Trump prosecutors keep witness schedule secret to avoid ex-president’s attacks

Donald Trump’s prosecutors announced Monday that they are keeping their witness schedule secret to prevent the former president from targeting upcoming witnesses in his hush-money criminal trial in New York.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told a Manhattan Supreme Court judge: “The defendant violated an order restricting extrajudicial speech and did not want to release the name of the witness or the name of the next witness.” Told. court.

Steinglass said prosecutors notify defense attorneys of the next witnesses the day before they are called to testify to avoid names being “out there.”

The district attorney’s office has not released a list of expected witnesses to the public.

This adds even more suspense to the dramatic trial as prosecutors reveal, one by one, who will take the stand next.

Steinglass rejected the defense’s argument that Trump is being unfairly disadvantaged because Trump’s team has not been provided with a complete schedule of when each witness is scheduled to testify. .

“They had a witness list and an exhibit list for a long time,” he told Judge Juan Mercian after the jury went home.

Steinglass said he didn’t want it to seem like prosecutors were “in some way using the defense as a punching bag.”

Mr. Trump has already been held in contempt of court 10 times for violating a gag order that prohibits him from speaking about witnesses or jurors.

The latest contempt charge was issued Monday morning before the jury was seated.

Marchan warned President Trump that future violations of court orders would result in the former president going to jail.

“The last thing I want to do is put you in jail,” Marchan told Trump. But, “I’ll do it if I have to.”

As he left the courthouse, Trump seemed to indicate he had no intention of ceasing to violate the gag order.

Referring to his claims that gag orders take away the right to free speech, President Trump said, “Frankly, our Constitution is far more important than prison…I’ll always make that choice.” I intend to do so.”

Mr. Steinglass’s meeting with the judge capped a day of testimony by Trump Organization insiders explaining how the secretive company operates. They also testified about District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s business records, which are central to the landmark case.

Former Trump Organization administrator Jeff McConney was the day’s key witness.

Prosecutors have repeatedly questioned Mr. Trump over the unusual circumstances surrounding the compensation the company paid to Mr. Trump’s former fixer, Michael Cohen.

Mr. Trump repaid Mr. Cohen, who paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 just before the 2016 presidential election to settle her claims that she had a sexual relationship with Mr. Trump in 2006. He was charged with falsifying business records to conceal his identity.

Mr. McConey testified that Mr. Cohen sent invoices that were not submitted to the company’s legal department, even though the legal department normally reviews invoices for legal services.

He also testified that he had never seen the contract with Mr. Cohen relating to these payments.

This is important because Mr. Bragg alleges that Mr. Trump falsified records of reimbursement to Mr. Cohen by reporting it as payment for legal services provided under the retainer agreement.

Mr. McConney also said he was instructed to “gross up” payments to Mr. Cohen to cover the taxes Mr. Cohen expected to pay. In addition, Cohen received an additional $60,000 bonus for a total payout of $420,000.

Mr. McConney testified that he could not think of any other instance in which expense reimbursements were doubled to cover anticipated taxes.

Marchand began the day with a dire warning to Trump: “Stop violating court orders or you’ll go to jail.”

The ultimatum came less than a week after a judge held Trump in contempt of court for nine violations of the same gag order.

Marchan on Monday accused Trump of claiming in an April 22 radio interview that his trial was “grossly unfair” because the jurors were drawn from an area that was “almost all Democrats.” was the subject of contempt for the 10th time.

Mr. Trump “not only called into question the integrity and, by extension, the legitimacy of these proceedings, he once again raised fears for the safety of jurors and their loved ones,” Marchan said. In his judgment he wrote:.

Marchand imposed fines on Trump of up to $1,000 for each violation and a total of $10,000 for the 10 violations.

“The $1,000 fine doesn’t seem to be working as a deterrent,” Marchan said.

Still, he said he would not take the drastic step of putting Mr. Trump in jail without seriously considering it.

“I never forget the magnitude of a decision like that,” Marchand said.

“There are many reasons why incarceration is really a last resort,” he said. “Taking such a step would cause confusion in the proceedings.”

“But at the end of the day, I have a job to do.”