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☆ Michael Cohen testifies it would be better for him financially if Trump gets acquitted: 'It gives me more to talk about'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Michael Cohen testified that he would financially benefit if Donald Trump is acquitted. AdvertisementMichael Cohen wants to see Donald Trump behind bars. But if the former president is acquitted in his ongoing hush-money trial, it'd probably be better for Cohen financially, he testified Monday morning. Asked by Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche whether a conviction would benefit Cohen financially, he said the opposite was true. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Cohen isn't, —, it'd, Cohen, Todd Blanche Organizations: US, Service, Business

☆ Stakes are high for prosecutors to rescue Cohen testimony as Trump trial enters endgame
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Defense lawyers say they expect to complete their bruising cross-examination of Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and enforcer, on Monday morning. In dramatic testimony, Cohen last week directly implicated Trump in the alleged scheme, saying the former president directed him to hand over $130,000 to Daniels and promised him reimbursement. With the end of Cohen’s testimony looming, there is uncertainty over the extent of Trump’s defense case. Blanche referred to the possibility of Trump’s testimony on Thursday, the last day the court was in session. After the defense case wraps up, the prosecution has a chance to put on its own rebuttal.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen —, Cohen, Trump’s, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, ” Cohen, Todd Blanche, Keith Schiller, Blanche, President Trump, Schiller, ’, Randy Zelin, Republican nominee’s, Joe Biden, Mike Johnson, — Bradley Smith, Judge Juan Merchan, Merchan, Smith, —, backtrack, “, ” Blanche, Arthur Engoron, president’s, Engoron Organizations: CNN, Prosecutors, Trump, Cornell Law School, Central ”, Republican, Louisiana Republican, Republicans, Commission Locations: New York, Lago, Manhattan, Louisiana, Lake Tahoe

☆ Trump trial heads into home stretch as Michael Cohen returns for hush money testimony
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom at Manhattan Criminal Court with his attorney Todd Blanche (L) on May 20, 2024 in New York City. The end of the criminal hush money trial of Donald Trump may soon be in sight, as testimony from his one-time personal lawyer Michael Cohen resumes Monday. Now, one big question looms over a New York courtroom: Will the former president take the witness stand? Cohen is a key witness against Trump, and prosecutors have already said he will be their last witness in the trial. But doing so would carry major risks for Trump, including the danger of being angered and rattled by cross-examination by prosecutors, and giving an answer that supports their case.

Persons: Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Trump, Trump's, hedged, Judge Juan Merchan Organizations: U.S, Criminal, Trump Locations: New York City, New York, Manhattan

Once Mr. Trump was elected, he agreed to repay Mr. Cohen for the $130,000 hush-money deal and more. And at a meeting in Trump Tower just weeks before he was sworn in, Mr. Trump signed off on the fakery, Mr. Cohen recounted from the stand. “What, if anything, did Mr. Trump say at that time?” a prosecutor asked Mr. Cohen. There, he said, Mr. Trump’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, explained how Mr. Trump would reimburse Mr. Cohen for the payoff. To reach Mr. Trump, Mr. Cohen testified, he called the candidate’s bodyguard, Keith Schiller.

Persons: Donald J, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Michael D, Cohen, Trump, Trump’s, —, Alvin L, Bragg, Cohen —, Marc F, Scholl, ”, ” Mr, Stormy Daniels, Mr, “, Michael M, Joshua Steinglass, Juan M, Merchan —, “ Trump, David Pecker, Pecker, Hope Hicks, Penny, Daniels, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, Susan Hoffinger, Cohen’s, Keith Schiller, Schiller, William K, Rashbaum Organizations: Trump, Mr, Trump “, New, National Enquirer, Playboy, fixer Locations: Manhattan, New York

☆ Opinion: Credibility is the key at Trump trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

The idea that Cohen talked to Trump about Daniels on that call “was a lie,” Blanche alleged. Moreover, my experience has been that juries don’t decide based upon one moment — they base their judgment on an overall view.”There were allegedly three parties aware of the scheme to conceal the real reason Trump paid Cohen more than $400,000 in supposed legal fees: Trump, Cohen and Allen Weisselberg, then-chief financial officer of the Trump Organization. “Weisselberg could be the linchpin to validate Cohen’s claims about Trump agreeing to reimburse him through Trump Organization, as a business expense,” wrote attorney Stacy Schneider. Trump seems to be tempted to go mano a mano and show that he is better fit to be commander-in-chief. The new requirement for GOP politicians wanting to demonstrate their loyalty to Trump seems to be visiting the Manhattan courthouse where he’s on trial.

