Day 8 of the hush money trial involving former President Donald Trump saw two new witnesses taking the stand. Rhona Graff, Trump’s longtime assistant, testified that his contact list included information for Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, who both claimed to have had affairs with Trump in 2006. Graff’s testimony was followed by Gary Farro, a bank executive who helped former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen set up a bank account for the shell company used to pay Daniels.
During his fourth day on the stand, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker faced a rapid-fire cross-examination by Trump’s attorney. The defense questioned Pecker’s credibility as a witness and sought to counter the prosecution’s narrative about Trump’s alleged scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election. Pecker discussed his recollection of meetings with Trump and Cohen, with the defense attempting to establish that there was nothing unusual about the events highlighted by the prosecution.
The defense sought to establish that the National Enquirer stood to profit off the stories it bought, whether they were published or not. Pecker explained the business model for tabloid newspapers and the incentives that drove his decisions as an executive. Pecker also revealed that the National Enquirer relied on information already in the public domain, including reports about malpractice claims against Ben Carson. The defense also pointed out that Pecker was not prosecuted for the alleged campaign finance violation due to a non-prosecution agreement he made with prosecutors.
Rhona Graff confirmed documents showing that Trump had contacts for McDougal and “Stormy” saved in his contact list from years ago. Graff mentioned having a vague recollection of seeing Daniels on the 25th floor of Trump Tower, where Trump’s office was located at the time. She also testified that she was aware Daniels was an adult actress and that Trump once mentioned her as a potential contestant on “The Apprentice.” Graff stated that she was testifying in compliance with a subpoena and that her attorneys were paid for by Trump.
Prosecutors began presenting new details in the case through the testimony of Gary Farro, Cohen’s former banker. Farro explained his interactions with Cohen, noting that although Cohen was known to be challenging, he did not find him difficult to work with. Farro’s testimony will be used to confirm documents related to the transaction between Cohen and Daniels. When court resumes, Farro will take the stand again to provide further details in the case.
