Former President Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen suggested that the president was “inciting his supporters” to attack people involved in criminal cases.
“His goal is to incite his supporters … just to make them do the same stupid things they did on January 6,” Cohen said Friday on MSNBC’s “The Reid Out.” Told.
“His goal is to have these individuals and those who criticize him attacked as often as possible, whether it’s on social media, over the phone or in person.” He told host Joy Reid. “So that’s his goal. Intimidation and witnesses – that’s witness intimidation and harassment.”
The remarks came days after President Trump attacked Judge Juan Marchand and his daughter, who are overseeing a case related to hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016. The former president also slammed Mr. Daniels and Mr. Cohen for paying him in exchange for keeping quiet about the alleged affair.
Trump, who is considered a likely Republican candidate for the White House, also criticized Marchan on Tuesday for issuing a gag order that prevents him from speaking about witnesses, other prosecutors, court officials and their families in the case. did. “Intent to substantially interfere with the case.”
However, this order does not apply to judges and their families. Prosecutors in the case argued Friday that the judge’s daughter should also be subject to a gag order. The gag order was issued weeks before Trump’s trial, the first in U.S. history for a former president, is scheduled to begin on April 15.
Mr. Cohen suggested that Mr. Trump was afraid of losing the lawsuit and future court cases. He also mentioned two recent cases that ended in large fines against former presidents.
“Is Donald absolutely terrified of the upcoming Manhattan DA case, the Alvin Bragg case?” Cohen said. “He’s not scared, he’s frightened. He’s now losing money on every case he’s tried in the last two or three years, whether it’s the E. Jean Carroll case or the New York State Attorney General case. .”
To that end, President Trump’s former fixer said he believes the only way the former president’s team is thinking of avoiding a conviction is to attack him and others.
“The only way they think they can keep him from being convicted in this case is to slander me, slander me, harass me, threaten me so I don’t appear in court. “That’s…” Cohen said. It is clear that he is “not seeking to be a witness in this case.”
“A subpoena has been issued,” he continued. “Things are getting out of control, and the amount of death threats I received after he posted, and the hate I receive on social media from his supporters, only intensified even more after that post. did.”
He added that it is imperative that steps are taken to protect all witnesses involved in this case.
“I think it’s incumbent on the Manhattan DA’s Office and Judge Marchan to do everything they can to protect not just their staff, not just their own children, but all the witnesses who are called to testify,” Cohen said. .
Last year, Mr. Bragg indicted Mr. Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to Mr. Cohen.
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