Trump trial: Cohen faces Trump team grilling over past lies, recollections
The defense questioned Trump's former lawyer on Day 18 of the hush money trial.
Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
Top headlines:
- No decision yet about Trump testifying
- Defense argues Cohen's lack of retainer agreement was not an issue
- Defense accuses Cohen of lying about Trump phone call
- Defense challenges Cohen on past perjury
- Cohen says Trump approved payment of $420K, paid monthly
- Jury hears secret recording of Trump discussing payment
What to know about the hush money case
READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.
Defense continues to press Cohen on perjury
Defense attorney Todd Blanche got fiery as Michael Cohen refused to give yes-or-no answers to some of his questions.
"Sir, sir, please don't make a speech," Blanche snapped at Cohen.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger objected, and Judge Merchan instructed Cohen to just answer the question.
Blanche continued his deep dive into Cohen's past perjury.
"There is no doubt you know what perjury means?" Blanche asked.
"I know what perjury means," Cohen said.
Blanche then asked Cohen about his 2019 congressional testimony following his guilty plea.
"When congressmen ask you questions, they go on and on and on?" Blanche asked.
"Yes sir," Cohen said.
"Even more than I do," Blanche joked.
Cohen slams judge to whom he pleaded guilty
Defense attorney Todd Blanche confronted Cohen with his past statements about the late Judge William Pauley, to whom he pleaded guilty in 2018 to charges including those related to the Stormy Daniels payment.
“You also believe Judge Pauley is corrupt as well?” Blanche said.
“I have said that,” Cohen said.
“He is deceased, by the way,” Blanche said.
“Yes he is,” Cohen said.
Cohen confirmed that he at one point described Pauley and prosecutors as “f------ animals.”
“Do you believe that Judge Pauley was in on it?” Blanche asked.
“I do,” Cohen said.
Cohen said he does not believe he should have been charged with federal crimes in 2018.
“I do not believe I should have been charged,” Cohen said.
Cohen says he lied when he told judge he wasn't pressured
Defense attorney Todd Blanche emphasized that Cohen told a federal judge that he was not pressured or induced to take a guilty plea in 2018 on charge including those related to the Stormy Daniels payment.
"That was a lie?" Blanche said.
"That was not true, correct," Cohen said.
Blanche later asked Cohen to confirm that he believes he lied at the time.
"It was a lie?" Blanche asked.
"Correct," Cohen said.
Cohen says he was pushed to plead guilty to hush money charges
Under cross-examination from defense attorneys, Michael Cohen continued to suggest that he was pressured in 2018 to plead guilty to changes including those related to the Stormy Daniels payment.
"No one indicated you threatened you to guilty correct?" defense attorney Todd Blanche asked.
"As I stated previously, I was provided with 48 hours within which to accept the plea or the Southern District of New York was going to file an 80-page indictment that included my wife, and I elected to protect my family," Cohen responded.
"You do feel you were induced to plead guilty?" Blanche asked.
"I never denied the underlying facts, I just do not believe I should have been criminally charged for either of those two -- or six -- offenses," Cohen said.
Cohen confirmed that prosecutors never directly told him that his wife would be indicted, telling jurors he heard that from his lawyers.
"I accepted responsibility," Cohen said.