An inveterate liar with an unquenchable thirst for revenge: at Donald Trump’s criminal trial, the latter’s lawyers sought to paint the worst possible portrait of his former confidant, now number one accuser, Michael Cohen, during a merciless cross-examination on Thursday.
The man who described himself as a man of bad luck, capable of “lying” or “intimidating” on behalf of his former boss, is the key piece of the puzzle deployed by New York prosecutors to show that Donald Trump approved the $130,000 hush-money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels at the tail end of the November 2016 presidential campaign.
Because it was Michael Cohen, at the time Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, who paid the money to the actress to buy her silence about a sexual relationship that she claims to have had in 2006 with the Republican billionaire, and that the latter denies it.
During his testimony, Michael Cohen claimed to have acted on orders from his former boss, to ensure, he said, “that the story would not come out and affect Donald Trump’s chances of becoming president.” the United States “.
And he assured that Donald Trump had validated his reimbursement in 2017 of expenses, disguised according to the accusation as “legal expenses” in the accounts of the Trump Organization, the holding Donald Trump’s real estate.
It is for these alleged cover-ups that Donald Trump has been appearing since April 15 for accounting falsifications, crimes which could earn him the first criminal conviction of a former president of the United States, a possible earthquake for the Republican candidate for the House -White, even if he will still be able to face the voters on November 5.
Lies
But Michael Cohen is not worthy of belief, wanted to demonstrate the defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, under the eyes of the former president and a group of Republican elected officials who came to support their presidential champion even in the Manhattan courtroom.
The lawyer questioned Michael Cohen at length about his lies before Congress in Washington in 2017, separate facts from the current trial, to which he pleaded guilty in 2018 and was sentenced, along with other crimes, to a sentence of prison which landed him behind bars for 13 months.
“I agreed to take my responsibilities,” replied the former advisor to Donald Trump on his third day of testimony.
The lawyer listed numerous other episodes where Michael Cohen, according to him, had come to terms with the truth, before casting doubt on the veracity of his testimony.
Supporting telephone data, Todd Blanche wanted to demonstrate that Michael Cohen had “lied” by claiming to have informed Donald Trump that the Stormy Daniels affair was buried at the end of October 2016. “It was a lie. Admit it,” he said, his voice firm.
Upset, Michael Cohen still maintained his version.
The defense also insisted on the ego injury that the witness would have felt when, once Donald Trump entered the White House on January 20, 2017, he had not been recruited there, and his desire for revenge since he was caught by the courts.
“You better believe in my desire to bring down” Donald Trump, the jurors were able to hear in full audience, an excerpt from a podcast by Michael Cohen dating from 2020.
End of debates
Since April 15, the trial has forced the Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election to sit and listen to the debates in silence, in a courtroom with an old-fashioned decor located at 15e floor of the Manhattan courthouse. But his ordeal could soon end.
His defense confirmed Thursday that it has at this stage only one witness to call, an expert in campaign financing laws, and maintains doubt about possible testimony from Donald Trump himself.
Judge Juan Merchan told the parties to prepare for closing arguments starting Tuesday, with cross-examination of Michael Cohen expected to conclude Monday.
Her testimony followed that of Stormy Daniels, who forcefully delivered her version of her relationship with Donald Trump and the reasons which pushed her to negotiate her silence.
Other protagonists were also called to the stand, such as the former boss of a tabloid who had “bought” other scandals to prevent them from tarnishing the Republican candidate.
