OK - #TrumpTrial May 10 with fired Westerhout still on the stand, in Stormy's wake (new book soon; last was Davidson & Hope ) Support: Venmo: [at] Matthew-Lee-675 Inner City Press will live tweet, thread belowamazon.com/dp/B0D39TBQ7R paypal.com/paypalme/matth…
Trump is here, blue suit, red tie.
All rise!
Justice Merchan: Good morning Mr. Trump. Yesterday we have a witness on the stand. Anything we need to discuss?
Prosecutor: With permission, may we approach?
Justice Merchan: Yes
[Sidebar - Blanche stays with Trump]
[Sidebar continues; Trump at defense table showing his lawyer Todd Blanche some papers. Then:]
Justice Merchan: Let's get the witness, please.... Welcome back. Let's get the jury, please
Jury entering!
Trump's lawyer Necheles: You were at the RNC?
Westerhout: Yes
Trump's lawyer Necheles: Would the RNC create a travel schedule for presumptive nominee Trump?
Westerhout: Yes.
Necheles: I want to show you L-8 and L-9. Oh, when they're ready. So People's 69 [the Trump contact list]
Trump's lawyer Necheles: You sent out this photo of the first time President Trump boarded Air Force One - he was proud, right?
Westerhout: Yes, he was proud.
Necheles: He often sent newspaper clippings to people?
Westerhout: He did.
Trump's lawyer Necheles: But only once to Allen Weisselberg?
Westerhout: It could have been.
Necheles: And he barely spoke to Allen Weisselberg in that first year, right?
Westerhout: Right
Necheles: I want to show you-
Prosecutor: Objection! Can we approach?
Yes
[Long sidebar. Then:]
Trump's lawyer Necheles: Do you recognize this travel schedule?
Westerhout: I saw them when I was at RNC.
Necheles: They were created and kept in the ordinary court of the RNC's business, right?
Westerhout: Yes.
Prosecutor: May I voir dire?
Then:
Prosecutor: We object [to admission of RNC travel schedule into evidence. Sidebar ensues]
Justice Merchan: The motion to introduce this into evidence is denied.
Trump's lawyer Necheles: You were asked about how checks were sent, right?
Westerhout: Yes.
Trump's lawyer Necheles: At some point you were told that there was a post office box set up for the President and his wife to receive personal items?
Westerhout: Yes.
Necheles: But it was slow and things got lost?
Westerhout: Yes.
Trump's lawyer Necheles: President Trump was upset because he thought it was disrespectful if he didn't respond promptly?
Westerhout: Definitely.
Necheles: So things would be sent to Keith Schiller, right?
Westerhout: Right.
Trump's lawyer Necheles: Is it your understanding that this work-around happened in previous Administrations?
Westerhout: I can't imagine it would have been any different.
Necheles: You didn't give packages to Ivanka Trump?
Westerhout: I didn't.
Trump's lawyer Necheles: He signed a lot of things. He felt if people were getting his signature they should get his real signature, right?
Justice Merchan: Sustained. Stricken from the record.
Necheles: He signed checks while on the phone?
Westerhout: Yes.
Trump's lawyer Necheles: He was a person who multi-tasked, right?
Westerhout: Definitely.
Necheles: People's 75 [Email of Rhona Graff asking about buying photo frame at TIffany's] You said you made the executive decision to spend the money because he was busy?
Yes
Trump's lawyer Necheles: You were working in the White House when Stormy Daniels' story came out?
Westerhout: Yes.
Necheles: He was upset?
Westerhout: Yes. He was concerned his family would see it.
Justice Merchan: Sustained. The answer is stricken. Any redirect?
Prosecutor: You did not meet Mr. Trump personally until after the election, right?
Westerhout: Yes. November 2016.
Prosecutor: At Trump Tower did you sit on a different floor than President Trump?
Westerhout: Yes.
Prosecutor: Ms. Necheles didn't ask if you'd spoken before. Have you?
Westerhout: Once.
Prosecutor: When?
Westerhout: This week.
Prosecutor: Do you work at American Political Strategies, for Robert O'Brien, who worked in the Trump Administration?
Westerhout: Yes
Prosecutor: No further questions.
Re-cross
Trump's lawyer Necheles: Again, you testified that President Trump was very close with his family and-
Justice Merchan: Sustained. Stricken. Next witness.
Prosecutor: The People call Daniel Dixon. Where do you work?
