In the heart of New York’s Manhattan borough, Michael Cohen, the prosecution’s star witness and President Donald Trump’s former attorney, resumed his testimony for the second day. Cohen has been pivotal in outlining the alleged hush money transactions involving adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Cohen testified that just before the 2016 election, he orchestrated a $130,000 payment to Daniels, supposedly under Trump’s directive. The payment, Cohen claimed, was meticulously reimbursed and woven into the fabric of business expenses to obscure its true purpose. Trump, maintaining his innocence, has denied any affair with Daniels and pleaded not guilty to charges of falsifying business records.
Trump’s defense attorney, Todd Blanche, wasted no time on Tuesday confronting Cohen during the initial moments of his cross-examination. Blanche immediately challenged the credibility of the prosecution’s key witness. Blanche asked Cohen whether he had created a TikTok calling Blanche a “crying little sh*t” shortly before the trial commenced. This question, among others, was dismissed by Judge Juan Merchan, including one regarding remarks Cohen allegedly made about himself and Trump attorney Susan Necheles.
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In April, Cohen labeled Trump a “dictator doche bag” and said that Trump “belongs in a cage like a fuking animal.” Blanche also asked whether the District Attorney’s office had requested that Cohen refrain from making public comments about the case.
Cohen confirmed with a simple, “yes.” He then elaborated that the DA’s office’s suggestions to avoid discussing the case were effectively requests for silence. He noted that they had advised him not to engage with the media on fewer than five occasions.
CNN reported:
“Do you remember in February 2021, you were going on TV talking about the investigation?” Blanche asks.
“I go on TV often, so I’m not sure what the topic was,” Cohen says.
Trump is leaning back with his eyes closed and his mouth hanging open briefly before he readjusts in his chair.
Blanche follows up, and Cohen says it would “not surprise me” that he was discussing the investigation.
The Trump attorney asks if the district attorney’s office was frustrated because Cohen was talking to the press in February 2021.
“Yes sir,” Cohen says.
It took Blanche several times to get this question past objections.
Blanche asks if he continued to talk to the press.
“Yes indeed, I talked to the press,” Cohen says.
Including about this case, Blanche asks?
“It sounds correct,” Cohen says.“We went right to this issue of you having this sort of all-consuming personal hatred and a vested interest in this case,” noted CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig. CNN senior political analyst Gloria Borger elaborated that the defense is attempting to reveal “the real Michael Cohen. The Michael Cohen who has been on the stand before, full of remorse, a good guy, that’s not Michael Cohen.”
By highlighting the social media posts, the defense aims to persuade the jury of Cohen’s bias against Trump, asserting, “That’s the guy you should understand did all these things and lied all these times and don’t feel sorry for him.”
Throughout the ongoing case, Cohen has appeared on television more than 20 times. Additionally, he has been actively involved in podcasting, recording four episodes every week since the start of the investigation for this trial.