Persons: CNN —, ” Mark Twain, “, Twain, ” Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, —, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Todd Blanche, Cohen, Norm Eisen, Blanche, ”, pummeled Cohen, Robert Mueller, Nick Anderson, Agency Cohen, Keith Schiller, Daniels, ” Blanche, ” Eisen, don’t, Allen Weisselberg, Stacy Schneider, Weisselberg, David Zurawik, “ I’ve, Sen, Robert Menendez, He’s, George Santos ., CNN “ It’s, he’s, ‘, Henry Cuellar, ” Cupp, Drew Sheneman, Georgia —, Vladimir Putin’s, Frida Ghitis, ” Ghitis, Joe Biden’s, ” Dana Summers, “ Biden, ” Julian Zelizer, mano, Biden, ” Bill Bramhall, Stephanie Griffith, Howard Tucker, Gayle Fleming, Michael Ventura Gayle Fleming, Biden —, ” Tom Brady’s, Kara Alaimo, Tom Brady “, Kevin Hart, Gisele Bündchen, Brady, Benjamin, Vivian, ’ Brady, ’, Alaimo, Brady didn’t, Nafees Syed, Kamel El Hilali, Andrew Borene, freakout Scott Stantis, Jeff Yang, … ” Brown, Keith Magee, Brown, backpedaling, Forget, Doug Burgum, Scott Jennings, Burgum’s, Bill Bramhall, Content Agency Clarence Thomas Washington, Clarence Thomas ’, Dean Obeidallah, Thomas, Harlan Crow, ” Clay Jones, John Oliver’s, Steve Vladeck, “ Thomas, ” Don’t, Clayton Swope, Dan Perry, Netanyahu, Jill Filipovic, Miss Teen USA Mary Ziegler, Bob Kolasky, Megan L, Ranney, Karen Tang, Halle Berry, Naomi Watts, Jonathan Yeo, King Charles III, Aaron Chown, Holly Thomas, King Organizations: CNN, Trump, Tribune, Agency, Trump Organization, Twitter, Facebook, DC, Robert Menendez of New, GOP, ” Texas, White, Europe, Russia, Kyiv, Biden, ABC, Democratic Party, Netflix, Garden State, Content Agency, Capitol, Consumer Financial, Board, Fifth Circuit, ICC, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Buckingham Palace, Royal Locations: New York, Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Russian, Ukraine, Slovakia, Georgia, Soviet Republic, United States, Cleveland, “, Manhattan, North, . North Dakota, ” That’s, Louisiana , Mississippi, Texas, Florida’s, Buckingham

☆ Trump's hush money verdict hinges on a single piece of paper. See the most important evidence in the case.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Read previewWelcome to People's Exhibit 35, the single most important piece of evidence in the Donald Trump hush-money trial. People's 35 is the fulcrum for the entire case. What People's 35 does not have is Trump's fingerprints, a point that the defense is sure to press during closing arguments next week. AdvertisementProsecutors allege that Trump's payments to Cohen were falsified to conceal hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels. "Yes," Cohen answered, as Trump watched from the defense table"And what, if anything, did Mr. Trump say at the time?"