AT&T
Prosecutor: What do you do there?
Dixon: Respond to legal demands, help law enforcement interpretate [sic] call records.
Prosecutor: Did you review this thumb drive?
Dixon: Yes. There are 6 AT&T numbers & 11 others.
Prosecutor: PX 400. Subject to sealing order
[On the screen: A Michael Cohen account report, with a dot DonaldTrump dot com email address. fwiw this witness Dixon is wearing a hat]
Prosecutor: What is a mobility report?
Dixon: Cell phone to cell phone.
Prosecutor: And this is how was can tell how the records work?
Dixon: Yes.
Prosecutor: No further questions.
Trump's lawyer Bove: A cross market move is a change in ATT's accounting?
Dixon: Yes
Bove: So this Michael Cohen move, it begins Jan 2017?
Dixon: Zoom out
Trump's lawyer Bove: You're aware of pocket dialing, yes?
Dixon: I am...
Bove: Nothing further.
Justice Merchan: Next witness.
Prosecutor: The People call Jenny Tomalin - of Verizon...
Prosecutor: Does Verizon keep call records?
Tomalin: Yes.
[Now put on screen: "Details for Allen Weisselberg"
Prosecutor: Does min mean minutes and does Verizon round up?
Tomalin: Yes.
Prosecutor: No further questions.
Justice Merchan: Cross?
Trump's lawyer Bove: The subscriber records are not redacted... Is Keith Davidson linked to this number?
Tomalin: Yes...
Bove: No further question.
Justice Merchan: We'll break. [Jurors leave]
Bove: We object to 1999 statements
Prosecutor: In the 1999 video [not yet in evidence] Mr. Trump speaks of campaign finance laws going back to 1907, it's relevant
Justice Merchan: I'll rule after the break.
[If like and can
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[They're back...
Justice Merchan: 1999, it's too attenuate. Now you say you have only two more witnesses today? How long?
Prosecutor: A bit over an hour.
Justice Merchan: Shall we work to 1 pm or a bit past, and not come back in the afternoon?
Parties agree
Prosecutor: The People re-call Ms. Longstreet [DANY paralegal]
Justice Merchan: You are still under oath.
Prosecutor: Do you work with other paralegals on the Donald Trump case?
Longstreet: Yes.
[Trump at defense table is working on a piece of paper, with a pen
Prosecutor: Did you find and save public court filings that might be relevant to this prosecution?
Longstreet: Yes.
Prosecutor: How many relevant cases have you reviewed?
Longstreet: 75 cases.
Prosecutor: Is this a Twitter thread by at RealDonaldTrump?
A: Yes
[Thread asserts pressure's on Cohen to flip, then praises him.
Next tweet shown to jury: "If anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggested you do not retain Michael Cohen"]
Prosecutor: Is there an exclamation point at the end?
Longstreet: Yes!
Prosecutor [after showing a tweet praising Paul Manafort for, by contrast, not flipping] Is this a three tweet thread?
Longstreet: Yes. May 3, 2018.
[Thread about NDA payment, "campaign contributions played no part in this transaction"]
Prosecutor: Who redacted these text messages?
Longstreet: I did.
Prosecutor: Please read them?
Longstreet: This is from Gina Rodriguez to Dylan Howard: Stormy Daniels was his mistress... She will talk under two conditions
Prosecutor: Read these please, from July 31, 2016
Longstreet: Gina R to Dylan H: Whatever happened with the Stormy Daniels interview? Then on August 8, 2016, Call me
Prosecutor: And these?
Longstreet: Dylan H to Gina R: He likely will pay. How much? Gina R: 250K
Prosecutor: Please read this from October 8-9, 2016
Longstreet: "$120,000 - sold." Then Dylan H to Gina, I'm at dinner but will forward contract. Gina R to Dylan H, I haven't told them anything accept [sic] what I said yesterday
Prosecutor: And this?
Longstreet: Gina H. to Dylan H. She's doing a press conference this morning, she hired another lawyer.
Prosecutor: No further questions.
Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche: I'm not going to re-ask you my questions from late Friday - 1000s of Tweets?
Trump's lawyer Blanche: You have not reviewed Michael Cohen's TikTok's for example from Wednesday night?
Longstreet: I have not.
Blanche: These texts you read, you have no personal knowledge if they are true or what they mean, do you?
Longstreet: I do not.
Blanche: No further questions.
