Michael Cohen’s Cross Examination Strengthens the Prosecution’s Case

Donald Trump’s legal team is set to continue their cross-examination of Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, on Thursday. Their goal is to discredit Cohen’s claim that Trump was directly involved in paying off a porn star to keep her from affecting the outcome of the election.

Cohen, who worked as Trump’s personal attorney for more than a decade, testified that Trump instructed him to pay Stormy Daniels $130,000 in order to protect Trump’s campaign for presidency.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and refutes the allegations. This case, one of four criminal trials Trump is facing, could potentially have a verdict before the upcoming election on November 5.

During his testimony, Cohen revealed plans to disguise the payment to Daniels as legal fees and discussed potential reimbursement methods with Trump, including using fake invoices. He even mentioned a conversation they had in the Oval Office when Trump was president in 2017.

During the cross-examination on Tuesday, defense attorney Todd Blanche attempted to portray Cohen as a dishonest witness seeking to profit from his anti-Trump stance through books and podcasts. Blanche highlighted derogatory statements Cohen had made about Trump in the past.

Despite these efforts, some observers believe that Blanche’s questioning did not significantly impact Cohen’s credibility. However, there is still enough evidence on record to potentially find Trump guilty.

Trump, who is facing multiple charges, argues that his payments to Cohen were for legitimate legal services. Prosecutors claim these payments were used to cover up the Daniels payoff, a violation of campaign finance laws.

Cohen is the last witness to be called by prosecutors at the trial, which began on April 15. Blanche suggested that the defense’s cross-examination of Cohen could continue into the next week, and there is speculation on whether Trump will testify.

Despite Cohen’s compromised past, prosecutors maintain that his testimony will be supported by additional evidence. So far, this includes testimony from a tabloid publisher as well as written notes from a Trump Organization executive outlining Cohen’s reimbursements.