Michael Cohen ensnares Trump in Stormy Daniels scheme

NEW YORK — The jury deciding former President Trump’s fate in his hush money trial finally heard from defendant Michael Cohen on Monday. Cohen gave his strongest suggestion yet about his former client’s role in the scheme at the heart of the case.

As he has done many times before, Mr. Cohen was involved in so-called “catch-and-kill” deals to keep unsavory stories about President Trump out of the public eye during the 2016 campaign. He talked about his role in detail.

But repeating the story to jurors throughout the courtroom revealed that his former boss was more to blame than any other witness who had previously taken the stand. This clearly infuriated President Trump, who then made some of his fiercest statements about his innocence, reading articles from his legal allies and criticizing the judges for sitting and talking to him for hours.

But the atmosphere in the courtroom itself was calmer than expected between the two longtime allies-turned-enemies.

Mr. Cohen seemed careful not to lose his temper, spoke slowly and appeared disappointed or worried on the stand. He let out several sighs as prosecutors pressed him over several hours for details of conversations he had during President Trump’s 2016 campaign to negotiate a hush-money deal.

Trump, on the other hand, kept his eyes closed during much of Cohen’s testimony. It was a marked change from the previous showdown, which ended with the former president storming out of a courtroom where his former personal lawyer was testifying against Mr. Cohen in a civil suit.

But when Trump first entered the courtroom where his criminal trial was being held Monday morning, he was followed by a small entourage of more than 15 Republican lawmakers, Secret Service agents, lawyers and campaign associates. Mr. Trump’s attention was extremely high.

The group includes three current members of Congress, Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (New York), as well as President Trump. Also included was his son Eric Trump and his law firm. Spokesperson Alina Haba. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Byrd (R) was also present.

At the end of the day, President Trump sent a message of encouragement to many members of Congress by reading from a list of allies’ remarks that he had marked with a Sharpie during the afternoon session. But he also became angry during his remarks to reporters staked out in the courthouse hallway.

“We have corrupt judges,” President Trump told reporters in the courthouse hallway, raising his voice. “And we have a judge who is very inconsistent. And he’s preventing me from campaigning.”

“He’s a corrupt judge. And he’s an inconsistent judge who should let us go campaign and eliminate this fraud,” Trump argued.

Cohen’s testimony this week, which directly relates to Trump and the payments, could make or break Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s (D) case against Trump, and whether the former president will become a felon. It may be helpful in making decisions.

Mr. Bragg did not attend much of the trial, but he watched part of the day’s trial sitting in his usual spot behind Mr. Trump in the bleachers.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen largely avoided eye contact in court, except when the former fixer was asked to identify his former boss. Cohen took to the stand to get a better look.

Mr. Cohen entered and exited the room quickly, took audible deep breaths, and almost always kept his eyes off Mr. Trump as he passed by the defense bench. The former president was whispering with his lawyer, but he didn’t pay attention when Cohen walked by.

From the witness stand, Cohen occasionally fidgeted nervously as he looked out at the packed courtroom, waiting for jurors to arrive at each break.

The former president’s former fixer began his testimony by recalling how he got the job.

Cohen said that after reviewing Trump’s legal issues, he questioned whether the then-businessman was happy with a “sleepy old company.” He was “honored” and “surprised” when President Trump asked him to leave to come work for him.

Mr. Trump’s job, Mr. Cohen said, “was to do anything that had to do with him.” Whatever he wants. ” He became one of President Trump’s most loyal aides and earned the nickname Trump’s “Pitbull” for his aggressive pursuit of threats to Trump’s image.

When Trump decided to run for president, Cohen said the men met with David Pecker, then publisher of the National Enquirer, to discuss how tabloids contributed to the campaign. He said they discussed whether it could be done.

As Pecker testified earlier in the trial, Cohen said he agreed to “keep an eye out” for any negative stories about Trump and try to stop them from coming to light. .

“If we could run positive stories about Mr. Trump, that would be helpful, and if we could run negative stories about some of the other candidates, that would be helpful as well,” Cohen explained.

When Trump decided to run for president, he warned Fixer to be “prepared” for “many women” to come forward with stories involving him. They did it.

Some of Mr. Cohen’s most notable comments on Monday were his recognition of the “Access Hollywood” tape depicting Mr. Trump grabbing women inappropriately and without their consent, and how some of the extramarital affairs allegations have affected female voters. It was about how it would affect Trump’s standing among the US.

After the tape was released, Cohen testified that Trump instructed him to pass it on as a “locker room conversation” because “that’s what Melania Trump thought.” The former president shook his head in disapproval of comments that referred to Trump’s wife, Melania Trump.

Cohen said then-President Trump’s polling with women was “very bad.” The Access Hollywood tape was already clouding President Trump’s outlook when it was revealed that adult film actress Stormy Daniels was having an affair again.

Cohen said Trump was concerned this could be a “disaster” for his campaign. He ordered Cohen to postpone publication of the article until after the election.

“This is a disaster.” Cohen said President Trump said, “It’s an absolute disaster.” “Women will hate me.”

Cohen also asked President Trump days later during negotiations over adult film actress Stormy Daniels’ alleged affair, asking him “what would happen to his relationship upstairs” with first lady Melania Daniels if the sordid story were to emerge. he said he asked.

Cohen said Trump responded, “Don’t worry.” “How long do you think I’ll be on the market? Not long.”

The testimony undermines a core element of Mr. Trump’s defense: that he was aiming to hide his affair from his wife, not from American voters. To prove Mr. Trump is guilty of the felony charge of falsifying business records he faces, prosecutors would have to prove that Mr. Trump facilitated another crime: influencing the election. There is a need.

Mr. Cohen has long publicly stated that he wants to see Mr. Trump convicted, even wearing a shirt of the jailed Mr. Trump during a recent TikTok live stream. He had indicated in recent days that he was not looking forward to testifying.

His most frustrating moment on the stand was when he recalled that after receiving his 2016 bonus, it had been reduced to two-thirds of the normal amount.

“I was really insulted and personally hurt. I couldn’t understand it,” Cohen said. “It just didn’t make sense, given everything I had been through on the campaign trail, with the Trump Organization, and putting up $130,000 for him to protect him.”

Describing himself as “extraordinarily angry” at the apparent disrespect, he took the matter to Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg and expressed how “really pissed off and angry” he was. He explained it in “unsexy words”.

Mr. Cohen’s testimony is likely to become more intense following cross-examination by Mr. Trump’s lawyers, who have indicated they are willing to do whatever is necessary to undermine Mr. Cohen’s credibility.

Prosecutors have indicated they will finish direct questioning Tuesday, before the defense has a chance to cross-examine.