organization are legitimate, correct?” Bove inquired further.
“Yes, they are,” McConney confirmed.
It was established that President Trump did not instruct McConney to carry out the actions related to Cohen, as McConney attested.
Jeffrey McConney, with over two decades as the Trump Organization’s controller, underwent rigorous examination by both the prosecutors and Trump’s defense team at the trial on Monday.
Trump’s presence in Manhattan signifies the fourth week of the trial where he faces allegations of falsifying business records in 34 counts. The focal point of the NY v. Trump case revolves around Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, purportedly paying adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 to suppress allegations of an affair she claimed to have had with Trump in 2006, which Trump has consistently denied.
Prosecutors assert that the Trump Organization unlawfully reimbursed Cohen, categorizing the payments as legal expenses. Their objective is to demonstrate that Trump fabricated records with the purpose of committing or concealing a separate criminal act, constituting a felony.
McConney took the stand, providing crucial insights into the intricate workings of the organization during his tenure as controller, navigating a barrage of questions from the prosecution and defense teams.
McConney disclosed that he received instructions from former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg to issue monthly reimbursements to Cohen, totaling $35,000 per month until December 2017.
He outlined the transition in payment methods for Cohen, initially through a trust before transitioning to direct payments from Trump’s personal account. An email exchange entered as evidence indicated McConney confirming the necessity of checks being sent to the White House for Trump’s approval.
A total of $420,000 was paid to Cohen, with arrangements made to ensure that Cohen wouldn’t incur financial losses due to taxes.
During cross-examination, McConney reinforced the defense’s stance by clarifying that Trump was not actively engaged in the reimbursement process to Cohen.
Subsequent inquiries from Bove emphasized that no instructions had been received from Trump regarding these transactions, corroborated by McConney’s testimony.
McConney’s assertions were consistent with his interactions with Weisselberg, where there were no indications of directives from Trump with regards to these matters.
McConney emerges as the prosecution team’s tenth witness since the trial’s outset, joining a lineup of key figures such as Keith Davidson, former attorney for Daniels and McDougal; computer forensic analyst Doug Daus; bank executive Gary Farro; and former Trump Organization member and campaign press secretary Hope Hicks.
The endurance of the Trump trial is estimated to span at least six weeks, with Trump condemning it as a political ploy orchestrated by the Biden administration ahead of the upcoming election.
Judge Juan Merchan contemplated a potential jail sentence for Trump if he persists in violating a gag order restricting public statements regarding witnesses, court and DA personnel, or their families.
Following repeated breaches of the gag order, Merchan imposed a series of fines on Trump, including an additional $1,000 penalty on Monday as a consequence of his continuous infractions.
Expressing reluctance towards considering imprisonment for a former president, Merchan acknowledged the gravity of the situation by alluding to Trump’s current and hypothetical presidential status.