Next witness is another DANY paralegal.
Paralegal: I reviewed call logs and related records: subscriber information in People's 401. We have a software that works with the data AT&T provides. Verizon records were PDF, trickier
Prosecutor: Is People's 340 calls between Michael Cohen and David Pecker?
Paralegal: Yes.
Prosecutor: Is People's 349 calls between the Defendant and Michael Cohen?
Paralegal: Yes.
Prosecutor: Move to admit.
Trump's lawyer Blanche: No objection.
Admitted
Prosecutor: What are People's 1 through 34?
Paralegal: Checks and invoices.
Prosecutor: Move to admit this summary chart.
Trump's lawyer Bove: Objection to this, can we have a sidebar, please
[Sidebar]
[Trump continues flipping through and writing up papers during the sidebar. Then;]
Justice Merchan: We'll resolve your objection as discussed at the bench.
Prosecutor: When we are ready to display the summary chart - People's 350
Bove: As modified, no objection
[Chart: 11 invoices, 12 vouchers, 11 checks [adds up to 34...]]
Prosecutor: Each lines up to a count of the indictment?
Paralegal: Yes.
Prosecutor: I have nothing further.
Trump's lawyer Bove: Was this tedious work?
Paralegal: Actually I kind of enjoyed it
Trump's lawyer Bove: From 2018, there are about a page and half of calls cut?
Paralegal: I don't know.
Bove: Look at the government's exhibit list of April 16, 2024. Look at 336 and 337 - some pages were deleted - was this after our cross of Davidson?
A: What?
Trump's lawyer Bove: And here, 344 - you deleted several pages?
Paralegal: Yes.
Bove: With Michael Cohen, remember CP1 and CP2? PX 247, that recording file off the physical device CP1, Sept 6, 2016. In PX 400, go to Bates 2726
Paralegal: Can I explain?
Bove: Qs
Trump's lawyer Bove: These are the IMEIs-
Paralegal: I think you're blowing up the wrong column
Bove: Now CP1 is using another IMEI - do you remember what Mr. Dixon said?
Paralegal: I don't want to contradict him
Bove: Nothing further
Re-direct
Prosecutor: Why did we shorting the charts?
Paralegal: To include only what came up at trial. We're pretty well down the road, s...
Prosecutor: Earlier you wanted to explain - what did you want to say?
Paralegal: Mr. Bovay, Bove, sorry, it was AT&T
Prosecutor: Do people sometimes get a new phone but keep the same phone number?
Paralegal: I do.
Prosecutor: Nothing further
Trump's lawyer Bove: You're just speculating, right?
Paralegal: The importance of the call is the time stamp.
Bove: The recording cuts off
Trump's lawyer Bove: Nothing further.
Justice Merchan: Jurors, you may leave. [They do] Mr. Blanche, any objection to me getting People's 350, to help me prepare the jury charge?
Blanche: We're fine with that. We intend to submit some proposed charges.
Prosecutor: We intend to call two witnesses and it is entirely possible we will rest by the end of the week.
Trump's lawyer Bove: The separation agreement between the Trump Organization & Allen Weisselberg, it's unduly prejudicial. And not relevant. He's in prison
Prosecutor: We want to explain why he is not here. There are three payments due to Mr. Weisselberg this year, $250,000 each. He promised not to denigrate the company.
Trump's lawyer Bove: That's not why Mr. Weisselberg is not here. Mr. McConney has one too
Trump's lawyer Bove: The reason Mr. Weisselberg is not here is that the District Attorney decided to bring a perjury prosecution
Prosecutor: We'd stipulate that he's in prison for perjury
Justice Merchan: That could resolve it
Bove: no it wouldn't.
Justice Merchan: It would be helpful to me to see some effort to compel him to be here. It's a factor for me.
Prosecutor: We could subpoena him and put him up there cold.
Justice Merchan: We could do it out of the presence of the jury.
Trump's lawyer Bove: Mr. Weisselberg has never been on the government's witness list. We were barred today from introducing an exhibit -
Justice Merchan: It's different. You didn't think it was possible they would call Mr. Weisselberg?
Bove: Not from the list
Trump's lawyer Blanche: Mr. Cohen continues to go on TikTok, in a t-shirt with President Trump in jail on it - we ask you to order the People to order the witness to not talk about President Trump until the case is over.
