Michael Cohen admits he was ‘knee deep in the cult of Trump’ during cross-examination: Live updates
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Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial continues at Manhattan Criminal Court with further testimony from the defendant’s estranged former “fixer” Michael Cohen after the pair came face to face in Judge Juan Merchan’s courtroom on Monday.
Cohen is the attorney who made the $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels at the heart of the case in the hope of buying her silence about a sexual encounter she claims she had with Mr Trump in a Lake Tahoe hotel room in July 2006.
Today, Cohen’s testimony focused on the heart of the case — the fraudulent invoices and checks to cover up his reimbursement. Cross-examination begins soon.
The former president denies the affair and the 34 felony counts brought against him by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, who accuses him of falsifying business records to hide the payout.
Ms Daniels herself took to the witness stand last week to deliver some highly explicit and embarrassing evidence against Mr Trump and more than held her own in response to hostile cross-examination from the defence, which worked hard to discredit her.
Alex Woodward and Kelly Rissman are covering the trial for The Independent from Manhattan Criminal Court.
Blanche confronts Cohen with comments from his podcast. “Boorish cartoon misogynist” and “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain.”
“Those types of comments and names appeared on every single one through 2020,” Blanche says.
“I truly fucking hope that this man ends up in prison” – Cohen confirms that sounds like something he’d say.
Cohen is asked to wear headphones to refresh his memory about something he said on his podcast. We can’t hear it because it’s not yet in evidence.
Alex Woodward14 May 2024 21:01
As cross-examination continues, Blanche asks about Cohen’s first meeting with Manhattan prosecutors while he was still in prison on perjury charges and what the benefit would be to him.
In August 2019, did it matter to you how long it was going to take for the DA to bring charges?
Cohen confirms he hasn’t signed a cooperation agreement with prosecutors and that a federal judge denied his bid for a reduced sentence.
Oliver O’Connell14 May 2024 20:57
Court resumes
Court resumes after the afternoon recess.
Judge Merchan reminds the jurors that there will be no trial tomorrow and Friday (the latter being due to Barron Trump’s graduation). On Thursday he says they will end early at 4pm as a juror has an appointment.
Oliver O’Connell14 May 2024 20:53
Oliver O’Connell14 May 2024 20:44
Court breaks for afternoon recess
Court has paused for the afternoon recess.
Oliver O’Connell14 May 2024 20:34
Trump appears to fall asleep with his mouth open minutes into Michael Cohen’s testy cross-examination
But moments after his attorney Todd Blanche opened cross-examination after a lunch recess on Tuesday, Mr Trump sunk back into his chair and closed his eyes.
Alex Woodward and Kelly Rissman are watching proceedings at the courthouse in Lower Manhattan.
Oliver O’Connell14 May 2024 20:30
Blanche is now bringing up Cohen’s two guilty pleas in the Southern District of New York.
Once you testified in February 2019, you changed all your previous support and you now said that Trump was a “conman” and you were “ashamed”?
Cohen agrees he said that.
Kelly Rissman14 May 2024 20:30
Cohen denies other claims from 2017: He never went to Prague and never paid Russians to hack anything.
Cohen: I gave them information that was not accurate
Blanche: Is information that is not accurate a lie?
After a bit of back and forth, Cohen eventually testifies: “I believe that the information I gave to them [federal agents about the Trump Tower Moscow Project] was inaccurate… I’ll say it’s a lie.”
Kelly Rissman14 May 2024 20:21
Eric Trump and Vivek Ramaswamy have had their heads down most of the time looking at their phones.
In the courtroom and the overflow room, members of the public (other than the press with a government-issued press ID worn at all times) are prohibited from using computers or phones, and have to step out into the hall to use them. The officers are strict. They’ve kicked people out for using them.
Trump is now glaring at the computer screen in front of him.
…and now he’s leaning hard to his left, as if he’s getting cozy, eyes closed again.
Alex Woodward14 May 2024 20:18
In the fall of 2017, there was an ongoing investigation and one of the consequences of that is that you were told you had to stay away from Mr Trump and his family, correct?
Cohen: I was told to stay away from Trump.
Cohen is now looking at an article in which he allegedly said “Boss, I miss you so much” — Cohen says he doesn’t remember so he’s reviewing it.
Blanche: Does that refresh your recollection?
Cohen: No. I don’t recall specifically saying that.
Kelly Rissman14 May 2024 20:15
