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.
Cohen explains why he lied to Congress, others
Michael Cohen told jurors that he lied to Congress in 2017 when he understated Trump's involvement in a Trump Tower project in Moscow.
Cohen told Congress that he spoke to Trump about the project three times, but they actually spoke ten times according to Cohen. He added that he misrepresented the timeline of those conversations.
"Why did you make those false statements to Congress?" prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked.
"Because I was staying on Mr. Trump's message that there was no Russia, Russia, Russia and in coordination with the joint defense team. That was what was preferred," Cohen said.
Cohen said he also initially lied about the hush payment to Stormy Daniels.
"Did you tell the truth about Mr. Trump's role in the payoff?" Hoffinger asked.
"No ma'am," Cohen said.
Cohen told jurors that he pressured Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson to have Daniels sign a false statement denying her affair with Trump.
"Did you know this statement by Stormy Daniels was false?" Hoffinger asked.
"Yes," Cohen said.
Trump, at the defense table, scoffed when Cohen testified that he told Trump he got Stormy Daniels to deny their affair in 2018 so that he could "get credit" with Trump.
Cohen says said he continued to protect Trump
Michael Cohen testified that during this time period, in 2017, he continued to lie and try to protect Trump.
"Did you continue to try to protect him?" prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Cohen.
"Yes," he said.
"Continued to lie for him?" Hoffinger asked.
"Yes," said Cohen. "Out of loyalty, and in order to protect him."
During this exchange, Trump shifted his head then whipped around to whisper to his attorney Emil Bove.
Cohen testifies he did 'minimal' work for Trump in 2017
Cohen told the jury he did minimal work for Trump in 2017, working on small issues for which he "didn't expect to be paid" -- despite the invoices he submitted throughout the year being designated as retainer fees.
The work he performed included a trademark issue and others, Cohen testified.
Asked if he submitted an invoice, Cohen said no.
"I didn't expect to be paid," he said
Cohen estimated he spent "less than 10" hours working for Trump in 2017.
"Was the $420,000 dollars that you received from Mr. Trump ... did that have anything to do with the minimal work you did for him in 2017?" prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked.
"No ma'am," Cohen said.
Trump, during this testimony, has been sitting back in his chair with his eyes closed. He occasionally shifts in his seat.
Cohen says invoices he submitted were false records
Michael Cohen told jurors that he submitted 11 invoices to the Trump Organization over the course of 2017 to get his reimbursement for the Stormy Daniels hush money payment and other expenses -- but that they were false records because they were not for their stated purpose of a retainer fee.
Asked the purpose of the $420,000 payment over the year, Cohen said "the reimbursement to me of the hush money fee along with Red Finch, and the bonus."
"Was this invoice a false record?" prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked.
"Yes ma'am," Cohen said.
"Were any of those invoices you submitted for services performed pursuant to a retainer agreement?" Hoffinger asked.
"No," Cohen replied.
Hoffinger then walked Cohen through each of the false invoices he sent, and the checks that he received in return.
As Hoffinger showed Cohen each document, he confirmed that there was no retainer agreement at the time and that the invoices were false.
"Is that a false record?" Hoffinger asked about each invoice.
"Yes ma'am," Cohen said.
After each invoice, Cohen identified the check he received.
"Did you receive this check for $35,000 in response to that false invoice?" Hoffinger asked.
"Yes ma'am," Cohen replied.
"Whose signature is it?" asked Hoffinger.
"Donald J. Trump" said Cohen.
"Was this the last check that you received from Mr. Trump or anyone at the Trump Organization?" Hoffinger asked about a December 2017 check for $35,000.
"Yes," Cohen said, explaining that the "full reimbursement of the $420,0000 had been paid."
Star witness Michael Cohen expected to take the stand
Michael Cohen, who for nearly a decade was Donald Trump's trusted adviser, personal attorney, and self-described "attack dog with a law license," is scheduled to take the stand this morning as the prosecution's star witness in Trump's criminal hush money trial.
According to prosecutors, Cohen was in the room in when Trump and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker agreed to a catch-and-kill scheme to hide negative information about Trump from 2016 voters, and Cohen himself made a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels to buy her silence about an alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump. The former president, who has denied the encounter took place, is on trial for allegedly falsifying business records related to his company's reimbursement to Cohen in 2017.
But Cohen's value to the prosecution's case could be endangered by the disbarred lawyer's credibility issues. Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to tax evasion, campaign finance allegations, and lying to Congress in what Cohen says was an effort to protect Trump. The former president's lawyers have also argued that Cohen perjured himself again when he testified at Trump's civil fraud trial last year, and accuse Cohen of making his livelihood off books and podcasts that antagonize Trump.
Cohen is the final key witness in the prosecution's case, after which the defense will present its case.