Trump's New York Criminal: New Witnesses and Damning Testimonies

On Friday afternoon, April 26, prosecutors in the New York criminal hush money trial of former President Donald Trump presented two key witnesses as the case continued to evolve. The first witness, Trump's former personal secretary Rhona Graff, who was regarded as a highly influential figure during Trump's tenure at the Trump Organization, stated that she no longer works for Trump, but her legal fees are being covered by the Trump Organization. Graff acknowledged that Trump had kept contact information for two women central to the hush money case, former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal and adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Following Graff, banker Gary Farro, a senior managing director at First Republic Bank in 2016, provided insight into the crucial hush money payment. Farro detailed how former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen collaborated with him to transfer $130,000 into a First Republic bank account, which was subsequently used to pay Daniels to secure her silence.

Cross-Examination of David Pecker

Earlier in the day, the defense cross-examined former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, who had provided damaging testimony for the prosecution over three days. Pecker confirmed that it was standard practice for the National Enquirer to have relationships with external sources, including Trump and Cohen. He also disclosed details about the hush-money agreement between his publishing company, American Media and McDougal, highlighting the involvement of numerous stories under McDougal's byline and the substantial value of the services portion of her agreement.

The proceedings also shed light on the close relationship between Pecker and Trump, including their frequent interactions during the 2016 presidential campaign and early days of Trump's presidency. Pecker's testimony showcased a 2015 meeting at Trump Tower and another gathering in 2017, where Reince Priebus and Mike Pompeo, who later assumed significant roles in the Trump administration, were present.

Trump's Reaction and Allegations

As the trial progressed, Trump expressed satisfaction with the preceding day's developments while voicing concerns about the courtroom temperature and alleging conflicts of interest by the judge. He reiterated accusations of a "rigged trial," echoing his previous assertions on social media.

Pecker's testimony earlier in the week unveiled the "catch and kill" scheme devised with Trump and Cohen to acquire the rights to negative tabloid stories about Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign and withhold their publication. Additionally, Pecker raised suspicions about potential campaign finance violations linked to his company's payments in support of Trump's presidential campaign, seeking legal counsel on the matter.

These revelations ultimately led to inquiries from the Federal Election Commission and a campaign finance violation admission by AMI, the National Enquirer's parent company. In 2021, a conciliation agreement with the FEC resulted in AMI paying a fine exceeding $180,000 to settle the matter.