May 14, 2024 - Politics & Policy
Trump barraged with vivid cast of witnesses at hush money trial
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Unless Donald Trump shocks the world by testifying, the prosecution's witness list in the first-ever criminal trial of a U.S. president is complete for now.
Why it matters: The who's who witness list in District Attorney Alvin Bragg's hush money case delivered a remarkably vivid look into the former president's past-and-present orbit.
- Hope Hicks, the notoriously low-profile Trump and White House aide, who testified about panic within Trump's circle after the 2016 revelation of the "Access Hollywood" tape.
- Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress and director, who testified about having sex with Trump in 2006 and their subsequent contacts.
- Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal lawyer, who testified about how he set up an alleged hush money scheme at Trump's direction to suppress Daniels' story.
- Rhona Graff, Trump's former assistant, who testified Trump had Daniels' contact information.
- David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer, who testified he helped suppress multiple stories for Trump through "catch-and-kill" schemes.
- Keith Davidson, the Beverly Hills lawyer who negotiated the alleged agreement.
- Gary Farro, a former banker who saw the opening of the LLC used for the alleged scheme.
- Jeffrey McConney, the Trump Org's former corporate controller, who testified how Cohen was reimbursed for the alleged scheme.
Trump has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing in the case, in which he faces 34 criminal counts.
What's next: Cohen, who prosecutors said is their last witness, is now being cross-examined by Trump's lawyers.
- After Cohen is finished, the defense will have its turn to make its case.
