A fmr White House aide who worked closely w/ #Trump returned to the stand to testify about a significant meeting between Trump & #MichaelCohen his personal lawyer that is at the center of Trump’s #criminal trial.
The prosecutor #Mangold is now doing something we haven’t seen in this trial so far. She is questioning the witness’s knowledge of an #exhibit that the defense wants in #evidence.
This kind of questioning is also known as voir dire, a phrase more familiar during jury selection. Prosecutors want to make sure Westerhout can testify truthfully about this evidence.
#Mangold, the prosecutor, questions #Westerhout again during re-direct, & suggests that her actual knowledge about the reaction to the #AccessHollywood tape was nonexistent because she wasn't working for #Trump at the time.
👀🚨 Westerhout admits that she spoke to the defense lawyer #Necheles 2 nights ago. Another indication that she is trying to be a helpful witness to the defense.
Briefly, as she concluded re-direct, #Mangold sought to show the #jury that #Westerhout was a #Republican loyalist, noting that her current boss, too, is a veteran of the #Trump admin.
Westerhout finished testifying.
The next witness, #DanielDixon, is from #Florida. He will be questioned by the prosecutor #ChrisConroy. Dixon testifies that he is an #ATT employee, & that he is a lead compliance analyst at the company. He’s done that work for 6-7 yrs.
The prosecution asks that the defense be precluded from asking #StormyDaniels whether she was arrested. Justice #Merchan agrees w/the prosecutors, saying that “anybody can be arrested” & that it “doesn’t prove anything.”
The people call Stormy Daniels back to the stand
#Trump atty #Necheles begins questioning by saying that in 2011, Daniels denied having had sex w/Trump.
A new witness, Rebecca #Manochio, has taken the stand. Manochio is a junior bookeeper at the #TrumpOrganization. She is being questioned by Rebecca #Mangold, a prosecutor.
Rebecca #Mangold, the prosecutor, asks #Westerhout whether she had a nickname in the press, & Westerhout says that she was known as "the greeter girl."
Westerhout acknowledges she knew #MichaelCohen, who paid #HushMoney to #StormyDaniels. She talks about when she began to work in the #WhiteHouse. She says her boss asked her if she had any interest "in sitting outside the #OvalOffice." Westerhout says she responded: "Yes, I do, that sounds like it would be a very cool job."
The prosecution has established that in 2017 Madeleine #Westerhout was part of #Trump's very small inner circle.
Westerhout has turned to describing Trump's work habits. Rebecca #Mangold, the prosecutor, asks if she developed an understanding of his preferences & Westerhout responds, "I hope so."
She then says that he preferred to either speak w/people on the phone or meet w/them in person.
Prosecutor #Mangold has Sally Franklin describe a chapter of a book in which #Trump, in his own words, describes his frugality, including looking over bills to “make sure I’m not being overcharged.”
This goes toward his micromanagement & supports the argument that there was now way he was unaware of what he was paying #MichaelCohen, or what the money was for.
charges are falsifying business records to hide #HushMoney payments in lead up to 2016 election to #influence electorate
just one Trump supporter at the courthouse draped in a Trump flag.
#StormyDaniels's lawyer, #KeithDavidson, to return to stand. He negotiated the hush-money payment at the center of the case, & is expected to lay out details of the deal.
Georgia Longstreet, the next witness, is a paralegal who monitors social media postings at the Manhattan DA’s office. She will be questioned by prosecutor Rebecca #Mangold.
This is another #CustodialWitness — again only necessary because #Trump’s legal team refused to agree on basic #facts prior to trial.
“Can you briefly describe how #Twitter works?” is a question 🙄.
Rebecca #Mangold will question Farro for prosecution. She’s been on the team several yrs, & typically sits w/Chris #Conroy, another prosecutor, behind the main table.
#Mangold questions #GaryFarro slowly & deliberately. Farro says #MichaelCohen was eager to connect & wanted to open a LLC immediately. Farro opened an account for him & specified that Cohen didn't want addresses on the checks.
The #Trump team already told the #jurors that Cohen is a liar who is out to get revenge. But the witnesses depict him as an anxious man, who would do anything for the boss.
“Every time Michael Cohen spoke to me, he gave me a sense of urgency," Farro testifies.