Live Thread: Trump's hush money trial begins in NYC

[mystery-ak]

2 hours ago
Jeff McConney, former longtime controller at Trump Organization, testifying now
By Kyle Schnitzer

Jeff McConney, the former longtime controller of the Trump Organization, was sworn in and has taken the stand as the next witness in Donald Trump’s hush money trial.

McConney worked directly under the Trump Organization’s former chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg, who was sentenced to five months in jail in April after admitting to lying during Trump’s civil fraud trial.

McConney previously testified in two trials tied to Trump including the civil fraud trial, where he was a co-defendant.

The real estate mogul was ordered to pay a total of $450 million for inflating the value of Trump’s property assets. A judge ruled that McConney was banned from serving in any financial management role at any New York company.

A judge also ruled that he was banned from holding an officer role at any New York company for three years.

He testified that the Trump Organization is paying for his lawyer today.

an hour ago
Jurors being shown Michael Cohen's invoices from 2017
By Kyle Schnitzer

Jurors are being shown monthly invoices sent by Michael Cohen in 2017 after the alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels.

Jeff McConney, the former controller at the Trump Organization, testified under direct examination that the Trump Organization agreed to repay Cohen $420,000 in exchange for his out-of-pocket $130,000 payment made to Daniels.

Earlier, McConney discussed how he and CFO Allen Weisselberg discussed what was owed to Cohen, which included a $50,000 tab to Red Finch tech services, which brought the amount to $180,000.

But that number was doubled to $360,000 to offset taxes, according to McConney, who said Cohen also received a $60,000 bonus in 2017.

Cohen's invoices, sent to Weisselberg, came via email, evidence shows.

Cohen was sent monthly installments of $35,000 by the Trump Organization for phony legal expenses for 12 months, McConney's testimony shows.

[mystery-ak]

a minute ago
Ex-Trump Organization controller now on cross-examination

Trump attorney Emil Bove is currently grilled Jeff McConney, the former controller for the Trump Organization.

[mystery-ak]

an hour ago
Cohen used personal Gmail email account for invoices: testimony
By Kyle Schnitzer

Michael Cohen sent invoices from his personal email account — despite his signature block claiming to be the "Personal attorney to President Donald J. Trump," testimony shows.

Jeff McConney was shown emails by Trump attorney Emil Bove that were sent by Cohen in 2017, and Bove highlighted the signature.

"It doesn't say fixer, does it?" Bove asked, to which McConney replied, "No."

McConney confirmed that Cohen operated with his personal Gmail account, and later said he didn't know whether Cohen was doing any legal work for Trump in 2017.

McConney testifies that he was not personally asked to carry out payments by Trump

Former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney testified that former President Donald Trump did not personally task him with carrying out alleged hush money payments in 2017.

Asked by Trump attorney Emil Bove if Trump had asked McConney to carry out any of the tasks he earlier detailed to the prosecution, the former controller testified that Trump "did not."

McConney also testified that he did not speak to Trump frequently, and that any talks he did have with the former president would not have been about accounting software.
Posted by Michael Lee

[mystery-ak]

Court returns after lunch break
By Kyle Schnitzer

A new witness will be called as we return to court from the lunch break.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche said he was notified of witness' identity 30 minutes ago. Blanche has a list of objections about the witness, who is believed to be a woman.

[mystery-ak]

an hour ago
Next witness will be Deb Tarasoff: prosecutors
By Kyle Schnitzer

The next witness will be Deb Tarasoff, an accounts payable supervisor who worked with Jeff McConney at the Trump Organization, according to prosecutors.

Former longtime Trump Organization comptroller Jeff McConney leaving Manhattan Supreme Court after testifying today in the Donald Trump hush money trial involving Stormy Daniels.

28 minutes ago
Trump signed checks with a black Sharpie, had them mailed to White House: witness
By Kyle Schnitzer

Deborah Tarasoff, a Trump Organization accountant, testified that Donald Trump would sign his name with a black Sharpie pen — and had the checks mailed to him while at the White House.

Tarasoff said that when Trump didn’t want to sign a check, he would “write 'Void' and send it back.”