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Trump, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, we'll, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, Cohen —, Reince, Jon Elswick, Susan Hoffinger, Daniels, Hoffinger, Todd Blanche, — Cohen, Keith Davidson, Davidson, Karen McDougal, Playboy Bunny, Trump's, Melania Trump, peddled, Charlie Sheen, Hulk Hogan, Lindsay Lohan, Tila, RedFinch, That's Allen Weisselberg's, Allen, — it's, Trump —, Mary Altaffer Organizations: Service, Business, Attorney's, Trump Organization, Trump, Prosecutors, AP, Manhattan, BI Prosecutors, Essential, Consultants, Tahoe, National Enquirer, RedFinch Solutions, RedFinch, People's, frick Locations: Manhattan, Virginia

☆ Trump is unlikely to testify in his hush-money trial as he could risk committing perjury, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewDonald Trump is unlikely to testify in his hush-money trial in Manhattan, despite previously saying he would, sources familiar with the matter told The Washington Post. Four unnamed people close to the former president told the paper that they were not expecting him to take the witness stand next week. Related storiesDespite this, Trump has previously insisted that he would "absolutely" testify in the trial. On Friday, a centrist Washington DC-based think tank, Third Way, released an ad dubbed "Coward," daring Trump to take the stand.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, John Coffee, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Juan Merchan, Coward, Donald, Robert Mintz, Michael Cohen, Trump's, Todd Blanche, Cohen, Coffee, Blanche Organizations: Service, Washington Post, Business, Columbia Law School, Telegraph, Lawyers, Elmen, Washington DC, Post Locations: Manhattan, Washington

☆ Michael Cohen gives Donald Trump his best day in hush money trial so far
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Donald Trump finally had a good day in court. But on Thursday, he got to savor his former fixer-turned-enemy Michael Cohen wobbling on the stand under a fearsome cross-examination. And now, the prosecution faces a stiff challenge in repairing the damage when they get to their redirect examination of Cohen’s testimony following the close of cross-examination next week. “I think it was a very interesting day, it was a fascinating day. And it also raises the possibility that some jurors might believe that they have been lied to by Cohen earlier in the trial.

Persons: Donald Trump, Michael Cohen wobbling, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, “, ” Ryan Goodman, CNN’s Erin Burnett, ” Trump, Matt Gaetz, Trump, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Daniels, ’, Keith Schiller, Schiller, …, ” Blanche, President Trump, doesn’t, ”, Juan Merchan, Nikki Lotze, “ Jim, Norm Eisen, ” Eisen, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, George Conway, ” Cohen, kingpins, Cohen’s Organizations: CNN, GOP, Trump, NYU Law, Florida, Conservative

It’s just the latest sign that the pilgrimage to Trump’s criminal trial in New York has become a new litmus test for Trump loyalty inside the GOP ahead of November. Then, the GOP members joined Trump in his motorcade – including the Republican candidate challenging GOP Rep. Bob Good, who has tried to cozy up to Trump after initially endorsing Florida Gov. President, we’ve got your back,” GOP Rep. Andy Ogles said outside the courthouse. Gaetz along with Boebert and GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who were all in New York on Thursday, missed the vote. GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene sparked outrage when she went after Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s appearance and Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s intelligence, with the committee meeting devolving into a heated sparring match.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump’s, Trump, GOP Sen, Rick Scott of, Mike Johnson – who’s, “ There’s, It’s, it’s, Johnson, Lauren Boebert, Ralph Norman of, ”, Doug Burgum, Ohio Sen, J.D, Vance, Rick Scott, Vivek, Ramaswamy, Todd Blanche, Sen, We’ve, Eric, Bob Good, Ron DeSantis –, “ Mr, we’ve, Andy Ogles, ” Norman, “, Matt Gaetz, Stormy Daniels, Andrew Kelly, Reuters Legislating, Merrick Garland, Joe BIden’s, Robert Hur –, Andy Biggs, Biden, Anna Paulina Luna, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jasmine Crockett’s, devolving, haven’t, “ Greene, johnny, suzy, latelys, Greene –, –, Boebert, Greene, “ Lauren Boebert, ” Boebert Organizations: CNN, Trump, he’s, GOP, Republicans, ”, North Dakota Gov, Manhattan Criminal, Caucus, Capitol, White House, Republican, Florida Gov, US Capitol Police, U.S, Reuters, Judiciary, Democratic Rep Locations: Manhattan, New York, Rick Scott of Florida, Colorado, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Ohio, New York City, Trump, U.S, Capitol Hill, Israel, Gaza, Gaetz, Alexandria

