Before prosecutors began presenting crucial records, the judge held Donald J. Trump in contempt, saying his complaints about the jury were “a direct attack on the rule of law.”
In a dramatic twist to Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial, prosecutors shifted focus from salacious tales to the core documents on Monday. This pivotal moment coincided with the judge holding Mr. Trump in contempt and warning of potential imprisonment.
The judge admonished Mr. Trump for breaching a gag order, condemning his actions as a direct assault on the rule of law. Shortly after this rebuke, prosecutors unveiled the 34 records central to their case, alleging that Mr. Trump falsified them to conceal a controversial payment.
This payment, prosecutors claim, was made to Mr. Trump's longtime associate, Michael D. Cohen, as reimbursement for a $130,000 hush-money payout to the adult film star, Stormy Daniels. According to prosecutors, Mr. Trump engineered a scheme to falsify records before repaying Mr. Cohen.
Facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records—one for each document—Mr. Trump stands accused of orchestrating a cover-up. These documents include 11 checks to Mr. Cohen, 11 invoices from him, and 12 entries in Mr. Trump’s general ledger, all suggesting repayment for "legal expenses" under a "retainer agreement."
Prosecutors deployed former members of Mr. Trump’s accounting team, Jeffrey McConney and Deborah Tarasoff, to dissect the records. While Mr. McConney admitted he was unaware of the true nature of the payments, his testimony cast doubt on the legitimacy of the records.
Crucially, Mr. McConney revealed that much of the money for Mr. Cohen originated from Mr. Trump’s personal bank account, with the company forwarding nine checks to the White House for Mr. Trump's endorsement.
This testimony marked a pivotal shift in the trial, transitioning from scandalous narratives to the meticulous examination of records. Both elements are crucial to proving the charges, with New York law mandating evidence of record falsification to conceal other crimes, such as an alleged election interference conspiracy.
The tension peaked when the judge reprimanded Mr. Trump for repeatedly violating the gag order. Although the judge expressed reluctance to jail a former president, he emphasized the need to uphold the integrity of the justice system.
As Mr. McConney took the stand, providing critical testimony, prosecutors portrayed a clandestine scheme involving Mr. Trump, Mr. Cohen, and the Trump Organization’s chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg.
While Mr. Trump's defense sought to distance him from the alleged actions, emphasizing his lack of direct involvement in certain processes, prosecutors continued to build their case around the intricate web of financial transactions.
Ultimately, Mr. Cohen’s invoices, the checks signed by Mr. Trump, and the complicity of Trump Organization personnel formed the crux of the prosecution’s argument, alleging a systematic effort to conceal illicit payments.
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