Donald Trump’s criminal trial resumed on Tuesday, with jurors getting a detailed look at the accounting practices within the former president’s company. Two longtime Trump Organization bookkeepers provided insights into how invoices were processed, from bill to general ledger entry to signed check. They also presented a series of checks paid to Michael Cohen in 2017, totaling $420,000 and signed by Trump or his adult sons. Former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney reviewed handwritten notes that showed how staff accounted for the $130,000 Cohen paid adult film star Stormy Daniels for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter, along with an additional $50,000 owed to Cohen.
The calculations included doubling the total to offset an expected tax hit and adding a $60,000 year-end bonus, resulting in the final $420,000 figure. A note at the bottom indicated to “Wire monthly from DJT,” referring to Trump’s personal bank account. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records related to the reimbursements to Cohen but maintains his innocence and denies any involvement with Daniels. Judge Juan Merchan found Trump in contempt for violating a gag order in the case for the 10th time, warning of harsher penalties, including potential jail time, if the violations continue.
Merchan expressed that the $1,000 fines imposed on Trump had not served as a sufficient deterrent and that the court would have to consider a jail sanction if necessary moving forward. Prosecutors have not disclosed who they plan to call next to testify in the trial, which reconvened at 9:30 a.m. Trump’s legal team will likely continue to argue his innocence and challenge the evidence presented by the prosecution. The trial has garnered significant attention due to Trump’s status as a former president and the nature of the charges against him.
The case against Trump involves allegations of financial misconduct and falsifying records to cover up payments made to individuals such as Michael Cohen. The trial provides a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Trump Organization and raises questions about the ethical and legal standards upheld by the former president and his associates. The outcome of the trial could have significant implications for Trump’s political future and reputation, regardless of the verdict reached by the jury. As the proceedings continue, both sides will present their arguments and evidence to make their case, while the judge oversees the trial and ensures that proper legal procedures are followed.