When asked by prosecutors how she was sure it was Trump’s signature, she responded that a Sharpie is “what he uses.”

Tarasoff added that when Trump took office, the checks would be sent to the White House via FedEx awaiting Trump’s signature because only Trump was authorized to sign off on his personal account.

22 minutes ago
Jurors shown checks made to Michael Cohen including one for $70K

The jury was shown a check for $70,000 covering the January and February payments from the trust to Michael Cohen. The check has two signatures — Eric Trump and Allen Weisselberg.

Another check — dated February 14, 2017 — was also shown, but this check addressed to Cohen was stamped VOID.

[mystery-ak]

a few seconds ago
Tarasoff done testifying, trial ending early today

Deborah Tarasoff finished testifying on the witness stand after a brief cross-examination by Trump's attorneys.

After a brief sidebar, the judge told the jurors that the court is ending early Monday.

6 minutes ago
Trump fist bumps former longtime employee after he testifies as prosecution witness

Donald Trump gave Jeffrey McConney — his former longtime company controller and a prosecution witness — a fist bump and a smile as McConney walked out of the courtroom after finishing his testimony.

[DB]

Hopefully the jury wasn't in the room then.

[Right_in_Virginia]

I hope it taught him that he had no sense of humor.

 

[Cyber Liberty]

There are a few Jurors who will find him guilty no matter what, so the best Trump can get out of this is a hung jury.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Witness Says Trump Did Not Personally Ask Him to Carry Out ‘Hush Money’ Payments
Epoch Times, May 6, 2024

A witness in former President Donald Trump’s New York “hush money” trial on Monday appeared to confirm his attorneys’ claims that payments at the center of the case were legal expenses and that he was not personally directed by the former president to make those payments.

Former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney testified Monday that payments that were sent to former attorney Michael Cohen were legal expenses, confirming defense attorneys’ arguments.

“Michael Cohen was a lawyer?” Trump defense attorney Emil Bove asked Mr. McConney. “Sure, yes,” he replied.

Story continues below advertisement

“And payments to lawyers by the Trump Organization are legal expenses, right?” asked Mr. Bove. “Yes,” said Mr. McConney.

Later, Mr. McConney said that President Trump and Trump Organization official Allen Weisselberg never told him to log the payments to Mr. Cohen as legal expenses.

“President Trump did not ask you to do any of the things you just described?” the attorney then asked. “He did not,” Mr. McConney replied.

“And as far as you know, President Trump did not ask anyone to do those things?” Mr. Bove continued. “In none of the conversations that you had with Weisselberg, did he suggest that President Trump had told him to do these things?” he also asked.

“Allen never told me that,” Mr. McConney said.

Mr. McConney said his interactions with Mr. Cohen were “minimal.” He said that other than emails about invoices, he never spoke to Mr. Cohen about the reimbursement arrangement.

In court papers, Trump lawyers have described that the payments that were sent to Mr. Cohen as legal expenses, while prosecutors say that it was an attempt to cover up the true nature of the payments during an election. Mr. Cohen used the funds to pay adult film actress Stormy Daniels to not speak publicly about allegations about an affair in 2006, which President Trump has denied.


More: https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/witness-says-trump-did-not-personally-ask-him-to-carry-out-hush-money-payments-5644621

[Right_in_Virginia]

[Right_in_Virginia]

President Trump: "They want to keep me off the trail for 2-3 more weeks...This is just a political witch hunt--it's election interference...it's a disgrace.". (Video)

https://twitter.com/alexbruesewitz/status/1787580508437688553

[Right_in_Virginia]

" Wow. 🚨 CNN reporter says she spoke to her former federal judge father about the Trump hush money case & he said he would’ve recused himself if he was Judge Merchan—mentions his daughter

This case is so obviously a political hit job ordered by Joe Biden" (Video)

https://twitter.com/_johnnymaga/status/1787591401821081865

[libertybele]

President Trump: "They want to keep me off the trail for 2-3 more weeks...This is just a political witch hunt--it's election interference...it's a disgrace.". (Video)

https://twitter.com/alexbruesewitz/status/1787580508437688553

2-3 weeks? Nah, they want Trump off the campaign train indefinitely.