Prosecutor: We tell me. We don't control it
Justice Merchan: I would direct the People to tell Mr. Cohen that the Judge is saying to not make any more public statements until the trial is over. Adjourned.
OK - now at Goldman Sachs v. Leissner et al - including Kimora Lee Simmons Leissner - she has two lawyers at the front table. Inner City Press covered the EDNY Jho Low / Leissner case (book
and will live tweet, thread belowamazon.com/gp/product/B09…
All rise!
Sullivan & Cromwell for Goldman Sachs: This was a grossly inadequate discovery production, about their claimed investment in Celsius through her Bank of America account
Judge: They only gave you material from the public docket?
S&C: Nothing of substance
S&C for Goldman: They supposedly sold $12 million of these shares. But we have no info. We subpoenaed Bank of America but they say counsel to Ms. Lee tells them no, it's private.
[Kimora Lee's two lawyers are whispering]
S&C: We litigated this before Judge Rochon
OK - now in trial for murder in Brazil of gallerist Brent Sikkema, defense closing argument then US rebuttal, deliberations. Inner City Press has covered the case since arrest of Daniel Sikkema and will live tweet, thread below matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com/p/art-world-hi…
Defense: Brent descended into drug use - that is why Danny wanted to get a divorce. Jane Pearl said yesterday, it was drugs and Lucas' wellfare. In Grindr, Danny had produced an ad there- DX 701
AUSA Grosbard: Objection!
Judge Ramos: Overruled.
Defense: Danny put an ad on Grindr saying, No drugs. That was his priority... Lucas continued to connect to Brent, he told Jane he wanted to enforce that obligation. He didnt' want Brent dead. He wanted Brent to get help with his drug problem. They had a fight
OK - now at presser by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch and Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office James Barnacle "to brief the media on recent cases" - Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below
1:03 pm
Commish Tisch: I want to thank Jay Clayton... The extremist who moves to real-world danger, those cases demand more than one office. The World Cup and 250th Anniversary of our country is coming. We partner, as we'll discuss
Commish Tisch: NYPD does the work on the ground, SDNY prosecutes on Federal charges. We have acting on guns from South Carolina. I began my career building out the NYPD's counter-terrorism work. Just last week, the defendant brought in from Iraq...
OK - now in trial for murder in Brazil of gallerist Brent Sikkema, Daniel's divorce lawyer on the stand. Inner City Press has covered the case since arrest of Daniel Sikkema and will live tweet, thread below matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com/p/art-world-hi…
Daniel's lawyer: Did you ask Brent Sikkema for funds for Daniel to buy a car to try to drive Uber?
Daniel's divorce lawyer: Yes. The TLC said it would be all electric cars going forward... Daniel told me that Brent had told him not to work but be available to him
Daniel's criminal lawyer: Did Brent ever make a settlement offer?
Daniel's divorce lawyer: Yes, one million dollars. Daniel was deeply hurt - that amount mirrored what Brent had given to a former boyfriend. We filled for in rem spousal support in November 2023
OK - now in trial for murder in Brazil of gallerist Brent Sikkema, testimony about Daniel's demand in divorce case. Inner City Press has covered the case since arrest of Daniel Sikkema and will live tweet, thread below matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com/p/art-world-hi…
Brent's ex-lawyer: Daniel wrote he wanted the Fire Island house one week per summer with Lucas and alimony or Jane would keep suing.
Daniel's lawyer: You did not represent Brent until a year after Daniel filed for divorce?
Brent's ex-lawyer: Right.
Daniel's lawyer: Did he leave off his form his second home in Rio?
Brent's ex-lawyer: I didn't know when I filled the net worth statement.
Daniel's lawyer: So if he had it, he didn't tell you about it, correct?
Brent's ex-lawyer: Correct
OK - now presentment of MOHAMMAD BAQER SAAD DAWOOD AL-SAADI, subject of 29 page complaint complete with a quote about Mexico [!] and many photos with Soleimani, below. Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below
1:02 pm
Federal Defender Andrew Dalack going in and out of the holding cell. Al-Saadi may have to fill out the CJA financial affidavit to get appointed counsel.
1:15 pm
All rise!
Deputy: This is US v. Al-Saadi.
Defense: Andrew Dalack for Mr. Al-Saadi.
Judge: I am Judge Sarah Netburn [Chief Magistrate Judge]. Date and time of arrest?
AUSA: He arrived in SDNY last night at 11 pm