☆ Trump's hush-money trial is almost over. Deliberations could begin Thursday — especially if Trump doesn't testify.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewAfter one week of jury selection and four weeks of prosecution testimony, Donald Trump's New York hush-money trial is now in its home stretch. Then, the defense case will begin. "I'm doing everything possible to avoid big breaks between summations, jury charge, jury instructions, and deliberations," Merchan told the parties Thursday. AP/Christine CornellThursday: Deliberations could beginAgain, if the scheduling stars align, deliberations could begin Thursday, the last trial day before the four-day holiday. AdvertisementBefore deliberations can begin, jurors need to hear the entirety of the defense case — with or without Trump.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Juan Merchan, Trump, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Julia Nikhinson, Cohen, Trump's, Todd Blanche, Susan Hoffinger, Blanche, — Bradley, Smith, Juan Merchan Jane Rosenberg, Christopher Conroy, Merchan's, Conroy, Merchan, Will Trump, Matt Gaetz, Mike Segar, Judge Cannon, Aileen Cannon, Christine Cornell Organizations: Service, Business, AP, Commission, Prosecutors, Reuters, Federal Election, Trump Locations: York, Florida, summations

☆ The Trump hush-money trial is thrusting reporters into an uncomfortable spotlight
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —The Donald Trump hush money trial is dragging reporters into uncomfortable territory and laying bare the complicated relationships journalists often have with sources. Michael Cohen, who continued to testify Thursday, invoked from the stand the names of several high-profile media figures, putting their relationships with the former Trump fixer in the spotlight. Cohen named The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman and MSNBC’s Katy Tur as reporters which he had established relationships with. And he spoke about having recorded dozens of phone calls with media figures, including former CNN boss Jeff Zucker. That reporters are playing a starring role in the trial is also a function of the Trump years.

Persons: Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Maggie Haberman, Katy Tur, John Santucci, Stormy Daniels, Jeff Zucker, Haberman, Trump, —, It’s, Todd Blanche Organizations: New York CNN, Trump fixer, The New York Times, ABC, CNN, Trump, Queens Locations: New York

☆ Cohen’s Cross-Examination to Continue as Trump Trial Enters Homestretch
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Michael Wilson | More About Michael Wilson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The questioning of Mr. Cohen, who was Donald J. Trump’s former fixer, is the beginning of the end of the trial, which began April 15 and could conclude before Memorial Day weekend. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche came out swinging, suggesting that Mr. Cohen had referred to him personally on social media with a vulgarity. Mr. Blanche went on to ask about Mr. Cohen’s longtime habit of talking to reporters, his ignoring requests from prosecutors to stop speaking and his vitriol toward Mr. Trump. Mr. Cohen, who puts out podcasts and TikTok videos, has suggested that Mr. Trump belongs in a cage like an “animal” and referred to him as a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain.”In court, Mr. Cohen responded calmly and matter-of-factly, avoiding any outbursts or gaffes that could hurt his credibility. Mr. Cohen testified that Mr. Trump directed him to pay $130,000 in hush money to Stormy Daniels, a porn star, to suppress her account of a sexual rendezvous with the former president in a Lake Tahoe, Nev., hotel in 2006.

Persons: Michael D, Cohen, Mr, Donald J, Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Trump, ”, Stormy Daniels Locations: Lake Tahoe, Nev

