While former President Donald Trump was seated in a New York courtroom on trial, the second in line to the Presidency, House Speaker Mike Johnson, traveled to New York to speak to the press gathered outside the courtroom. Johnson declared that the trial proceedings were politically motivated, a claim echoed by many other high-profile Trump supporters out defending the President while he was tied up in the courthouse.
Party Alignment and Court Criticisms
The lining up of party leaders and Vice Presidential hopefuls to support Trump and to call into question the legitimacy of the court proceedings presents a dramatic picture. Johnson and other so-called “surrogate” Trump campaigners have criticized the U.S. judicial system, which they claim has been weaponized and politicized to unfairly target Trump and make his Presidential run unsuccessful.
Key Witness Testimony
In the fourth week of the ongoing criminal trial of Former President Donald Trump, former Trump attorney Michael Cohen served as the prosecution’s main witness. Cohen provided testimony to the court regarding Trump’s involvement in a plan to suppress damaging news stories in the days leading up to the 2016 campaign.
Details of Suppression Efforts
Cohen told the judge and jury how he orchestrated the payments to Stormy Daniels to silence her story. He emphasized that Trump was personally involved in carrying out the payments, alleging that the payments were intended to keep the story out of the news cycle and from impacting voters’ opinions of Trump in the campaign’s final days.
Prosecutorial Strategy
Prosecutors took a systematic approach to linking Trump to the payments. They asked Cohen to describe documents and records they alleged were used to cover up the payments’ intent. Cohen billed the payments as “legal expenses.”
Emphasis on Documentation
Prosecutors focused on documentation to emphasize what they believe is Trump’s calculated and consistent efforts to conceal the motive behind the payments.
Admission and Accusations
Cohen told prosecutors that the payment records were incorrectly labeled “legal expenses.” This admission played into the prosecution’s claim that Trump deliberately committed an illegal act by falsifying business records to conceal the payments.
Trump’s Courtroom Demeanor
During Cohen’s testimony, Trump remained disengaged, did not make eye contact, and even closed his eyes during portions of the testimony.
Interpretation of Trump’s Court Behaviors
Various interpretations of Trump’s behavior in the courtroom have been offered, including that he signaled disdain for the testimony and witness or that it was simply a coping mechanism for Trump during an undoubtedly stressful event.
Further Allegations
Cohen’s testimony also mentioned other alleged hush money payments, including one to Karen McDougal, a model. Cohen claimed that Trump knew about and directed Cohen to suppress the damaging stories.
Defense Strategy
For his part, Trump has always claimed both that the claims of the affairs are false and that he is innocent of falsifying business records to suppress the stories. In response to Cohen’s accusations, Trump’s defense lawyers will point the spotlight back on Cohen and paint him as an unreliable witness.
Defense Focus on Cohen’s Credibility
The defense team will base these claims on Cohen’s alleged personal vendetta against Trump, as well as his history of lying under oath. Cohen was convicted of lying to Congress and tax evasion and spent time in prison on these felony charges. Following his conviction in 2018, Cohen was disbarred and no longer practices law.
Legal Tactics and Media Attention
In addition to focusing on the nature of the documentation of the hush money payments, the overall trial will also delve into the practice of “catch-and-kill” used by tabloids to suppress stories. The practice touches on the themes of legal and political manipulation, and hush money payments can be legal in some cases and not in others, adding to the case’s complexity, especially as it touches on a national political figure running for office.
Media Focus on Daniels and Cohen Testimony
The trial has attracted significant media attention, with much interest being garnered for the testimonies of Daniels and especially Cohen, who has had a long public falling out with Trump, his former boss. Cohen was notoriously loyal to Trump in the past before Cohen’s legal conviction.
