Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, who testified as the prosecution’s central witness in the 45th president’s Manhattan hush-money trial, celebrated his former boss’ guilty verdict on Thursday.
“Today is an important day for accountability and the rule of law,” Cohen said in a brief statement after Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records.
“It’s been a difficult journey for me and my family, but the truth always matters.” He continued, He thanked his lawyers for their “valuable guidance and support.”
Cohen released a statement shortly thereafter. Share your video “We’re waiting for Trump’s verdict.”
The expressionless lawyer sat on the living room floor and took a deep breath as the trial played live on television.
Once the verdict was handed down, Cohen rushed to X to respond.
“Guilty on all counts! #TeamCohen” He wrote” along with a graphic of MSNBC’s guilty rebuttal, and the post has been viewed more than 856,000 times.
What happens after Trump is convicted in hush money case
- Having been found guilty on all charges, Donald Trump will remain free until his sentencing, scheduled for the morning of July 11th.
- The former president will not be subject to travel restrictions until the verdict is reached.
- Trump’s team is expected to announce soon whether it plans to appeal.
- If Trump loses his appeal at the intermediate appeals court, he will likely ask the state Supreme Court to review the case, which could take another year.
Here you can read more about what will happen after the historic conviction and what Trump may face going forward.
Trump, 77, was convicted of falsifying business records throughout 2017 by lying about paying Cohen for bogus “legal services” when in reality he was repaying hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep her from publicly discussing having sex with Trump in a Lake Tahoe hotel room in 2006.
In a case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office, he was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records, each of which is a felony punishable by up to four years in prison, making him the first convicted U.S. president.
Cohen is a convicted perjurer who has previously testified that he lied under oath to “protect” Trump and was Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s star witness.
Cohen testified that he falsified financial records and set up shell companies to use them to bribe Daniels and others.
Follow the latest on Donald Trump’s guilty verdict in hush money trial
On the stand, he admitted to numerous lies he told while working for Trump, including secretly recording Trump while discussing a plan to pay David Pecker, then publisher of the National Enquirer, $150,000 to “catch and kill” Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal for a story about her month-long affair with Trump.
Trump has already doubled down on his claims of innocence, telling reporters outside the courthouse that he had suffered a “fraudulent and shameful trial.”
“The real verdict will be given by the people on November 5th… I am totally innocent,” the somber former president told reporters, blaming the ordeal on President Biden, Mr Bragg and the judge who presided over the trial.
