The Latest | New witnesses set to take the stand as Trump hush money trial enters its 13th day

NEW YORK — As the third week of testimony in Donald Trump’s hush money trial unfolds, all eyes are on who will be called next and whether the former president will be able to abide by the terms of his now twice-broken silence order that prevents him from speaking publicly about jurors, witnesses and some others involved in the case.

Before Monday’s testimony began, Judge Juan M. Merchan found Trump in contempt of court for the second time, fining him $1,000 for a single offense and sternly warning the loquacious former president that prison time would be considered for future offenses “if necessary and appropriate. ”

Two people affiliated with the Trump Organization took the stand Monday — former comptroller Jeffrey McConney and accounts payable manager Deborah Tarasoff — and elaborated on a key part of the indictment against Trump: Michael Cohen’s repayment of the $130,000 Stormy Daniels payment.

Tuesday’s testimony will delve deeper into the events and people involved in what prosecutors say was a scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election by buying and burying negative stories about the then-candidate.

The trial is entering its 13th day.

Trump is accused of falsifying internal company records to cover up hush money payments — including the payment to Daniels — and instead recording them as legal fees.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying company records.

The case is the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president and the first of four prosecutions against Trump to reach a jury.

Currently:

– Read the judge’s ruling on Trump’s latest violation of the gag order

– Holding Money, Capturing and Killing and More: Terms You Need to Know in the Trump Trial

– What Trump’s silence order means in his hush money case

– Key players: who’s who in Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal trial

– The hush money case is just one of Trump’s lawsuits. Check out the others here

Here’s the latest:

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Steinglass told Judge Juan M. Merchan Monday afternoon in Donald Trump’s hush money trial that the prosecution’s case is moving ahead of schedule.

Steinglass said he estimates he will be done calling witnesses in two weeks from Tuesday. Although there is a possibility that witnesses will be rebutted, the estimate covers the most important parts of the trial.

Once the prosecution is complete, Trump’s lawyers can call their witnesses.

The judge who presided over former President Donald Trump’s hush-money trial fined him $1,000 on Monday for once again violating a gag order barring him from speaking publicly about jurors, witnesses and some others involved in the case.

Judge Juan M. Merchan warned Trump that additional violations of the gag order could potentially lead to prison time.

“The last thing I want to do is put you in jail. You are the former president of the United States and possibly the next president,” Merchan said. “There are many reasons why incarceration is really a last resort for me. Taking this step would disrupt these proceedings.”

While prosecutors flagged four potential violations, Merchan agreed with only one: comments Trump made on April 22 on a program called “Just the News No Noise,” which airs on Real America’s Voice.

On the program, Trump criticized the speed at which the jury was selected, claiming it was full of Democrats. “The jury was chosen so quickly. 95 percent Democrats. The area is largely democratic,” he says.

Trump was fined $9,000 last week for nine previous violations of the order.

Donald Trump was scheduled to return to the lower Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday for the 13th day of his hush money trial.

The third week of testimony began Monday when two people affiliated with the Trump Organization took the stand to elaborate on the hows and whys of Michael Cohen’s financial reimbursement for a $130,000 hush money payment paid to attorney Keith Davidson in exchange for porn actor Stormy Daniels. ‘ silence about a sexual encounter she allegedly had with Trump years earlier.

During testimony, jurors saw notes, bank statements and other documents related to the financial repayment at the heart of the charges against the former president.

The 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents accuse Trump of labeling the money paid to Cohen as legal fees in his company’s records. Prosecutors allege that by paying him revenue and giving him additional tax money, Trump’s executives were able to hide the refund.