☆ Trump lawyer yells at Michael Cohen in cross-examination over call about Stormy Daniels
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Michael Cohen, a former attorney for Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump, heads to court for second day of cross-examination at Trump's criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, New York City, U.S., May 16, 2024. A defense attorney for Donald Trump yelled at prosecution witness Michael Cohen during cross-examination about a 2016 phone call at issue in the former president's criminal hush money trial. The defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, demanded that Cohen tell him whether Cohen had lied during direct examination in saying he made an Oct. 24, 2016, call to Trump to reveal he had gotten porn star Stormy Daniels to agree not to go public with her claim of having sex with Trump. Blanche confronted Cohen with text messages from that same day which suggested he was calling then-Trump Organization security chief Keith Schiller that night because of concerns about harassing text messages Cohen was receiving as Trump ran for president that year. "I believe I also spoke to Mr. Trump about the Stormy Daniels matter," Cohen told Blanche in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels, Todd Blanche, Cohen, Blanche, Keith Schiller, Trump, Daniels Organizations: Republican, Trump, Trump Organization Locations: New York City, U.S, Manhattan

☆ Cohen cross-examination resumes at the most critical point of Trump’s trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Donald Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen goes back on the stand Thursday braced for another bruising day of cross-examination that is shaping up as the most crucial chapter in the first criminal trial of a former president. A suddenly compressed political calendarEvery criminal trial is a grave process since a defendant’s reputation and even liberty is on the line. The Supreme Court is expected to deliver its decision on Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution. That would almost certainly delay Trump’s trial in his federal election interference case until after the election, meaning he wouldn’t be brought to account for the worst attack on democracy in modern times before a subsequent election. In that case, the hush money trial may be the only one held before the election.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Trump, Trump’s, ”, Todd Blanche, CNN’s Paula Reid, Blanche –, Blanche, Reid, —, he’d, It’s, there’d, Joe Biden, Biden, they’d, he’s, Mike Johnson Organizations: CNN, Trump, “, ABC, GOP, Republican Locations: New York, Manhattan, Georgia, Florida

Here are the takeaways from Day 18 of the Trump hush money trial:A heated confrontation over a key phone callIt took several hours of cross-examination before Blanche finally turned to the evidence directly related to the case. Blanche says the texts show that at 8:04 p.m. Cohen texted Schiller the phone number of the teenager prank calling him. “Was it true for just that phone calls, or was it true for other phone calls too?”“You just said you don’t recall a phone call back in 2016. “Because these phone calls are things that I have been talking about for the last six years. There’s also the possibility, as CNN has reported, that former Cohen attorney Bob Costello could appear.

Persons: Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Blanche, Cohen, Keith Schiller –, Daniels, Barron, Blanche finally, Schiller, “, ”, ” Blanche, Cohen texted Schiller, Keith Schiller, ” Cohen, Keith, ” “, it’s, he’s, Darrell Scott, –, Trump’s, Jean Carroll, Blanche quizzed, Maggie Haberman –, Susan Necheles, Susan Hoffinger, Merchan, There’s, Bob Costello, Costello Organizations: CNN, Trump, Mr, White, Congress, New, New York Times, Prosecutors Locations: Trump, White, New York, summations

Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial entered a critical and combative phase on Thursday as his lawyer grilled the prosecution’s star witness, Michael D. Cohen, about a medley of misrepresentations, manipulations and outright lies. Trying to destroy Mr. Cohen’s credibility with the jury, the lawyer, Todd Blanche, portrayed him as an unrepentant criminal and a serial deceiver who took the stand only to exact revenge on Mr. Trump. “There’s no doubt that you know what perjury means, correct?” Mr. Blanche asked Mr. Cohen. During the 2016 presidential campaign, he made a $130,000 payment to a porn star to suppress her account of a sexual liaison with Mr. Trump, who later reimbursed Mr. Cohen from the White House. Prosecutors accused Mr. Trump, who denies the sex, of falsifying related records so he could cover up the scandal for good.

Persons: Donald J, Michael D, Cohen, Todd Blanche, Trump, Mr, Trump’s, “, Blanche, Cohen’s Organizations: Mr

☆ Live Updates: Cross-Examination of Michael Cohen to Continue in Trump Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Michael Wilson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Mr. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump, 77, has denied the charges and says he did not have sex with Ms. Daniels. Mr. Blanche grilled Mr. Cohen about social media posts. Their defense of Mr. Trump follows a gag order that bars him from attacking jurors and witnesses like Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump has already been cited for 10 violations so far and threatened with jail if he continues.

