Trump Trial Smasher: DA's Witness Testifies Trump Did Not Direct Payments to Michael Cohen

Red State ^ | 05/06/2024 | Ward Clark

[SeekAndFind]

On Monday, in the ongoing Manhattan trial of former President Donald Trump, a witness for the prosecution gave some startling testimony. While on the stand being questioned by the defense, former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney testified that former President Trump did not personally order payments made to attorney Michael Cohen, who allegedly paid the "hush money" payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

"Michael Cohen was a lawyer?" defense attorney Emil Bove asked former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney on Monday at the start of the fourth week of the trial.

"Sure, yes," McConney responded. 

"And payments to lawyers by the Trump Organization are legal expenses, right?" asked Bove.

"Yes," said McConney.

"President Trump did not ask you to do any of the things you just described ... correct?" Bove asked.

"He did not," McConney replied.

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Previously on RedState: Donald Trump Faces Possible Jail Time for Gag Order Violation in Manhattan Case 

Former Biden DOJ Official Now Prosecuting Trump Took Thousands From DNC for 'Political Consulting'

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To a non-lawyer, that seems kind of unclear; the former president could have ordered the payments through a series of people and ultimately been responsible for the payments, but that information did not get down to Mr. MoConney's level. But in most organizations, the controller is a key figure, responsible for managing accounts payable and accounts receivable, tracking the company's financial data, and ensuring compliance with appropriate financial and other regulations; it seems unlikely that a person with those responsibilities would be, as it were, cut out of the loop.

Mr. McConney did detail the nature and amounts of the payments to Cohen:

McConney testified that he was directed by former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg to reimburse Cohen with $35,000 per month payments, with the last being sent to Cohen in December 2017.

McConney also detailed that Cohen was initially reimbursed through a trust before switching to payments from Trump’s personal account. An email from McConney to Cohen was entered into evidence, which showed the controller replying to Cohen and confirming that checks would have to be sent to the White House to be signed by Trump.

Cohen was paid a total of $420,000, according to the testimony, a sum that was "grossed up" so Cohen wouldn’t lose money through taxes.

The defense, clearly, cannot argue that the payments were made without the former president's knowledge since he had to sign the checks. But the original order for the payments may have originated with someone in Donald Trump's employ, rather than with the man himself; it seems like it would be difficult for the prosecution, at this point, to prove anything else beyond a reasonable doubt.

It's hard to see how this isn't damaging to the prosecution either way. 

So much has gone awry with this trial that one has to begin to wonder if Alvin Bragg's motivation here isn't simply to keep former President Trump off the campaign trail. If so, it isn't working. Trump is campaigning in off-hours and receiving big rounds of applause from New Yorkers.

🚨Trump delivers pizza to Firefighters after court

Gotta love this man 🍕


pic.twitter.com/aMPQxFsYQ5— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 2, 2024

The man has pluck.

We'll continue to watch everything associated with this trial and bring you updates as events warrant.

[Williams]

They keep saying this, but Cohen is going to say Trump made the decision.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: They keep saying this, but Cohen is going to say Trump made the decision.

Who should we believe, this witness or Michael Cohen who was found guilty of lying to Congress and jailed ?

[butterdezillion]

Besides being non-credible, Cohen wasn’t in a position to know. This guy was.

[alancarp]

"It's hard to see how this isn't damaging to the prosecution either way."

For a normal jury thinking about how their time is being completely wasted, perhaps... not this one. So unfortunately, it's not that hard.

[Jane Long]

BTTT.

[ETCM]

For a normal jury thinking about how their time is being completely wasted, perhaps... not this one.

Most of these jurors are thinking "Can we just get this over with and find him guilty?"

[napscoordinator]

Trump should have a national media event to announce this new evidence. It’s so much better then having a press conference to denounce his tenth gag order verdict.

[Freest Republican]

Obv the difference is supposed to be the need to prove his guilt and not innocence.

IMO they need corroborating evidence that does not exist.

[Judge Bean]

It is not illegal to pay an NDA. I betcha Bragg has NDAs out the butt.

[DesertRhino]

“the former president could have ordered the payments through a series of people and ultimately been responsible for the payments,”

Cool story. In criminal court you have to provide proof of that beyond any reasonable doubt.

You got that handy?

[TigersEye]

The prosecution could play reruns of the Andy Griffith Show all day every day and I’m afraid this Manhattan jury would vote to convict.

It will have to go to appeals.

[nikos1121]

I agree

[Sidebar Moderator]

He would then be denouncing his 11th gag order verdict. Btw, where’s Jim Jordan, et al?

[joesbucks]

Both have credibility issues. What the prosecution is attempting to do is exactly what Trump has claimed over the years. He approves everything that happens. That was the key to Hope Huck’s testimony Friday.

[mbrfl]

The decision to pay Daniels isn’t the issue. The entry in the ledger is. It’s a misdemeanor whose statute of limitations has expired, but leave that aside for the moment. Whether Trump knew what the check was for when he signed it isn’t even the issue. He could have known fully well that it was for the non-disclosure agreement to Daniels. That still doesn’t mean he knew how it was categorized when it was entered into the ledger. Trump’s knowledge of it being listed as “legal expense” is the entire nexus of the “crime” such as it is.

[AppyPappy]

Completely irrelevant. He is guilty no matter the evidence. It’s not the weight of the evidence that matters but the spuriousness of the charges.

[ronnie raygun]

slighted scumbag cohen did things on his own because he was not taken to Washington with trump