Documenting Trump’s Hush Money Payments: Week Two Witnesses Corroborate Evidence in Felony Record Falsification Trial

As week two of Donald Trump’s trial begins, we can expect a less dramatic phase compared to last week’s star witness testimony from former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker. However, despite the lack of confessions or damning evidence every time a witness takes the stand in real-life trials, prosecutors still need to present all documentation required to prove Trump’s felony record falsification charges related to hush money payments made during his 2016 election campaign. This week will see witnesses testify about maintaining contact information for women who received secret payoffs and provide corroboration of bank records, helping establish the factual elements needed in the case while also highlighting any omissions or misrepresentations that could show intent to cover up payment schemes aimed at benefiting Trump’s campaign. Witnesses such as Gary Farro, a former banker for Michael Cohen, are likely to corroborate detailed records relating to LLC formation, shedding light on the true purpose of these entities despite any omissions made by Cohen in his initial statements about them. While this phase may be less dramatic than last week’s testimony from Pecker, it is essential and will help build a solid case against Trump as prosecutors move through documentation witnesses thoroughly but expeditiously to avoid losing juror attention. Despite the potential for sleepy moments during proceedings, Trump would do well to remain alert given the steady building of evidence by prosecution lawyers, piece-by-piece.