Persons: Michael D, Cohen, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Trump’s, Juan M, Merchan, “, Mr, Blanche, ” Mr, Donald J, Mark Peterson, Cohen’s, Mike Johnson of, Johnson, ”, Doug Burgum, Vivek Ramaswamy Organizations: Mr, Prosecutors, Republican Party Locations: Manhattan, Lake, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, North

☆ Trump’s Lawyer Assailed Michael Cohen’s Credibility
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Whet Moser | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

During hours of bruising testimony in the Manhattan criminal trial of Donald Trump, his defense lawyer hounded Michael Cohen about his history of lying, criminal record and testimony that the defense called bogus. The lawyer, Todd Blanche, sought to cast Trump’s former fixer as an unrepentant fabricator who had lied under oath to exact revenge. In one moment of drama, Blanche suggested that Cohen had made up part of his testimony, expressing disbelief that Cohen could accurately recall years-old phone calls. Directly accusing Cohen of lying, Blanche said, “You can admit it.”“No sir, I can’t,” Cohen responded. He said that he could remember the calls because he had been talking about them for the past six years.

Persons: Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, Todd Blanche, fabricator, Blanche, Cohen, —, Stormy Daniels, ” Cohen Organizations: White Locations: Manhattan

☆ Cohen Holds His Temper in Check During Hours of Cross-Examination
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Michael Wilson | More About Michael Wilson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Much has been said about Michael D. Cohen’s composure during his lengthy cross-examination, as if it were a facade that couldn’t be expected to hold much longer. Mr. Cohen, 57, is a central-casting New Yorker, brash and sharp-elbowed. After falling out with Mr. Trump, Mr. Cohen turned his fury on his former boss, once calling him a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain” on social media. This week, Mr. Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, has tried to lure that earlier version of the witness into the spotlight, repeatedly goading him about lies he has told. Just minutes before Thursday’s lunch break, Mr. Blanche accused Mr. Cohen once again of an untruth, this time about a call to Mr. Trump’s bodyguard.

Persons: Michael D, ”, Cohen, Donald J, Trump, Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Mr

☆ House to vote on bill to prevent Biden from withholding weapons to Israel as GOP ramps up pressure on Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Clare Foran | Melanie Zanona | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The House vote has seemingly been partly designed to put pressure on Democrats and is expected to expose divisions within the party over the issue. The bill is unlikely to be taken up in the Democratic-led Senate and the White House has said that Biden would veto the bill if Congress passed it. The Biden administration on Tuesday began the early stages of a process to move ahead with a new $1 billion arms deal for Israel, according to two congressional sources. The move comes as the Biden administration has paused the shipment of 2,000-pound bombs and 500-pound bombs to Israel, citing opposition to the weapons being used in the densely populated areas of Rafah. Biden has come under extraordinary pressure, including from some members of his own party, to limit shipments of arms amid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel ”, Adam Smith, “, ” Smith, ”, Kevin Liptak, Kylie Atwood Organizations: CNN, GOP, Congress, State Department, Defense Department, National Security Council, Democratic, White, Tuesday, House Democratic, Hamas, Israel, ” Democratic, House Armed Services Committee Locations: Israel, Gaza, United States, Rafah

☆ The End Is Near: 5 Takeaways From Trump’s Criminal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Kate Christobek | Jesse Mckinley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Michael D. Cohen, Donald Trump’s former fixer and current antagonist, faced a tough cross-examination on Thursday as the defense drilled into his past lies. Mr. Cohen, once known as a hothead and a paid bully, did not explode as he did when testifying last fall at Mr. Trump’s civil fraud trial. He seemed at times stressed under the searing questioning from Mr. Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche. Mr. Cohen is not done. Mr. Trump, 77, has denied the charges and having had sex with Ms. Daniels.

