Defense Attorneys Interrogate Cohen on Past Lies in Trump Hush Money Trial
Michael Cohen, former attorney to Donald Trump, faced a third day of intense cross-examination as defense lawyers sought to undermine his credibility in the ongoing hush money trial. Cohen’s criminal history, including lying under oath in previous legal proceedings, was a focus of the defense’s questioning.
Cohen admitted to lying in 2018 when pleading guilty to federal charges. He also admitted to misleading Congress about work he performed on a Trump real estate deal in Russia. Defense attorney Todd Blanche confronted Cohen with these untruths, attempting to paint him as a dishonest individual willing to fabricate testimony to harm Trump.
The defense has emphasized Cohen’s personal vendetta against Trump, suggesting he is motivated by bitterness and financial gain from attacking the former president. Cohen has written books and made millions of dollars from his criticisms of Trump. Defense lawyers presented evidence of Cohen’s inflammatory social media posts and vulgar language towards Trump.
Despite the defense’s efforts to discredit Cohen, he maintained his belief that Trump was directly involved in the hush money scheme. Cohen testified that Trump promised to reimburse him for payments made to silence women who alleged sexual encounters with the then-candidate. The defense has maintained that the payments were legitimate legal expenses and that Trump was not motivated by campaign concerns.
The trial is expected to continue with defense lawyers concluding their cross-examination of Cohen. It remains uncertain whether the defense will call witnesses, including Trump himself. The case will take a brief pause on Friday to allow Trump to attend his son’s high school graduation.
Key Points:
* Defense attorneys have aggressively challenged Michael Cohen’s credibility in the hush money trial.
* Cohen admitted to lying under oath in the past, providing ammunition for the defense.
* The defense has portrayed Cohen as a disgruntled former employee seeking revenge and financial gain.
* Cohen maintains his claims that Trump was involved in the hush money scheme.
* The defense is expected to continue its cross-examination of Cohen, and it remains unknown whether Trump will testify.