[Right_in_Virginia]

"[Trump's] obviously right. We know the judge's payments to Joe Biden...We know the history of his daughter and the way she's making money--millions of dollars from Democratic candidates--clearly against Donald Trump...it's obvious the judge is biased..." (Video)

https://twitter.com/MAGAIncWarRoom/status/1787596484688408803

[Right_in_Virginia]

2-3 weeks? Nah, they want Trump off the campaign train indefinitely.

On this, we agree.   

[Cyber Liberty]

On this, we agree.   

I wonder what will happen if it's a hung Jury?

[DB]

I wonder what will happen if it's a hung Jury?

Are there any statutory limits on how many times you can try a case with a hung juries?

If not, they'd love to try this case over and over killing all the time before the election.

[Right_in_Virginia]

I wonder what will happen if it's a hung Jury?

My guess:  they will try for another trial.

[Right_in_Virginia]

"President Trump makes statement saying he is willing to go to jail to fight for our Constitutional right to free speech

We are witnessing history. America is being turned into a banana republic, and this man is risking his life to save our country" (Trump video)

https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/1787594841011933353

[mystery-ak]

 Trump says he’d be willing to go to jail over gag order violations
by Brett Samuels - 05/06/24 5:07 PM ET

Former President Trump on Monday suggested he would be willing to go to jail over repeated violations of his gag order imposed by a New York judge.

“This judge has given me a gag order and said you’ll go to jail if you violate it,” Trump told reporters after court adjourned for the day in his hush money trial. “And frankly, you know what, our Constitution is much more important than jail. It’s not even close. I’ll do that sacrifice any day.”

“But what’s happening here is a disgrace, and the appellate courts ought to get involved,” Trump added.

Judge Juan Merchan on Monday found Trump violated a gag order for a 10th time and ordered him to pay $1,000 for attacking jurors in his hush money criminal trial, just days after the judge ruled on an earlier set of gag order violations.

Merchan warned Trump that future violations could be punishable by incarceration.

more
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4647233-donald-trump-jail-gag-order-new-york-trial/

[mystery-ak]

 How long could Trump be jailed if he violates his gag order again?
by Michael Bartiromo and Addy Bink - 05/06/24 2:14 PM ET

(NEXSTAR) — Donald Trump was found to be in criminal contempt Monday after the judge in his hush-money trial determined the former president had violated his gag order once again.

Judge Juan M. Merchan ordered Trump to pay a $1,000 fine — marking the tenth such fine that Trump has been issued for violating an order that bars what he can say about those involved in the case, including witnesses and jurors.

The latest ruling came in response to comments Trump made on April 22, during which Trump claimed on a conservative news program that the trial was being rushed, and the jury selection had been “unfair.”

“You know [the judge is] rushing the trial like crazy,” Trump said during the April 22 news segment, according to the judge’s decision. “Nobody’s ever seen a thing go like this. That jury was picked so fast — 95% Democrats. The area’s mostly all Democrat. You think of it as a — just a purely Democrat area. It’s a very unfair situation. That I can tell you.”

more
https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_media_wire/4646500-how-long-could-trump-be-jailed-if-he-violates-his-gag-order-again/

[Right_in_Virginia]

Alex Bruesewitz
@alexbruesewitz

🚨Biden sent his #3 DOJ official Matthew Colangelo to Bragg’s office to help prosecute Trump.

Now we learn that Colangelo was also getting paid by the DNC.

SO CORRUPT!!! Biden admin and the dnc are 100% pulling the strings!

Election interference!

More: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ex-top-biden-doj-official-prosecuting-trump-once-paid-by-dnc-political-consulting


12:09 PM · May 6, 2024

[Right_in_Virginia]

Raheem.
@RaheemKassam

If the prosecution thought their case was going well, they wouldn’t be wasting so much time and energy on this stuff:



9:50 AM · May 6, 2024

[libertybele]

I wonder what will happen if it's a hung Jury?

I would think that a new jury would be picked, and they'd retry the case? I doubt that the judge would dismiss the case -- which would be the best case scenario.