A witness in former President Donald Trump’s New York “hush money” trial on Monday 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 Monday that payments that were 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. “Sure, yes,” he replied.
“And payments to lawyers by the Trump Organization are legal expenses, right?” asked Mr. Bove. “Yes,” said Mr. McConney.
Later, Mr. McConney said that 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. “He did not,” Mr. McConney replied.
“And as far as you know, President Trump did not ask anyone to do those things?” Mr. Bove continued. “In none of the conversations that you had with Weisselberg, did he suggest that President Trump had told him to do these things?” he also asked.
“Allen never told me that,” Mr. McConney said.
So any payment to a lawyer is a “legal expense”? That’s ridiculous.