False invoices and why Michael Cohen flipped: Trump trial key takeaways, day 17 | Donald Trump trials
1. Cohen walked jurors through fake invoices and checks
The day began with prosecutor Susan Hoffinger annoyingly having Cohen count the 11 false invoices he submitted in 2017 and the checks he subsequently received as a result of them.
For each of the checks and invoices, Hoffinger asked Cohen if it said they were for legal services rendered during the time period. It was critical testimony that gets to the heart of the alleged crimes in the case: that Trump falsified business records to conceal payments to Stormy Daniels.
Although he was paid $420,000 in 2017, Cohen said he did minimal work for Trump that year, less than 10 hours by his estimate.
Cohen also recalled an Oval Office meeting in February 2017 at the White House. “He asked me if I was okay. He asked me if I needed money. And I said, ‘All right,'” Cohen said. “He said, ‘Okay, just make sure you get on with Alan.’ [Weisselberg].’” The testimony is important because it helps establish that Trump participated in the payoff scheme.
2. Prosecutors tried to fend off attacks on Cohen’s credibility as Trump’s lawyer tried to destroy it
Hoffinger spent the latter part of his direct examination trying to fend off attacks he knew were coming from Trump’s defense team. Cohen confirmed that he received no special legal treatment for his testimony. She also tried to undercut attacks that he wanted to profit from the case by pointing out that he lost his law license as a result of his felony conviction. His podcasts, books and TikTok live shows — all of which heavily feature Trump — are the main means by which he makes a living, she found.
During cross-examination, Trump attorney Todd Blanch began by having Cohen admit that the district attorney’s office had to tell his lawyers numerous times to talk about the case. It was a bit of an odd start because it was immediately met with objections from the prosecution that were upheld, preventing Blanche from building any sort of rhythm or momentum in her questioning.
He also suggested that Cohen wanted to cooperate with prosecutors to get a lighter sentence for himself, although Cohen and prosecutors noted that this did not work.
Blanche also got Cohen to admit that nearly every episode of his podcast mentioned Trump and pointed out to jurors that Cohen sells mugs that say “send him to the big house, not the White House” and a T-shirt that depicts Trump in orange overalls. Cohen has admitted he wanted Trump impeached and recently wore the T-shirt on TikTok urging supporters to buy it.
Blanche also got Cohen to admit that in 2016 he called Trump “kind, humble, honest, real.”
“I was knee-deep in the cult of Donald Trump at the time, yes,” Cohen said.
3. Cohen explained why he turned to Donald Trump
After years of loyalty to Trump, in the summer of 2018, Cohen decided he would stop lying about his old boss. That spring, the FBI raided his home and office.
“At that point, we didn’t even know what southern New York was referring to. The conversation with my family was what to do, we are in this unique situation that has never been in my family. My wife, my daughter, my son said to me, “Why do you hold on to this loyalty? What are you doing? We should be your first loyalty,” he said.
“It was about time I listened to them. I wouldn’t lie anymore about President Trump,” he said. Cohen will plead guilty to several federal charges, including a campaign finance felony, which he says he carried out at Trump’s direction to influence the 2016 election.
4. Cohen described an intense campaign to keep him “in the fold”
After the April 2018 FBI raid on his home office, Cohen said he received a phone call from Trump after leaving him a message. “He told me, ‘Don’t worry, I’m the president of the United States. There is nothing here. Everything will be fine. Stay strong. You will be OK.” That was the last time the two men spoke, Cohen said.
Afterward, he said he felt tremendous pressure to retain a lawyer named Robert Costello, who kept stressing how close he was to Rudy Giuliani. Cohen said it was clear he was trying to create a back channel to Trump through Giuliani.
Cohen did not hire Costello, but Costello continued to deliver messages that Cohen took to mean he should remain loyal. “I spoke to Rudy. Very very positive. You are loved. If you want to call me, I’ll give you the details… Rudy said this communication channel needs to be maintained. He called it crucial and said … sleep well tonight, you have friends in high places,” an email from Costello to Cohen said.
The whole thing was very covert and espionage, Cohen said.
At the same time, Trump tweeted in support of Cohen, which Cohen took as a signal that he should remain loyal.
“There was something really sketchy and wrong about him,” Cohen said of Costello. He came with a retainer agreement, Cohen said, and told Costello he wouldn’t sign right away.
“I certainly wasn’t going to expose anything to someone I don’t know and … have trouble connecting with,” Cohen said. “I was also concerned, when he started talking about his incredibly close relationship with Rudy, that anything I told him would be brought up and told to Rudy Giuliani, and of course, because Rudy Giuliani was so close at the time, G -n Trump, President Trump, everything I said will come back to haunt him.
