Donald Trump’s former confidant, Michael Cohen, is on the defense grill on Tuesday after incriminating the former American president, tried in New York for hidden payments to an X-rated movie star.
Six months before the presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the trial is increasingly politicized: with the presence in front of the Manhattan courthouse of the leader of the Republicans in the House of Representatives Mike Johnson and Vivek Ramaswamy, for a time running in the Republican presidential primaries.
Mike Johnson, one of the highest figures in the American state, thundered against justice that he said was “instrumentalized” against his champion.
Michael Cohen, 57, returned to court on Tuesday, is the star witness in the proceedings which have lasted since mid-April.
In this historic and unprecedented trial for a former American president, the 77-year-old billionaire is facing criminal charges for 34 accounting falsification offenses, and in theory faces a prison sentence.
Even if he were found guilty and incarcerated, Donald Trump could appear on November 5 for his revenge against Joe Biden.
For more than five hours on Monday, Michael Cohen – who was the billionaire’s personal lawyer before turning against him in 2018 – incriminated his former boss.
“Yes,” replied Mr. Cohen, Donald Trump was aware of payments in particular to porn star Stormy Daniels, then disguised as “legal fees” in the accounting of the family real estate empire Trump Organization.
“Hate” of women
It was, according to the prosecution and Michael Cohen, about buying the silence of women with whom Donald Trump allegedly had extramarital affairs.
The Republican even said he feared a “catastrophic” effect, even “hatred” from the female electorate, in the face of Hillary Clinton, his rival in the 2016 presidential election.
Loyal among Donald Trump’s faithful, not denying the nickname “pitbull” ready to “take a bullet” for him, Michael Cohen also admitted to having lied, intimidated and threatened on behalf of the New York tycoon.
He described under oath how he paid $130,000 through a shell company to Stormy Daniels.
Real name Stephanie Clifford, this 45-year-old actress and director is also one of the key witnesses in the trial and she forcefully delivered her version of the facts last week.
In turn, Michael Cohen revealed conversations with Donald Trump in 2016. “Absolutely, do it” to pay Stormy Daniels and “don’t worry you’ll get your money back,” the future president reportedly told his lawyer. This was done after his accession to the White House in 2017, according to the prosecution.
On Tuesday, Michael Cohen answered “yes” to the prosecutor who asked him if he had received 11 checks – most of them signed by Trump – against 11 false invoices that he had presented to be reimbursed.
The prosecution revealed the supporting documents accompanying the checks. And one by one, Mr. Cohen assured that they mentioned services that he had not rendered and that the real motive was to reimburse him for the payments to Stormy Daniels.
Donald Trump has always denied having had sexual relations with this woman in 2006, when he was already married to Melania Trump.
“Don’t let it come out”
Likewise, for an alleged affair lasting several months with a Playboy model, Karen McDougal, Donald Trump allegedly said a few months before the election to his then accomplice: “Make sure it doesn’t get out.”
“I was doing everything I could, and more, to protect my boss, and I had been doing it for a long time,” confessed the ex-lawyer.
Listening to the man he described in 2018 as a “balance”, Donald Trump alternately has an impassive or busy air.
The two former associates have a tenacious hatred for each other and do not look at each other.
When the affair was revealed by the Wall Street Journal in 2018, Michael Cohen said he paid Stormy Daniels on his own initiative, without informing Donald Trump.
Caught by the courts, sentenced to three years in prison including 13 months actually behind bars, the former lawyer turned against his former boss, claiming to have acted under his orders.