Are Trump prosecutors banking on this banker?

And former Trump White House aide says she 'has no choice but to support Biden' [VIEW IN BROWSER]( MSNBC DAILY Understand today's news Tuesday, Apr. 30, 2024 THE LATEST [Alternate text] [This witness in Trump's trial isn't a star. But his testimony is vital.]( By Katie Phang Prosecutors in former President Donald Trump’s New York trial started with a bang, [calling as their first witness David Pecker](, the former publisher of [the National Enquirer](. And that makes sense. In a jury trial, the focuses are primacy and recency: Prosecutors want to start strong and end strong. The beginnings of trials and the ends of trials are what jurors remember best. That’s why a good strategy is to [call witnesses such as Gary Farro to the stand]( in between. Farro spent 15 years at First Republic Bank as a senior managing director. He began his testimony last week as the third witness for the Manhattan district attorney’s office. Farro explained that he inherited the bank’s relationship with Michael Cohen, who had several personal accounts at the bank. He testified that Cohen contacted him in October 2016 [to open a new account at First Republic]( for a real estate consulting LLC (limited liability company) that Cohen created called Essential Consultants LLC. Interestingly, according to Farro’s testimony, Cohen specified that he didn’t want an address to appear on any of the checks for that account. That Delaware LLC was the vehicle used to pay [Stephanie Clifford, aka Stormy Daniels,]( the $130,000 hush money payment heard around the world. This is a preview of Katie Phang's latest article. [Read the full column here.](     TOP STORIES [Alternate text] [STEVE BENEN]( [In hush money case, Lindsey Graham’s new Trump defense won’t work]( The “everybody does it” line didn't work for Donald Trump in the classified-documents scandal. It won't work in the hush-money criminal case, either. [Read more.]( [HAYES BROWN]( [Ron DeSantis' cowardly surrender to Trump is now complete]( The Florida governor met his subjugator for breakfast this weekend with the promise to help fundraise for the cash-strapped presumptive nominee. [Read more.]( [JORDAN RUBIN]( [Neil Gorsuch didn’t help Peter Navarro get out of prison]( The former Trump White House adviser tried his luck again after Chief Justice John Roberts had already rejected him. As expected, it didn’t work out. [Read more.]( [PAUL WALDMAN]( //link.msnbc.com/click/35206164.71540/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubXNuYmMuY29tL29waW5pb24vbXNuYmMtb3Bpbmlvbi9rcmlzdGktbm9lbS1kb2ctc2hvb3RpbmctYm9vay1yY25hMTQ5Nzk1P2NpZD1lbWxfbWRhXzIwMjQwNDMwJnVzZXJfZW1haWw9ZDdkYzc0NTE3Mjk3YjM5NzFhYTE0ZDZmMzMxMTM1YTA4NzhmOGY2NDBmYTFhMTAxOWYxNTdiNjVjMWI1ZGQxZA/58292da26e4adc7b0b8b4914Eed380ca4[Kristi Noem wanted a reaction from liberals — but not like this]( Fashioning political identities out of the stories of candidates’ personal lives is a subtle art. [Read more.](     TOP VIDEOS [Alternate text] [INSIDE WITH JEN PSAKI]( [Former Trump White House aide says she 'has no choice but to support Biden']( [WATCH NOW]( [RACHEL MADDOW]( [Republicans assemble oddly insulting set of 2024 candidates with Senate control on the line]( [WATCH NOW]( [THE BEAT WITH ARI]( [Retired Justice Stephen Breyer discusses draft opinion leaks, attacks on judges with Ari Melber]( [WATCH NOW]( [KATY TUR]( [Abortion is a 'democracy issue': Nancy Pelosi on Florida's six-week ban taking effect]( [WATCH NOW]( MORE FROM MSNBC [Alternate text]     On Saturday, watch a special conversation at New York City’s historic Apollo Theater hosted by Joy Reid and Rachel Maddow. They discuss Joy’s “New York Times” best-selling book, “Medgar & Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America” and how the mission of these civil rights pioneers is now more urgent than ever. Watch “Joy Reid and Rachel Maddow Live at the Apollo” Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on MSNBC and streaming on Peacock.     Go beyond the headlines with the new MSNBC app. Read, watch, and listen to breaking news and analysis, anytime, anywhere. [Download the new MSNBC app now](.     MSNBC INSIGHTS [Alternate text] Have you ever wanted to provide MSNBC with your opinion about their TV programs, documentaries, and digital products, such as MSNBC.com, newsletters, and podcasts? Now is your chance! [Join the MSNBC Insights Community.](   Download the MSNBC App: 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 [PRIVACY]( | [CONTACT]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE](listvar=sub_daily)