Thread by @lawofruby

Happy Monday, friends, from Courtroom 1530 (aka the Trump criminal trial). Today, we'll not only leave Hope's tears, but more broadly, I expect we'll also move on from the alleged underlying conspiracy to the alleged falsification of business records. 1/

While trial participants have been tight-lipped about who and what might come next, I am anticipating testimony that shows how the repayment scheme was developed, agreed to, & most importantly, papered, from the White House to the Trump Org. over Trump's first year in office. 2/

And of course, the evidence that will matter most is that -- whether testimonial or documentary -- showing Trump knew about and intended to conceal the true manner of the payment to Daniels. 3/

So who might we see? Count on some combination of former Trump comptroller-turned-frequent trial witness Jeffrey McConney, Trump Org. accounts payable supervisor Deborah Tarasoff, and even potentially former CFO Allen Weisselberg's then-executive assistant Rebecca Manochio. 4/

Also possible? Trump Org. chief legal officer Alan Garten, whose June 2023 testimony about the nature of Cohen's alleged "legal services" inadvertently helped the DA show Trump was not entitled to remove this case to federal court. 5/

But perhaps the most important witness in this phase of the case? Madeleine Westerhout, Trump's former executive assistant in the Oval Office, who apparently ensured that Trump signed the checks to Cohen and sent them back to the Trump Org. with the help of one Rhona Graff.

What else did Westerhout hear or observe on the White House side of the repayment loop? That remains to be seen--but remember: Westerhout abruptly left the White House in '19 after blabbing to reporters about Trump's relationships with his kids.

The bottom line? The testimony in this section of the case might not be as sexy as the celebrity gossip-filled transcripts of weeks past, but expect some serious -- and admissible -- tea to be spilled nonetheless. FIN.