On Thursday, May 16th, during the trial of the hush money case involving Donald Trump, the defense lawyer accused the key witness Michael Cohen of lying, casting doubt on the credibility of this pivotal figure.
The defense lawyer spent hours portraying Cohen as dishonest, selfish, and willing to lie to achieve his goals. While the defense’s questioning did not land a decisive blow, it did damage Cohen’s reputation and raised questions about his motives for testifying.
Shortly before the lunch break in court, the defense lawyer engaged in an intense confrontation over a crucial phone call related to the hush money case, which could be a key factor in determining Trump’s guilt.
Two days prior, under questioning from prosecutors, Cohen claimed that on October 24, 2016, he had called Trump to inform him that the hush money agreement with adult film star Stormy Daniels had been finalized. Cohen said he spoke to Trump’s then-bodyguard Keith Schiller, who then passed on the call to Trump.
However, evidence presented by the defense showed that in the days leading up to this call, Cohen had received threatening calls from a teenager claiming to be “dope.”
The evidence presented by the defense included a text message Cohen sent to Schiller that referenced the threatening calls.
Phone records indicated that after sending the text, Schiller left a voicemail for Cohen, who promptly returned the call.
However, the call lasted only 96 seconds. The defense argued that Cohen likely only discussed the threatening calls with Schiller during that call and did not report the hush money agreement to Trump.
The content and timing of this call are crucial, as it is one of the main pieces of evidence the prosecutors are using to establish that Trump was aware of the hush money agreement and allegedly tried to illegally influence the 2016 election.
Raising his voice, the defense lawyer argued that it was implausible for Cohen to discuss both the threatening calls and the Stormy Daniels situation in such a brief call.
Cohen admitted to discussing the threatening calls with Schiller first. However, he insisted that Schiller then passed the call to Trump, and they had a brief conversation.
In a tone of disbelief, the defense lawyer retorted, “Do you have enough time in 1 minute and 36 seconds to report the harassing call to Mr. Schiller and discuss the latest updates about Daniels?”
“That’s a lie,” the defense lawyer said. “Just admit it!”
Cohen replied, “No, sir, I can’t because I’m not sure if that’s accurate.”
Cohen, a convicted perjurer, later explained that he was able to recall the conversation because it was “extremely important” and the topics involved were “thought-provoking.”
Furthermore, the defense presented a recording of Cohen’s podcast segment to the jury, attempting to portray Cohen as a disgruntled former employee bent on “revenge.”
Cohen stated that the case “brings me joy” and he imagines Trump and his family being imprisoned, making him feel “hopeful and joyful.”
He told the jurors that he had lied to Congress and the Department of Justice before, and he also lied in court.
Cohen is the most crucial and final witness for the prosecution. Friday being a rest day for the trial, Cohen is expected to return to court on Monday morning for further questioning by the defense.
In this case, Trump has not pleaded guilty and denies having had any sexual contact with Daniels. It is one of four criminal cases he faces, likely to be the only one to be decided by a jury before the November presidential election in the United States.
Trump believes that these four lawsuits are aimed at hindering his campaign efforts and preventing him from returning to the White House.
Members of the House Freedom Caucus attended the trial on Thursday, expressing their support for Trump.
The chairman of the caucus, Republican Congressman Bob Good, stated outside the courthouse, “Today, we see the Democrats trying at all costs to manipulate or steal yet another election.”
It is not clear at this time whether Trump will testify next week. While Trump had initially indicated he would testify, the defense lawyer later mentioned that Trump had not yet decided whether to take the stand.
Judge Juan Merchan informed the lawyers that closing arguments could potentially take place as early as Tuesday.