Keith Davidson, the ex-attorney for Stormy Daniels who is a witness in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial, made a "key" admission during his testimony on Thursday, according to experts.
Trump is facing trial in New York City on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to an alleged hush money payment to adult film actor Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleged the payment was meant to prevent her from speaking publicly about her claims of having an affair with the former president.
Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has denied having an affair with Daniels and pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges. He maintains his innocence and has accused Bragg and other prosecutors of targeting him for political purposes, criticizing the trial as a form of election interference.
Davidson, who represented Daniels at the time of the alleged payment, took the stand to provide testimony on Thursday.
During this testimony on Thursday, Davidson, who represented Daniels at the time of the alleged payment, explained an email sent to National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard in which he wrote, "What have we done?" Prosecutors asked him to elaborate on what he meant in that email.
"Our activities may have in some way assisted the presidential campaign of Donald Trump," Davidson responded.
Newsweek reached out to Davidson for comment via email.
Dave Aronberg, the state attorney in Florida's Palm Beach County, told Newsweek on Thursday that his testimony is a "powerful piece of evidence" because it shows the alleged "hush money scheme was intended to help Trump get elected president."
"This is important because a campaign finance violation would elevate the misdemeanor charges of falsification of business records into felonies," Aronberg said in a statement.
Norm Eisen, a CNN legal analyst who formerly served as counsel to the House Judiciary Committee for Trump's first impeachment trial, called Davidson's testimony a "key moment" for prosecutors in the trial.
"Key moment: Davidson asked about his el. night email to Howard, 'what have we done' What did you mean? 'Our activities may have in some way assisted the Presidential campaign of Donald Trump' What was Howard response? 'Oh my God,'" he wrote to X, formerly Twitter.
Jose Pagliery, a political investigations reporter for The Daily Beast wrote that his admission was "exactly what the jurors needed to hear."
Davidson also said he does not consider the payment to Daniels to be hush money, reported Newsweek's Katherine Fung, who has been covering the trial from inside the courtroom.
When asked if he would use the term "hush money" to describe the payment to Daniels, Davidson responded, "I would never use that word."
It wasn't a payoff and it wasn't hush money, Davidson testified, instead calling the deal "consideration," which is a legal term.
Prosecutors also questioned Davidson about a statement released on Daniels' behalf in which she said, "I am denying this affair because it never happened." Davidson insists it's still "technically true."
"I don't think anyone had ever alleged there was a relationship between Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump," Davidson said. "I believe a relationship is an ongoing interaction."
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Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
