The New York criminal trial against former President Donald Trump is set to come to a dramatic climax on Monday, with prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office calling on their star witness: former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen.
Cohen, a convicted felon who previously served as Trump’s personal lawyer, ignored questions as he departed his home Monday morning, just hours before his anticipated testimony.
“What do you have to say to Trump?” a Fox News reporter asked. “Are you going to tell the truth today?”
Cohen remained silent, looking straight ahead as he entered a waiting SUV, which reportedly ran a red light as it left.
Cohen’s testimony is considered crucial to the case, as he is expected to provide details about his role in arranging hush money payments on Trump’s behalf during the former president’s first presidential campaign.
These payments include the $130,000 given to porn actor Stormy Daniels, who testified last week that the money was meant to prevent her from going public about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier.
The reimbursements Cohen received for these payments form the basis of the 34 felony counts of falsifying business records against Trump. Prosecutors allege that the reimbursements were logged as legal expenses to conceal their true purpose.
Meanwhile, Trump’s lawyers have prepared for a rigorous cross-examination of Cohen, telling jurors during opening statements that the former lawyer is an “admitted liar” with an “obsession to get President Trump.”
Bragg, a Democrat, has been accused of being politically biased against Trump.
Additionally, the timing of the Manhattan prosecution of the leading Republican presidential candidate — with his trial coming during the height of the 2024 presidential election — has been heavily criticized by Trump and his political allies.
Cohen’s testimony could potentially seal Trump’s legal fate… if jurors believe him. However, the prosecution’s reliance on a witness with a very checkered past – Cohen pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the payments and to lying to Congress – could work to Trump’s benefit.
The testimony of Cohen, who once said he would “take a bullet for Trump,” is the final chapter of the total decay of their once-close relationship. After Cohen’s home and office were raided by the FBI in 2018, he pleaded guilty to federal campaign-finance charges and implicated Trump, leading to a complete breakdown in their relationship.
Prosecutors are expected to elicit detailed testimony from Cohen about his past crimes to blunt the impact of defense lawyers’ questioning and show that they are not trying to hide his misdeeds.
Defense lawyers will likely paint Cohen as untrustworthy, vindictive, and agenda-driven.
Ahead of the explosive testimony, Trump gave a statement to the press. Take a look —
"This is a political witch hunt and nobody's seen anything like it."
"What this judge is getting away with is disgraceful."
"This all comes from Biden and the White House, by the way."
Donald Trump gives a statement before Cohen's testimony in Manhattan court today. pic.twitter.com/Ckg0qCAqSW
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) May 13, 2024