A dramatic day in court saw former US President Donald Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, arrange a $130,000 payout to adult film star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election. This was revealed through a series of profanity-ridden text messages read aloud by lawyer Keith Davidson, who brokered the deal.
Davidson testified that he was drawn into the negotiations by Daniels' manager, Gina Rodriguez, after a deal with the National Enquirer's publisher, AMI, fell through. Cohen stepped in and Davidson assumed the role of lead negotiator, despite initial reluctance due to Cohen's reputation for being unpleasant to work with.
The texts revealed a sense of urgency and desperation, with Davidson writing "talking…is the final nail in the coffin….but he really is f— already" after the release of the Access Hollywood tape. National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard responded, "Trump is f—. Wave the white flag. It's over people!"
Davidson testified that he met Daniels in 2011 but didn't start working on the hush money payout until the final days of the 2016 election. He confirmed the $130,000 settlement sum in an email to Cohen, which was displayed in court.
Prosecutors allege that Trump broke the law by reimbursing Cohen for the hush money payment and falsely recording it as a legal expense. They claim this was done to influence the outcome of the 2016 election by hiding damaging information from the public.
The trial also revealed that Davidson negotiated a "catch-and-kill" scheme with the National Enquirer for Playboy model Karen McDougal, who alleged an affair with Trump. Text messages showed how the exclusive rights to her story were purchased by AMI.
Earlier in the trial, David Pecker, publisher of the National Enquirer, testified that he, Trump, and Cohen reached an agreement to use the tabloid to bolster Trump's presidential campaign and head off negative stories.
The dramatic day in court ended with Justice Juan Merchan fining Trump $9,000 for multiple violations of his gag order and warning him of potential jail time. The trial continues, with prosecutors building a case against Trump for allegedly covering up evidence of the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels.
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