In the ongoing trial concerning the hush-money payment made by Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels on behalf of former President Donald Trump, the defense has launched a vigorous attack on the central accusation.
Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, aimed to discredit Cohen, focusing on the legality of the payment and Cohen’s past credibility.
Blanche led the defense by highlighting the technicalities of Daniels’ contract, emphasizing that it constituted a legal agreement for the sale of her story.
This move seemed to justify categorizing the payment as legal expenses rather than hush money.
During a lengthy cross-examination, Cohen was compelled to acknowledge his past lies, attributing them to personal interests rather than solely to protect Trump.
Blanche suggested that Cohen’s current agenda might be to see Trump imprisoned, insinuating further potential falsehoods regarding Trump’s involvement in the hush-money scheme.
A pivotal moment in the trial occurred when Blanche directly challenged Cohen’s account of a phone call with Trump’s then bodyguard, Keith Schiller, regarding the Daniels payment.
Despite Cohen’s insistence on the call’s purpose, Blanche contended that it was primarily about unrelated matters, citing evidence of Cohen’s complaints about prank calls.
Trump, accompanied by his son Eric Trump and representatives Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz, observed the proceedings, maintaining an engaged demeanor.
The trial hinges on whether Trump knowingly authorized the mischaracterization of the payments as legal expenses to conceal them in the Trump Organization’s records, constituting a campaign finance violation.
Cohen’s testimony has been crucial, detailing how he facilitated the payment to Daniels and later sought reimbursement from Trump.
The defense relentlessly scrutinized Cohen’s credibility, pointing to inconsistencies and past lies, including those made under oath.
Blanche underscored Cohen’s propensity to shift blame onto others, including Trump, suggesting a pattern of deception.
Despite the defense’s efforts, Cohen’s testimony implicating Trump in the cover-up remains a significant challenge for the defense.
The trial’s trajectory hinges on the conclusion of Cohen’s cross-examination, with the possibility of Trump testifying remaining uncertain.
Should Trump abstain, the trial could move to closing arguments soon, pending jury instructions from the judge.
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