Persons: Michael D, Cohen, Donald Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Mr, Trump, Barron’s, Stormy Daniels, Daniels Organizations: Mr Locations: Lake Tahoe, Nev

☆ Analysis: Cohen gets a breather after bruising cross-examination as Trump looks on
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Blanche took Cohen through a long list of the insults he’s unleashed at Trump since becoming estranged from his former mentor, highlighting his penchant for serial lying. He drew jurors’ attention to a social media post in which Cohen wore a T-shirt that depicted Trump in jail, as he spun a narrative of bias and obsession. A key legal conundrum is whether prosecutors have so far succeeded in validating the legal theory behind the case. That foreboding realization was exacerbated by a new posse of Trump supporters at the courthouse on Tuesday, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. While Cohen’s reluctance to offer yes-and-no answers came across at times as flippant and confrontational, he did not appear to say or do anything to torpedo the prosecution case.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Cohen, don’t, Cohen, ”, Todd Blanche, president’s, didn’t, he’s, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Blanche, ” Cohen, he’d, ” Blanche, douchebag, ” Michael Moore, “, Moore, Juan Merchan, Will Trump’s, ” Shira Scheindlin, CNN’s Jake Tapper, ” Scheindlin, “ Cohen, Mike Johnson, ” Johnson, Andrew McCabe, Cohen’s, ” Moore, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, reimbursements, ’ ” Cohen Organizations: CNN, GOP, Trump, Middle, Middle District of, Louisiana Republican, Defense, FBI Locations: Ohio, Kentucky, Middle District, Middle District of Georgia, New York, Louisiana, Blanche, Manhattan

☆ Cohen on Cross: 5 Takeaways From Trump’s Criminal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Jesse Mckinley | Kate Christobek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Michael Cohen faced a fierce cross-examination on Tuesday afternoon in the criminal trial of Donald Trump, as the defense tried to tear down the prosecution’s key witness. Mr. Cohen was repeatedly attacked by Mr. Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, who suggested he was being evasive on the stand, had selective amnesia and was a jilted former employee profiting off his hatred of the former president. Mr. Cohen, once Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer, has testified that Mr. Trump directed him to pay $130,000 in hush money to Stormy Daniels, a porn star, to suppress her account of a sexual rendezvous with him in a Lake Tahoe hotel in 2006. Mr. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump, 77, has denied the charges and says he did not have sex with Ms. Daniels.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Cohen, Todd Blanche, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Daniels Organizations: Mr Locations: Lake

☆ Trump’s Defense Cast Michael Cohen as Untrustworthy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Todd Blanche, the lead lawyer defending Donald Trump in his New York criminal trial, wasted no time today before aggressively questioning the prosecution’s star witness, Michael Cohen. “Sure,” Cohen replied. The cross-examination, which will continue on Thursday after the trial takes a day off, could prove to be crucial. Cohen is the prosecution’s 19th and final witness, and likely the most important one. During his two days of testimony, he has claimed that Trump knew at the time that the 2016 hush-money payment, which is at the center of the felony charges against him, would be falsely labeled legal expenses.

Persons: Todd Blanche, Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Blanche, Trump’s, Trump, ”, ” Blanche, ” Cohen Organizations: Trump Locations: New York

Blanche grilled Cohen — the prosecution's star witness in Trump's New York criminal hush-money trial — about the many times that Cohen insulted both Trump and himself on social media. Blanche said as he questioned Cohen about an April 23 TikTok Cohen made just days after the historic trial began. While questioning Cohen, Blanche then asked him about his referring to Trump as "a boorish cartoon misogynist." Michael Cohen, the ex-lawyer for former President Donald Trump, departs his home in Manhattan to testify in Trump's criminal hush-money trial. Prosecutors allege Trump illegally disguised records reimbursing Cohen for a $130,000 hush-money payment made to Daniels ahead of 2016 election.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Blanche, Cohen, Trump, douchebag, TikTok Cohen, Cohen deadpanned, Donald Trump, Mike Segar Cohen's, Juan Merchan, Jvlebw8A1O, Jacob Shamsian ⚖️, Cohen's, Susan Hoffinger, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, reimbursing Cohen Organizations: Service, Business, REUTERS, MeidasTouch Network, Trump, White, Prosecutors Locations: Trump's New York, Manhattan, ., Tahoe

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