Donald Trump will be back in a New York criminal court on Tuesday, when a banker who played a role in the hush money payment to a porn star will resume testimony over his links to the former president’s ex-attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen.
On Friday, testimony ended with Gary Farro, a senior managing director at the now-defunct First Republic Bank in New York, who described setting up an account in October 2016 for Cohen to make a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress who claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006. The trial was off on Monday due to the observance of Passover.
Farro is expected to take the witness stand again Tuesday morning, while presiding Judge Juan Merchan may also decide whether Trump should pay up to $10,000 for several recent statements and online posts prosecutors say violated his gag order.
The hush money payment is at the core of the charges Trump is facing in the first-ever criminal trial against a former U.S. president. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, an elected Democrat, is charging Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide reimbursements of the funds that Cohen paid to Daniels to keep her silent about the alleged affair. Trump has said the payments were for Cohen’s legal work, has denied the affair, and has pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Last week, David Pecker, the former CEO of the tabloid company American Media, Inc., testified for four days about his “catch-and-kill” practice, which involved paying sources for the rights to their negative stories about high-profile figures and then never publishing the stories.
Prosecutors sought to showcase during their questioning how Pecker did this on three occasions for Trump to help him with the 2016 election, while defense attorneys poked holes in Pecker’s testimony and illustrated how he had a long pattern of catching and killing stories for many public figures, not just the former president.
Here is what to expect on Tuesday as the hush money trial enters its third week:
Banker who worked with Cohen takes back the stand
Farro confirmed from the witness stand last week that he wrote an internal email on Oct. 13, 2016, that read, “Need an account opened for Mike Cohen immediately. He wants no address on the checks. Calling you now to discuss,” according to a report from the courtroom.
While it is unclear whom prosecutors will bring in next to testify against the former president, Farro’s emails could be used as evidence about the payment to Daniels.
Trump could face $10,000 gag order fine as judge sets additional contempt hearing
Merchan has yet to rule on whether Trump has violated a gag order that bars him from publicly attacking witnesses and jurors.
After an initial batch of 11 alleged violations, Merchan held a hearing on April 23 to address prosecutors’ claims, and prosecutors since then have alleged four more violations transpired throughout the course of last week’s trial.
While the use of temporary detention is an optional punishment for gag order violations, prosecutors have not yet sought confinement for the former president and have opted to seek fines for Trump at $1,000 per violation, the limit under New York state law.
Merchan has scheduled a hearing for Thursday on whether to hold Trump in contempt of court for the other alleged gag order violations.
2024 campaign in the courtroom likely to continue for Trump
Trump last week ramped up his campaign from the courtroom between breaks in his hush money trial, which is expected to last through about the end of May.
The Republican presidential contender said he would debate President Joe Biden “ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE” and would even “wait around” the courthouse Friday after the Democratic incumbent went on the Howard Stern Show in the Big Apple and said he would debate his Republican rival at some point during the race.
Last Thursday, Trump also took the opportunity to gain more free media by descending on the row of news outlets stationed outside the courthouse. Earlier that day, Trump also visited a construction site where he was greeted by “USA” chants as he entered a crowded area filled with workers and fans.
Trump is likely to continue using his time spent in between his courtroom appearances to campaign. He has consistently used the four indictments he faces as a political cudgel against the “weaponization” of justice being waged against him.
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“What Crooked Joe Biden is doing with all of these ridiculous D.C. inspired lawsuits against me is, and make no mistake about it, ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!! Drop the lawsuits, Joe, and maybe you’ll do better than you are doing now!!!” Trump posted to Truth Social on Monday.
Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.
