Michael Cohen’s Trump TikTok commentary could be a problem: experts
Michael Cohen, once a loyal lawyer to former President Donald Trump, was cashing in on the ex-president’s hush money trial by discussing the case on a nightly TikTok livestream, legal experts say. They warned that this could undermine his credibility as a witness.
Before taking the stand, Cohen made money from donations from viewers of his nightly livestream, in which he discussed Trump, the ongoing trial and his testimony. According to ABC News stream viewing times.
Until last week, Michael Cohen was discussing Trump’s hush money trial on TikTok. TikTok/@michaelcohen_
“Trump 2024?” Cohen told his more than 291,000 followers on a livestream last Tuesday. “The next 20 to 40 years will look like President Trump.”
While Mr Cohen’s actions did not violate a court order, experts told the ABC that they were likely to undermine his credibility as a key witness in the case.
“I would be furious,” said ABC News contributor and former Georgia attorney Chris Timmons. “As a prosecutor, the last thing you want a witness to do is talk about the case outside of court.”
Jeremy Saland, a former Manhattan district attorney who is currently prosecuting the case, said Mr. Cohen’s strange behavior likely only benefits Mr. Trump.
Trump is currently on trial for allegedly falsifying his business records to conceal hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. APCohen said he would refrain from commenting on the trial until he was on the stand. Reuters
“There is no question that Team Trump is scrutinizing, listening and monitoring everything they can, and they rightly aim to use that as a weapon in court to destroy Trump’s credibility.” said Sarand.
“If I were a prosecutor, I’d be on the phone right now and say, ‘Stop what you’re doing right now,'” Saland added. “I can’t forgive you, but you need to stop for yourself because it’s going to be worse in court. And you’re compromising the case.”
Cohen told ABC on Monday that he would stop commenting until Trump is on the stand in his ongoing trial.
Cohen received donations from viewers on his TikTok livestream. TikTok/@michaelcohen_
“I’m not a defendant in this criminal case and I’m not subject to Judge Marchand’s gag order. Donald is,” Cohen said. “Yet, out of respect for the courts and prosecutors, I have decided to stop commenting on President Trump and this issue. That is what I have done.”
Last Wednesday, Cohen wrote on social media that he would “stop posting” about Trump until he was on stage.
Mr. Cohen wrote to X, “See you in a month (or more).”
Mr. Cohen is scheduled to take the stand in the hush money trial. TikTok/@michaelcohen_
Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer who previously expressed a willingness to “take a bullet” for the former president and referred to himself as Trump’s “pit bull,” said prosecutors allege Trump fabricated the business. He is scheduled to take the stand as a key witness. Records to hide hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.
He was sentenced in federal district court to three years in prison and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine for tax evasion, false bank statements and campaign finance violations, all of which were linked to his ties to President Trump. It is highly likely that this contributed to the deterioration.
In his 2019 memoir, Cohen blamed his incarceration on his ties to Trump.
In 2020, the final year of his sentence, he was placed under house arrest in this condo for about a year until his official release at the end of 2021.
Michael Cohen’s Trump TikTok commentary could be a problem: experts
Michael Cohen, once a loyal lawyer to former President Donald Trump, was cashing in on the ex-president’s hush money trial by discussing the case on a nightly TikTok livestream, legal experts say. They warned that this could undermine his credibility as a witness.
Before taking the stand, Cohen made money from donations from viewers of his nightly livestream, in which he discussed Trump, the ongoing trial and his testimony. According to ABC News stream viewing times.
“Trump 2024?” Cohen told his more than 291,000 followers on a livestream last Tuesday. “The next 20 to 40 years will look like President Trump.”
While Mr Cohen’s actions did not violate a court order, experts told the ABC that they were likely to undermine his credibility as a key witness in the case.
“I would be furious,” said ABC News contributor and former Georgia attorney Chris Timmons. “As a prosecutor, the last thing you want a witness to do is talk about the case outside of court.”
Jeremy Saland, a former Manhattan district attorney who is currently prosecuting the case, said Mr. Cohen’s strange behavior likely only benefits Mr. Trump.
“There is no question that Team Trump is scrutinizing, listening and monitoring everything they can, and they rightly aim to use that as a weapon in court to destroy Trump’s credibility.” said Sarand.
“If I were a prosecutor, I’d be on the phone right now and say, ‘Stop what you’re doing right now,'” Saland added. “I can’t forgive you, but you need to stop for yourself because it’s going to be worse in court. And you’re compromising the case.”
Cohen told ABC on Monday that he would stop commenting until Trump is on the stand in his ongoing trial.
“I’m not a defendant in this criminal case and I’m not subject to Judge Marchand’s gag order. Donald is,” Cohen said. “Yet, out of respect for the courts and prosecutors, I have decided to stop commenting on President Trump and this issue. That is what I have done.”
Last Wednesday, Cohen wrote on social media that he would “stop posting” about Trump until he was on stage.
Mr. Cohen wrote to X, “See you in a month (or more).”
Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer who previously expressed a willingness to “take a bullet” for the former president and referred to himself as Trump’s “pit bull,” said prosecutors allege Trump fabricated the business. He is scheduled to take the stand as a key witness. Records to hide hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.
He was sentenced in federal district court to three years in prison and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine for tax evasion, false bank statements and campaign finance violations, all of which were linked to his ties to President Trump. It is highly likely that this contributed to the deterioration.
In his 2019 memoir, Cohen blamed his incarceration on his ties to Trump.
In 2020, the final year of his sentence, he was placed under house arrest in this condo for about a year until his official release at the end of 2021.
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