Former President Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, took the witness stand for a second day, recounting his reimbursement for the alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election. This testimony marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battles against Trump, shedding light on the political witch hunt that has tirelessly targeted the former president.
Cohen described the sequence of events following the April 2018 FBI raid of his apartment, office, and hotel room. During his testimony, Cohen recalled a conversation with Trump, who reassured him that everything would be “OK.” However, Cohen’s allegiance wavered, and he eventually decided to implicate Trump in the hush money payment amidst his guilty plea to federal charges, some of which stemmed from that very payment.
Prosecutors have accused Trump of 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal criminal activity, alleging that the reimbursement payments made to Cohen were falsely classified as legal fees to protect Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has fervently denied these charges, maintaining his innocence and denying any affair with Daniels.
The prosecution aims to demonstrate that Trump was not only aware of but also directed the reimbursement payments to Cohen. During cross-examination, Trump’s defense sought to discredit Cohen by highlighting his criminal history and unreliability, focusing on his well-documented animosity towards Trump.
Cohen recounted a February 8, 2017, meeting in the Oval Office where Trump instructed him to arrange the repayment plan with Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s chief financial officer. Cohen recalled Trump asking if he needed money and suggesting he coordinate with Weisselberg for the reimbursement. This echoes the meticulous details of Weisselberg’s handwritten note outlining a $420,000 repayment plan to Cohen, including the hush money, bonuses, and other expenses spread over 12 months.
The prosecution presented additional evidence, including emails from Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney urging Cohen to submit invoices for the monthly $35,000 payments. Cohen testified that these invoices, labeled as “pursuant to the retainer agreement,” were indeed for the hush money reimbursement, insisting there was never a legitimate retainer agreement.
Despite Cohen’s earlier unwavering loyalty to Trump, he testified that a conversation with his family led him to refuse to “lie for President Trump anymore.” Consequently, Cohen pled guilty to campaign finance violations, tax evasion, and lying to Congress, leading to his three-year federal prison sentence, although he ended up serving 13 months followed by house arrest.
On cross-examination, Trump’s defense attorney, Todd Blanche, probed Cohen on his public disparagement of Trump and financial gains from discussing Trump’s criminal trial on social media. Cohen admitted his vested interest in seeing Trump convicted, raising questions about his motivations.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, demonstrating staunch Republican support, attended the courthouse to criticize the hush money case against Trump. Alongside Johnson, potential vice presidential contenders Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and Vivek Ramaswamy also made their presence known, rallying around Trump.
Adding to the legal drama, a New York appeals court rejected Trump’s bid to overturn a gag order against him. Judge Juan Merchan, who has held Trump in contempt 10 times for violating the gag order, has threatened jail time for future breaches.
The defense will continue cross-examining Cohen on Thursday, aiming to conclude before the court’s 4 p.m. adjournment. Since Cohen is the prosecution’s last witness, it remains unclear whether the defense will present their own case. Court will pause on Friday, May 17, permitting Trump to attend his son Barron’s high school graduation, underscoring the former president’s unwavering dedication to his family amidst these politically motivated legal skirmishes.
