'What have we done?' Stormy Daniels' attorney thought hush money aided Trump in 2016 election
A lawyer who previously represented porn star Stormy Daniels and model Karen McDougal testified Thursday that he believed their hush money deals may have helped Donald Trump win the 2016 presidential election.
Keith Davidson, the sixth witness to take the stand in Trump's hush money trial, discussed several texts he exchanged with the tabloid National Enquirer's top editor Dylan Howard about McDougal's and Daniels' stories ahead of the election. American Media Inc.'s former CEO David Pecker already testified that he used the publication to help Trump's campaign.
'What have we done?" Davidson said in an election night text shown to the jury, reflecting his belief that their "activities may have in some way" helped Trump secure the narrow, surprising win against Hillary Clinton.
The message could point to the prosecutors' central arguments that Trump authorized the payments issued through his former lawyer Michael Cohen to influence the election and covered the payments up in his business records.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to the 34 felony counts.
Here is what else to know about Davidson's testimony:
Donald Trump trial live updates: Stormy Daniels is back on the stand in hush money case
Davidson: 'I have a blockbuster Trump story'
Davidson texted Howard in 2016 teasing a "blockbuster Trump story," which he explained was McDougal's affair story, as he was aware the publication was helping Trump's campaign.
"Talk 1st thing. I will get you more than ANYONE for it. You know why...," Howard responded, according to evidence shown to the jury. Davidson said there was at least an implicit awareness that the parent company of the National Enquirer had endorsed Trump's 2016 presidential run.
A couple of months later, when the infamous Access Hollywood recording was released, Davidson and Howard texted about how it would mess up Trump's campaign.
"Wave the white flag. It's over people!" Howard texted Davidson.
The Access Hollywood tape also created a"crescendo" of interest in Daniels' story, Davidson said. Davidson got tapped to help close a deal between Cohen and Daniels when the National Enquirer passed on acquiring the rights Daniels' story.
Davidson said payment was late: 'All because Trump is tight'
The $130,000 payment for Daniels was late, even though the ink was dry, Davidson said on the stand Tuesday.
Davidson testified he communicated to former Trump attorney Cohen that the level of dissatisfaction was "quite high" after they hadn't been paid the $130,000 by the deadline agreed to in the hush money deal.
"Goddammit, I'll just do it myself," Cohen responded, according to Davidson, which he thought meant Cohen wouldn't seek authority in order to provide the funding.
Davidson said he thought Daniels was going to go public with her story of having sex with Trump, potentially with multiple media outlets, after the Trump team failed to pay.
Davidson texted Howard saying a mess could unfold for Trump as a result.
"All because trump is tight," Howard responded, according to texts entered into evidence.
Davidson said he thought this meant Trump is frugal.
'What have we done?' Davidson texted after Trump won election
Daniels did eventually receive her payment, and Davidson took a $10,000 cut he said.
The implications of the deal seemed to hit him on election night.
"What have we done?" Davidson texted Howard on the night of the 2016 presidential election, according to text messages displayed in the Manhattan courtroom.
"Oh my god," Howard responded.
Davidson testified Thursday that his message was humor after the polls showed Trump was leading in the election results. Pressed further on what he meant by prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, Davidson said his message reflected his belief that his and Howard's "activities may have in some way" helped Trump's presidential campaign.
Davidson went on to testify about Daniels' Jan. 10, 2018 denial of her alleged sexual encounter with Trump, splitting legal hairs on whether or not it is "true" based on strict interpretations of each word.
During cross examination, Trump's legal team made cuts at the lawyer's previous clients and Davidson's memory around previous deals. They also introduced previously recorded conversations between Cohen and Davidson about whether Daniels said the election gave her leverage in the hush money deal, but Davidson concluded someone else suggested it.
The prosecutor ended with another recorded conversation between Cohen and Davidson suggesting that Trump said "I hate the fact that we did it," referring to the settlement with Daniels.
Contributing: Bart Jansen, Josh Meyer
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stormy Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson ties payment to Trump victory
