McConney says way of doing business changed "drastically" after Trump became president

Witness testimony in Trump's hush money trial wraps for the day

From CNN's Kara Scannell, Lauren Del Valle, Jeremy Herb and Sabrina Souza in the courthouse

Updated 5:53 p.m. ET, May 6, 2024
90 Posts
Sort byDropdown arrow
12:33 p.m. ET, May 6, 2024

McConney says way of doing business changed "drastically" after Trump became president

Jeffrey McConney says the way of doing business at the Trump Organization had to change "drastically" once Trump became president.

He that after Trump became president, "I don’t remember seeing him in New York at all."

Judge Juan Merchan sustained an objection from prosecutors to this point.

12:27 p.m. ET, May 6, 2024

McConney says he doesn't know if Cohen was doing legal work for Trump around 2017

Trump attorney Emil Bove pointed to the invoice email where Michael Cohen asked Allen Weisselberg to call him to discuss an open foundation matter.

Bove asked whether that suggested that there was an "open matter Michael Cohen was handling?"

"Yes," McConney said.

McConney said "I do not know" when Bove asked him if Cohen was doing legal work for Trump as a personal attorney around 2017.

When Bove asked him if he knew Cohen did work for Trump related to Summer Zervos, McConney said "no idea."

12:26 p.m. ET, May 6, 2024

Cohen sent invoices using a personal email account, not a Trump Org. account, McConney testifies

Trump attorney Emil Bove is showing the emails from Michael Cohen in 2017 and points out Cohen's signature block, which states he's the "Personal attorney to President Donald J Trump."

"It doesn’t say fixer, does it?" Bove asks Jeffrey McConney.

"No," McConney confirms.

McConney also confirms Cohen sent the invoices using a personal Gmail account not a Trump Organization email address, meaning he was essentially acting as a vendor to the Trump Organization.

12:24 p.m. ET, May 6, 2024

McConney says he has never talked to Cohen about any of these issues

Attorney Emil Bove explained that Jeffrey McConney testified to a series of emails involving Michael Cohen and asked whether he ever spoke to Cohen about any of these issues.

"No, talk to Michael, no," McConney said.

12:26 p.m. ET, May 6, 2024

McConney testifies he didn't speak to Trump often

Jeffrey McConney is testifying that he didn't speak to Trump very often.

"When you did speak to him, you didn’t talk about accounting software?" Trump attorney Emil Bove asks.

"No," McConney says.

12:31 p.m. ET, May 6, 2024

Bove has starts cross-examination of witness

Trump attorney Emil Bove has begun cross-examination of witness Jeffrey McConney.

Remember: Defense attorneys can cross examine the prosecution’s witnesses and typically aim to discredit their testimony. Witnesses’ responses are considered evidence, but not the questions posed by an attorney. Read more about how the trial works.

12:30 p.m. ET, May 6, 2024

Amount listed as a liability to Cohen on form was between $100,001 and $250,000

The amount listed as a liability to Michael Cohen on the form was between $100,001-$250,000, as the form lists amounts in ranges. 

Witness Jeffrey McConney testified that the $130,000 wire to Keith Davidson and the $50,000 to Red Finch totaled $180,000.

The full footnote reads: "In the interest of transparency while not required to be disclosed as reportable liabilities on part 8 in 2016 expenses were incurred by one of the Donald J Trump's attorneys, Michael Cohen. Mr. Cohen sought reimbursement of those expenses and Mr. Trump fully reimbursed Mr. Cohen in 2017. The category of value would be $100,001-$250,000 and the interest rate would be zero."

12:29 p.m. ET, May 6, 2024

McConney identifies Trump's signature: "I've seen it many times"

Jeffrey McConney identifies Trump's signature as prosecutors walk through a financial disclosure document.

"I've seen it many times," he says.

12:11 p.m. ET, May 6, 2024

Financial disclosure document accepted into evidence

There's been another objection over the financial disclosure document.

Prosecutors moved to enter in the OGE 278-e form for 2017, and Trump attorney Emil Bove objected.

After meeting at the bench, the document was accepted into evidence.