Trump hush money trial: Star witness Michael Cohen takes the stand

NEW YORK (AP) — Star prosecution witness Donald Trump hush money trialMichael Cohen was poised to take the stand Monday and give testimony that could help shape the outcome of the case. First criminal case against a US president.

cohen, Trump's former lawyer and fixer, is the Manhattan district attorney's most important witness in the case, and his appearance signals the trial is entering its final stages. Prosecutors say they may finish presenting evidence by the end of this week.

Testimony from a witness so knowledgeable about Trump's activities could increase the potential Republican presidential nominee's legal exposure if jurors find him sufficiently trustworthy. But politically, prosecutors' reliance on a witness with such a checkered past is Cohen pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the payments. And lying to Congress could be a boon for Trump, who is raising money from his legal woes and painting the case as the product of a tainted criminal justice system.

Mr. Cohen is expected to testify about his role in arranging hush money payments on Mr. Trump's behalf, including to porn actor Stormy Daniels, during his first presidential campaign. Last week, jurors were told that she received $130,000. The law was changed in 2016 to prevent her from making public what she said was a sexual encounter with President Trump in a hotel suite a decade ago.

He is also important because the reimbursement he received is the basis of the charges against Trump: 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors claim the refunds were recorded as legal fees to hide the true purpose of the payments, which they say were illegal interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Mr. Trump did not appear to make eye contact with Mr. Cohen as his lawyer began his testimony by talking about his upbringing on Long Island as the son of Holocaust survivors and his career experiences with Mr. Trump.

The defense team conducted a scathing cross-examination of Cohen, telling jurors in his opening statement that the fixer-turned-enemy was a “self-confessed liar” who was “obsessed with getting his hands on President Trump.” I told you.

Prosecutors are expected to try to blunt such attacks by eliciting detailed testimony from Cohen about his past crimes. They are also calling other witnesses, who they hope will corroborate Cohen's testimony. Those witnesses are Lawyer who negotiated hush money payment On behalf of Daniels and Playboy Models.be Promised tabloid publisher They will serve as the Trump campaign's “eyes and ears.” And Daniels himself.

Mr. Cohen's role as the prosecution's star witness further cements the breakdown in a mutually beneficial relationship once so close that his lawyer famously said he would “take a bullet for Mr. Trump.” After Cohen's home and office were raided by the FBI in 2018, Trump showered him with love on social media, praising him as a “great person with a great family” and saying he was “flipping out.” I (incorrectly) predicted that there would be no such thing.

A few months later, Mr. Cohen did just that, pleading guilty in August of that year to federal campaign finance charges related to Mr. Trump. At that point, the relationship was irreparably broken, with President Trump posting on the social media platform then known as Twitter, “If anyone is looking for a great lawyer, do not retain the services of Michael Cohen. I strongly suggest!” he posted.

Cohen then Admitted lying to Congress about Moscow real estate project It's something he pursued on behalf of Trump during the heated 2016 Republican campaign. He said he lied to go along with Trump's “political message.”

Defense attorneys are expected to take advantage of all the challenges that come with witnesses like Cohen. In addition to portraying him as someone who cannot be trusted, they are also expected to cast him as vindictive, vengeful, and purpose-driven.

Since the clash between the two, Cohen has emerged as an unforgiving and sometimes harsh critic of Trump, and last week he appeared on a shirt depicting a figure resembling Trump with his hands cuffed behind bars. Appeared on live TikTok wearing . A judge on Friday urged prosecutors to refrain from making any further comments about the case or President Trump.

“He has spoken extensively about his desire to see President Trump go to prison,” Todd Blanche, Trump's lawyer, said in his opening statement. “He has spoken extensively about his desire to see President Trump's family go to prison. He spoke at length about President Trump being convicted in this case.”

No matter how the testimony unfolds, there is no doubt that Mr. Cohen is a central figure in the case, with his name mentioned more than 130 times to jurors during opening statements (more than any other person). ) The fact that it was mentioned proves that.

Other witnesses including ex National Enquirer Publisher David Pecker and Hope Hicks, former advisor to President TrumpThey testified in detail about Mr. Cohen's role in arranging to suppress articles that were feared to be harmful to Trump's 2016 candidacy.And the jury heard Audio recording of Trump and Cohen They are discussing plans to buy the rights to an article about Playboy model Karen McDougall, who claims she had an affair with Trump.

On Saturday, at a large rally in the resort town of Wildwood in southern New Jersey, President Trump reiterated his criticism of the incident, unfairly accusing President Joe Biden of orchestrating the charges in New York, and calling the incident It was called the “Biden show trial.”

This argument ignores the reality that the hush-money lawsuits were brought by local prosecutors in Manhattan who do not work for the Justice Department or other White House offices. The Justice Department said the White House was not involved in two criminal cases against Trump brought by special counsel Jack Smith.