According to a report by CNN on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, Michael Cohen, former lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, testified against his former boss at the New York civil fraud trial on Tuesday.
What unfolded could only be described as a “heck of a reunion” between the two men, with Trump sitting just feet away.
Cohen’s testimony shed light on how he manipulated Trump’s financial statements, going as far as “reverse-engineering” them to achieve a specific net worth.
He offered a detailed account of how he would inflate the value of Trump’s properties, often in collaboration with the Trump Organization’s chief financial officer.
Tensions ran high during Cohen’s testimony, particularly when Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, began questioning him.
Snide remarks and loud objections punctuated the courtroom atmosphere, revealing the animosity that had built up throughout the afternoon.
The clash between Cohen and Habba quickly escalated. One contentious moment arose when Habba asked, “Did you ever tell your wife that you were committing tax evasion?”
Cohen’s loud objection and raised voice in response triggered a heated exchange, prompting lawyers from both sides to engage in a cacophonous argument.
Trump’s lawyer, Chris Kise, objected to Cohen’s response, while the New York attorney general’s office contended that the question breached spousal privilege.
Habba pressed on, questioning Cohen about the criminal charges to which he had pleaded guilty, including the loss of his law license.
In response to a query about losing his law license, Cohen sneered and replied, “Asked and answered.”
Habba continued to challenge Cohen, asking, “You have lied under oath numerous times, Mr. Cohen?” To this, Cohen acknowledged, “That’s correct.”
The Trump legal team’s strategy appeared to be centered on undermining Cohen’s credibility as a witness.
Cohen’s past guilty plea in 2018 for lying to Congress provided ample material for this purpose.
“This witness is completely out of control,” Kise remarked after Cohen’s outburst, provoking a laugh from the gallery.
The intense questioning is poised to continue into the following day, with Habba having not yet delved into the substantive aspects of Cohen’s testimony in the civil fraud trial.
At one point, Habba cautioned Cohen, saying, “Mr. Cohen, this is how this is going to work.
You’re not on ‘Mea Culpa,’ you’re not on your podcast, and you’re not on CNN.”
She emphasized that Cohen’s role was to provide straightforward answers to questions, reminding him of the seriousness of the proceedings.
As the trial unfolds, all eyes remain fixed on the courtroom, where the past and present of the Trump-Cohen relationship are playing out in a riveting fashion.