The evidence, which the defense does not dispute, shows Trump paid his lawyer Michael Cohen to negotiate a nondisclosure agreement with Stormy Daniels. Cohen paid her $130,000 to sign the NDA and invoiced Trump for reimbursement. Trump is charged with causing the reimbursement payments to be “falsely” listed as “legal expenses” in Trump …
The evidence, which the defense does not dispute, shows Trump paid his lawyer Michael Cohen to negotiate a nondisclosure agreement with Stormy Daniels. Cohen paid her $130,000 to sign the NDA and invoiced Trump for reimbursement. Trump is charged with causing the reimbursement payments to be “falsely” listed as “legal expenses” in Trump Organization ledger books to cover up the hush money payment. The prosecution alleges the hush money payment was an illegal contribution to the Trump presidential campaign, not Stormy’s pocket book. The defense contends hush money payment was not a campaign contribution and that the reimbursement was a legitimate business expense.
But Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney, a prosecution witness, testified that he—not Trump—caused the payments to Michael Cohen to be posted as legal expenses. McConney testified that he sent an email to accounts payable supervisor Deb Tarasoff telling her: “Please pay from the trust. Post to legal expenses put retainer for the months January and February 2017 in the description.” He said neither Trump nor his supervisor Allen Weisselberg instructed him to enter payments to lawyer Michael Cohen as legal expenses. Under cross examination, McConney said he had the payments to Cohen logged as legal expenses because Cohen was a lawyer.
No witness has disputed McConney’s testimony. So, whether the reimbursement payment were valid legal expenses doesn’t matter. McConney—not Trump—caused the reimbursement payments to be listed as legal expenses.
The evidence, which the defense does not dispute, shows Trump paid his lawyer Michael Cohen to negotiate a nondisclosure agreement with Stormy Daniels. Cohen paid her $130,000 to sign the NDA and invoiced Trump for reimbursement. Trump is charged with causing the reimbursement payments to be “falsely” listed as “legal expenses” in Trump Organization ledger books to cover up the hush money payment. The prosecution alleges the hush money payment was an illegal contribution to the Trump presidential campaign, not Stormy’s pocket book. The defense contends hush money payment was not a campaign contribution and that the reimbursement was a legitimate business expense.
But Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney, a prosecution witness, testified that he—not Trump—caused the payments to Michael Cohen to be posted as legal expenses. McConney testified that he sent an email to accounts payable supervisor Deb Tarasoff telling her: “Please pay from the trust. Post to legal expenses put retainer for the months January and February 2017 in the description.” He said neither Trump nor his supervisor Allen Weisselberg instructed him to enter payments to lawyer Michael Cohen as legal expenses. Under cross examination, McConney said he had the payments to Cohen logged as legal expenses because Cohen was a lawyer.
No witness has disputed McConney’s testimony. So, whether the reimbursement payment were valid legal expenses doesn’t matter. McConney—not Trump—caused the reimbursement payments to be listed as legal expenses.