The trial related to the hush money allegations against former President Donald Trump is approaching its end in the Manhattan Supreme Court, New York City. The prosecution concluded its case on Monday, May 20, 2024, featuring significant testimony from Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and “fixer.” The defense subsequently presented their argument, attempting to dispute Cohen’s credibility and contest the prosecution’s claims.
Central to the prosecution’s case, Michael Cohen testified over a span of four days. While on the stand, Cohen conceded to taking $60,000 from the Trump Organization in 2016, attributing this to a decrease in his yearly bonus and referring to it as “self-help.” Cohen also elaborated on his role in facilitating a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 election, purportedly under Trump’s instruction.
In the course of his testimony, Cohen said, “My entire life has been turned upside down as a direct result. I lost my law licenses, my business, my financial security.” This statement underscored the personal impact of the events on him, adding a human element to the proceedings.
Todd Blanche, the lead defense attorney, aimed to challenge Cohen’s reliability. Blanche made the case that there was no proof of fraudulent business records or a motive to deceive. “There’s no evidence that there’s any idea or any intent to mislead or to hide or to falsify the business records,” Blanche asserted.
Cohen’s testimony has been pivotal for the prosecution, which has brought 34 felony charges against Trump for falsifying business records. These charges originate from claims that Trump misrepresented payments to Cohen as standard legal fees rather than reimbursements for the hush money payment to Daniels.
The defense’s cross-examination of Cohen underscored his previous criminal conduct, including perjury before Congress and fiscal offenses. Cohen acknowledged that he has earned over $4 million from books and podcasts since 2020, which the defense utilized to question his motivations and believability.
The defense summoned Robert Costello, Cohen’s former lawyer, to give testimony. Costello’s time on the stand was fraught with tension, as he claimed Cohen had repeatedly stated that Trump was oblivious of the payment to Daniels. However, Costello’s courtroom demeanor led to reprimands from the presiding judge, Juan Merchan.
During a tense exchange, Judge Merchan asked Costello, “Are you staring me down right now?” The judge briefly cleared the courtroom to admonish Costello, cautioning him to uphold appropriate conduct.
Robert Costello’s testimony sought to refute Cohen’s assertions, contending that Cohen had acted autonomously in making the payment to Daniels. Costello characterized Cohen as “a maniac” during their initial meetings and reiterated that Cohen had consistently maintained that Trump was unaware of the hush money agreement.
Trump has been outspoken about the trial, frequently addressing the media after court sessions. On Monday, Trump criticized Judge Merchan, labeling him a “tyrant” and expressing hope for dismissal of the case. “You saw what we saw. That was an incredible display … a tyrant,” Trump said. He also quoted filmmaker Oliver Stone, describing the trial as an instance of “lawfare,” a reference to Stone’s comments in Cannes for a unique screening of “Lula,” a documentary he co-created with Rob Wilson. It focuses on the remarkable political resurgence of Brazil’s Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva. The movie details his impressive return to the Brazilian presidency in 2022, after he had spent 19 months behind bars. This turnaround came to light following a hacker’s revelations of a plot designed to discredit the labor leader through a corruption scandal, implicating former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and the nation’s top jurist.
Notwithstanding Trump’s public remarks, the trial is advancing towards its conclusion. The defense is projected to rest its case on Tuesday, May 21, with closing statements expected to begin after the Memorial Day weekend. The judge indicated that the jury could begin deliberations next week.
The trial has held public focus, with regular updates and commentary from various media outlets. Trump, who is also the likely GOP nominee for the 2024 presidential election, has leveraged the trial as a platform to galvanize his followers and criticize his adversaries.
Beyond the courtroom, the trial continues to attract attention from both Trump advocates and detractors. Protests took place outside the courthouse, with anti-Trump demonstrators at one point overpowering Trump’s supporters. Bernie Kerik, former New York City Police Commissioner and a longtime Trump ally, was seen outside the courthouse expressing his support for the former president.
