new york- Prosecutors finally called former President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen to testify on Monday. He is a star witness with a history of lying under oath.
Prosecutors wanted Cohen, whose credibility has come under intense scrutiny because of his multiple false confessions under oath and admissions that he attacked Trump in public. gave most of the answers. He testified that Trump directed payment of a non-disclosure agreement with porn actress Stormy Daniels and agreed to a reimbursement plan based on charges of falsifying business records, the core of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case. did.(Related: ‘Kangaroo Court’: Miscarriage of justice denial of Stormy Daniels’ testimony was one of many mistakes by judge, legal experts say)
The plan would reimburse Mr. Cohen for the $130,000 payment to Mr. Daniels and another fee he paid for technology services (both amounts doubled to account for taxes) that had been reduced in the previous year. He offered an additional $60,000 bonus to make up for the loss, and proposed spreading the money over 12 years. Months of transactions described as payments for legal services under maintenance agreements.
Last week, former Trump Organization administrator Jeffrey McConney testified that Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s chief financial officer, instructed Cohen to make this repayment. Jurors saw his handwritten notes outlining the plan, as well as invoices, bookkeeping entries and checks related to its completion, which together make up the 34 felonies in Trump’s indictment. ing.
However, Mr. McConney could not testify to Mr. Trump’s direct involvement. On cross-examination, he asserted that he had “very little” conversation with Mr. Trump, particularly about this payment.
Cohen testified that he and Weisselberg met in Trump’s office shortly before he took office in January 2017. It was during that meeting that Mr. Trump approved the payment, Mr. Cohen said, and acknowledged that Mr. Weisselberg had said in front of Mr. Trump that Mr. Cohen would receive the full amount in total. $420,000 in 12 months.
Cohen said the funds are “designed to be” to pay for future legal services. “What was that, actually?” Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked. “Please give me my money back,” Cohen said.
Former President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media at Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday, May 10, 2024 in New York, USA.Gina Moon/Pool via Reuters
Cohen later said that although he was given the title of personal attorney to the president, he did not expect to be compensated. Rather, he intended to monetize the position through consulting contracts with other companies.
Cohen also claimed that Trump told him to “be careful” about the Stormy Daniels situation. He said he would not have withdrawn money from his home equity line of credit rather than his wife’s bank account to pay for the non-disclosure agreement without the understanding that it would be repaid.
Prosecutors presented phone records from various key dates showing conversations between Mr. Cohen and Mr. Trump, and Mr. Cohen filled in details about the content of the conversations.
Cohen, like National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, also said during his testimony that Trump’s concerns were about the 2016 campaign, not his family. Other witnesses, including former White House communications director Hope Hicks, testified that Trump was concerned about his family.
Witnesses so far have not been able to directly prove Trump’s involvement in the charges at the heart of the case. But it remains to be seen whether the jury will accept Cohen’s claims and how he will hold up under cross-examination.
Cohen pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to Congress over comments he made before the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence about efforts to build Trump Tower in Moscow.federal judge too was suggested In March, he claimed that he committed perjury while testifying in President Trump’s civil fraud trial.
During testimony at that trial, Cohen said he lied under oath to a federal judge when he pleaded guilty to tax evasion in 2018 and that he is not guilty of tax evasion.
A judge on Friday ordered prosecutors to instruct Cohen to stop speaking publicly about the incident with President Trump. Trump’s lawyers pointed out that Daniels and Cohen routinely attack the former president on social media. mediaHowever, President Trump is unable to respond because he is under a gag order that prohibits him from speaking about the witnesses.
All content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news distribution service, is available free of charge to legitimate news publishers with large audiences. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and DCNF affiliation. If you have any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
