NEW YORK — As the third week of witness testimony in Donald Trump’s secret trial takes place, all eyes are on who will be called next and whether the former president will be able to fulfill the terms of his now twice-broken gag order. which prohibits him from speaking publicly about jurors, witnesses and certain others connected to the case.
Before Monday’s testimony began, Judge Juan M. Merchan found Trump in contempt of court for a second time, fining him $1,000 for a single violation and sternly warning the loquacious former president that prison time would be considered for future violations “if necessary and appropriate.” ”
Two people linked to the Trump Organization took the stand Monday — former comptroller Jeffrey McConney and accounts payable supervisor Deborah Tarasoff — elaborating on a key piece of the allegations against Trump: Michael Cohen’s reimbursement for paying U.S. $130,000 to Stormy Daniels.
Tuesday’s witness testimony is expected to delve deeper into the events and people involved in what prosecutors said was a scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election by buying and burying negative stories about the then-candidate.
The trial is in its 13th day.
Trump is accused of falsifying internal business records to cover up secret payments – including the payment to Daniels – recording them instead as legal expenses.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
The case is the first criminal trial of a former US president and the first of four cases against Trump to reach a jury.
At the moment:
— Read the judge’s ruling on Trump’s latest gag order violation
– Silencing money, capturing and killing and more: terms to know in the Trump trial
– What Trump’s gag order means in his case for financial silence
– Key players: who’s who in Donald Trump’s hush money criminal trial
— The case of silence is just one of Trump’s legal cases. I see the others here
Here are the latest:
A lawyer for Stormy Daniels says the porn star is expected to appear as a witness in Donald Trump’s secret trial on Tuesday.
Clark Brewster told the Associated Press that Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, will “probably” be called as a witness in Tuesday’s trial.
Trump said Tuesday that he was “recently told” who would be the witness on Tuesday and complained that he should have received more notice.
Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass on Monday afternoon told Judge Juan M. Merchan in Donald Trump’s secret trial that the prosecution’s case is moving forward ahead of schedule.
Steinglass said he estimates he will finish calling witnesses within two weeks of Tuesday. Although there is the possibility of rebuttal witnesses, the estimate is related to the primary parts of the trial.
Once the prosecution is over, Trump’s lawyers will then be able to call their witnesses.
The judge presiding over former President Donald Trump’s secret trial fined him $1,000 on Monday for again violating a gag order that prohibits him from speaking publicly about jurors, witnesses and some others connected to the case.
Judge Juan M. Merchan warned Trump that additional violations of the gag order could result in prison time.
“The last thing I want to do is put you in prison. You are the former president of the United States and possibly the next president as well,” Merchan said. “There are many reasons why incarceration is really a last resort for me. Taking this action would be disruptive to these proceedings.”
Although prosecutors flagged four possible violations, Merchan only agreed to one — comments Trump made on a program called “Just the News No Noise” on April 22, which airs on Real America’s Voice.
On the program, Trump criticized the speed with which the jury was chosen and said it was full of Democrats. “The jury was chosen very quickly. 95 percent Democrats. The area is almost all Democratic,” he was quoted as saying.
Trump was fined $9,000 last week for nine previous violations of the order.
Donald Trump was scheduled to return to court in lower Manhattan on Tuesday for the 13th day of his silent trial.
The third week of witness testimony began on Monday, with two people with ties to the Trump Organization taking the stand to elaborate on the hows and whys of Michael Cohen’s financial reimbursement for a hush-hush $130,000 payment paid to attorney Keith Davidson in exchange of porn star Stormy Daniels. ‘silence about a sexual encounter she said she had with Trump years earlier.
During testimony, jurors were shown notes, bank statements and other documents related to the financial reimbursement that is at the heart of the accusations against the former president.
The 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records accuse Trump of labeling money paid to Cohen in his company records as legal fees. Prosecutors say that by paying him rent and giving him more to account for his taxes, Trump executives were able to hide the refund.
