Ex-attorney for Daniels and McDougal testifies in Trump trial

Keith Davidson is explaining how they used fake names in the agreement between Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels.

"Peggy Peterson" was used Daniels because she was the plaintiff, and "David Dennison" was used for Trump because he was the defendant, Davidson said.

Asked if David Dennison is a real person, Davidson said, "Yes, he was on my high school hockey team."

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked him, "How does he feel about you know? "

"He's very upset," Davidson said, drawing laughs from some of the jurors.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass is now showing an email from Keith Davidson to Michael Cohen with the Stormy Daniels' agreement attached.

The email states there's a "settlement sum" of $130,000.

According to Davidson, when he got involved, National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard told him the deal would go up to $150,000 to compensate the lawyer and either American Media Inc. or Cohen would pay for it.

Ultimately, it was settled at $130,000.

Enquirer editor Dylan Howard was "washing his hands of the deal," Davidson said of the Stormy Daniels' story.

Remember how publisher David Pecker testified last week that he wanted nothing to do with an adult film star even if it would help Trump. It would not play well with big tabloid distributors like Walmart, he said on the stand.

Davidson said it was unusual for Howard to refer him to someone outside AMI to arrange a deal. "This is the only time it ever happened," Davidson said.

Davidson said when he got involved "the deal had really already been cut at 120."

Davidson testified "Stormy and Gina weren’t going to take a discount so that 120 became 130," referring to amounts of $120,000 and $130,000.

Davidson says that the deal with AMI was essentially the same deal that was struck with Cohen, and after AMI washed its hands they handed it off to Cohen.

Keith Davidson testified that he texted former National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard on October 9, 2016, letting him know about a published post from a gossip website called TheDirty.com referencing his client, Stormy Daniels.

Davidson texted Howard after the website republished that original blog post following the release of "Access Hollywood" tape, saying, "Hi, the story is already out there."

Howard texted Davidson: “Yeah but her talking and taking (redacted) is the final nail in the coffin…but he’s f**ked already.”

Davidson explained that he thought Howard meant that "the dirty post was bad but it could get a lot worse" if Daniels spoke publicly.

In response to the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape, Keith Davidson texted Dylan Howard, "Trump is f**ked," Davidson is explaining in court.

“Wave the white flag. It’s over people!” Howard responded to Davidson's text, according to Davidson.

Trump is again leaning back in his chair as Keith Davidson testifies about Stormy Daniels. He looks like his eyes are closed or staring off.

Texts between Dylan Howard and Davidson about the Access Hollywood tapes – like the other exhibits – have been displayed on the individual screens in front of the jurors for them to see closely.

On October 10, 2016, Howard connected Davidson and Cohen via text: "Keith/Michael: connecting you both in regards to that business opportunity. Spoke to the client this AM and they're confirmed to proceed with the opportunity. Thanks. Dylan."

Davidson explains that Gina Rodriguez and Howard had come to terms on an agreement for AMI to purchase Daniels' story. But then AMI backed out of the deal.

Davidson explained how he ultimately came to be involved.

"The moral of the story is no one wanted to talk to Cohen," saying that both he and Rodriguez both refused to deal directly with Cohen.

Howard called Davidson to convince him to work with him to get the deal done.

Keith Davidson is being asked about what impact the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape had on the interest in Stormy Daniels' story

Davidson says there was very little interest in the "marketplace" in Daniels' story about an alleged affair with Trump in the summer of 2016 through the fall. But the "Access Hollywood" tape sparked interest in Daniels' story, Davidson says. That's when interest in her story "reached a crescendo."

"So, far as I’m aware, it had tremendous influence," Davidson says.

Witness Keith Davidson is speaking to the jury while answering the prosecutor's questions about Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels' former manager Gina Rodriguez.