"COHEN was totally too calm in court! He must have been on something! GRAAAAAA" - Trump later, probably
I think the expectation was Cohen has routinely been a loudmouth and blowhard in the past, and Team Trump was hoping on cross to rattle him so hard he blew up in the courtroom.
I mean, the whole thing about Cohen is that he was basically a fake lawyer. And before we give him any kudos, we should see how he stands up under cross, because prosecution is obviously gonna be friendly with him.
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I might be misremembering it, but wasn't Habba's cross of Cohen one of her few displays of decent lawyering?
The Cohen cross-examination is about to get ugly.
I expect many repeats and variations on "But you lied about this, right? Why should we believe you now?" I expect further veiled threats to his freedom as well ("your lies today will get you thrown back in jail"). I don't know how he manages to get around it without having a blow-up. Hopefully he holds together long enough.
Re-direct then will be also quite interesting, because they will very likely say, "But why did you lie?"
I expect many repeats and variations on "But you lied about this, right? Why should we believe you now?" I expect further veiled threats to his freedom as well ("your lies today will get you thrown back in jail"). I don't know how he manages to get around it without having a blow-up. Hopefully he holds together long enough.
Re-direct then will be also quite interesting, because they will very likely say, "But why did you lie?"
Gotta make it back to DC in time to go on tv tonight.
He does realize anything he says can be used as evidence for gag order breaches right?
when your a lawyer sitting next to trump you have to hear this and think shit I'm not getting paid huh. Like picture being at your job and your boss brings in the person that used to sit at your desk and they said I never got paid
If they didn't get paid up front they are the stupidest motherfuckers on the planet.
*Trump commits crime and is in the process of being held accountable*
Katy Tur just now: "do you think this trial is going to backfire on Democrats in the election?"
The last couple of days on MSNBC during these midday hours have basically been Michael Cohen bashing hour. Feels like they've completely forgotten that it is Trump that's on trial here.
Katy Tur just now: "do you think this trial is going to backfire on Democrats in the election?"
The last couple of days on MSNBC during these midday hours have basically been Michael Cohen bashing hour. Feels like they've completely forgotten that it is Trump that's on trial here.
Trump probably doesn't understand. Details bore him. This is a man who had to have his briefings turned into cartoons.
Trump's Lawyers Are Making Major Mistakes
They have to destroy his credibility. I think it's plausible they will. I'm hoping they fail though. He's faced this at least once now, so I hope he's better prepared than last time we saw him crumble.
I mean that's why they had Cohen reinforce documented facts rather than pure testimony. Lot harder to overturn that way
That's correct. The big issue is that Trump and his team would like to paint this as all on Cohen's word. The reality is that he was raided by the FBI and that's why he went to prison in the first place. Most of this evidence is enough to show something illegal occurred. Cohen's testimony simply offers context to things that might be ambiguous. Particularly, I think the point about him finally admitting he was done lying for Trump being directly tied to people like Bob Costello pressuring him to be quiet after he had similarly pressured Stormy Daniels goes to the idea that this is just how things work in Trump's world and Cohen was a victim of that just like everyone else has been.
They spent most of this trial so far interviewing other people and getting a foundation that needs not rely on Cohen but rather documents and the other people (i.e. the people not convicted of perjury) involved in the scheme.
Probably off-topic, but with Cohen testifying right now and people questioning his credibility, seems relevant. Wild reading the replies to Rupar's original tweet from Feb 2019.
View: https://twitter.com/gtconway3d/status/1790373015617745020
View: https://twitter.com/gtconway3d/status/1790373015617745020
Probably not for a couple of weeks? Prosecution still has to finish their case, then the defense has to present their case.
Yeah couple weeks at a minimum, we got the holiday coming up too so that takes another day off the calendar.
Based on cross examinations so far I can only imagine what sort of landfill sized trash fire that'll be.
... Though I could also totally picture Trump getting a bee in his bonnet to just rest without presenting any sort of defense, or having his lawyers spew some sort of verbal diarrhea.
I thought I heard on MSNBC that Cohen was the prosecutions's last witness and that defense only has 3 on their list.
There really hasn't been a lot presented for defense in other cases. I could see the defense resting Friday or Monday unless Trump chooses to testify. lol
I'm guessing there will be a verdict by the 24th.
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No court on Friday. Trump's been given the day off to go to Barron's high school graduation.
Are all 4 days available next week? I really see them wanting to get done before Memorial Day with the jury staying late Friday if they get to deliberations.
Fixed that for you.
He's actually going to a campaign event.
Silly judge, thinking he cared about his kid.
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View: https://www.threads.net/@gtconway3dg/post/C69D5M9peY3/?xmt=AQGz14VhkgM0XyiPxhAh25gydChvC2_zqjA8Fs5YesacaA
Crossover between the episodes?
