The latest developments in the criminal and civil cases against former President Donald Trump include testimony from Madeleine Westerhout, a former executive assistant, regarding how mail, including Trump Organization checks, reached him at the White House. Prosecutors have alleged that Trump used alternative mail systems to conceal nefarious correspondence, while Trump’s defense argues that he simply wanted to respond quickly and was frustrated with the slow pace of White House mail. Less-familiar witnesses, such as AT&T and Verizon employees, were called to affirm basic facts about the case.
Trump’s former “gatekeeper,” Westerhout, testified about a circuitous mail system that was used to send reimbursement checks to Trump’s former lawyer and “fixer,” Michael Cohen, after he paid hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors are attempting to prove that Trump falsified business expenses to conceal these reimbursements. Despite being fired in 2019, Westerhout remains loyal to Trump and agreed that the mail arrangement could have been a workaround to avoid delays. However, Trump’s lawyer noted that Trump did not mention his family when addressing Daniels’s claims, which may impact the defense’s argument about his motivations.
Two paralegals from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office served as custodial witnesses, authenticating documents and events central to the prosecution’s case. Testimony included texts between Daniels’s agent and the editor of the National Enquirer, as well as data extracted from Cohen’s phone that included calls between Cohen and Trump. The authentication of these calls suggests that prosecutors will return to them when the trial resumes. Witnesses from AT&T and Verizon also authenticated phone records involving key figures in the case, such as Allen Weisselberg and Keith Davidson.
Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, a key witness for the prosecution, is expected to take the stand next week to testify about his role in the hush money scheme. The judge has asked prosecutors to tell Cohen to stop commenting on the case or Trump. Prosecutors plan to call two more witnesses next week, and it is possible that the prosecution could rest by the time court adjourns on Thursday. The trial is set to resume on Monday at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Overall, the trial against Trump involves allegations of falsifying business expenses to conceal reimbursements for hush money payments, as well as potential cover-ups involving a circuitous mail system. Witnesses, including former White House staff, paralegals, and phone company employees, have provided testimony and authenticated key documents and records. Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen is expected to provide crucial testimony in the coming days as the prosecution seeks to prove its case against the former president. The developments in the trial continue to unfold as the legal case against Trump moves forward.
