A former Trump Organization controller took the witness stand on May 6.
A witness in President Donald Trump’s New York “hush money” trial on May 6 appeared to confirm his attorneys’ claims that payments at the center of the case were legal expenses and that he was not personally directed by the former president to make those payments.
Former Trump Organization Controller Jeffrey McConney testified that payments sent to former attorney Michael Cohen were legal expenses, confirming defense attorneys’ arguments.
“Michael Cohen was a lawyer?” Trump defense attorney Emil Bove asked Mr. McConney.
Mr. McConney replied, “Sure, yes.”
Mr. Bove asked, “And payments to lawyers by The Trump Organization are legal expenses, right?”
Mr. McConney replied, “Yes.”
Later, Mr. McConney said President Trump and Trump Organization official Allen Weisselberg never told him to log the payments to Mr. Cohen as legal expenses.
“President Trump did not ask you to do any of the things you just described?” the attorney then asked.
Mr. McConney replied, “He did not.”
Mr. Bove asked, “And as far as you know, President Trump did not ask anyone to do those things?
“In none of the conversations that you had with Weisselberg, did he suggest that President Trump had told him to do these things?”
Mr. Conney replied, “Allen never told me that.”
Little Contact With Cohen
Mr. McConney said his interactions with Mr. Cohen were “minimal.” He said that other than emails about invoices, he never spoke to Mr. Cohen about the reimbursement arrangement.
In court papers, Trump lawyers have described the payments that were sent to Mr. Cohen as legal expenses, while prosecutors say it was an attempt to cover up the true nature of the payments during an election. Mr. Cohen used the funds to pay adult film actress Stormy Daniels to not speak publicly about allegations about an affair in 2006, which President Trump has denied.
At one point, Mr. Bove asked Mr. McConney about the internal payment system, and Mr. McConney suggested that it was antiquated.
“Legal expenses [were] part of a drop-down menu?” Mr. Bove asked him.
Mr. McConney replied, “Yes.”
Mr. Bove asked, “[It] was a bit antiquated?”
