Fireworks were on display in the the Trump trial today. The star prosecution witness appears to have lied, admitted he stole from Trump, and at one point the judge cleared the courtroom over a defense witness testimony.
The best synopsis I can find comes from ABC Live Updates, best read bottom up. If you wish to read the whole thing, scroll to the end, then read the headline sections in reverse order.
Cohen admits he stole money from Trump organization
Michael Cohen on Monday admitted that he stole from Donald Trump’s company when he pocketed tens of thousands of dollars that was earmarked as a reimbursement for money he said he shelled out to a technology firm.
Defense lawyer Todd Blanche noted that despite Cohen’s guilty pleas in 2018 to federal charges including a campaign finance violation for the hush money payment and unrelated tax evasion and bank fraud crimes, he’d never been charged with stealing from Trump’s company.
“Have you paid back the Trump Organization the money you stole from them?”
“No, sir,” Cohen responded.
Costello testifies Cohen told him he had nothing on Trump, knew nothing of Daniels payment
Defense witness Robert Costello, who for a time was Michael Cohen’s attorney, introduced details of his first meeting with Cohen, saying they first met at the Regency Hotel in Manhattan on April 17, 2018, with attorney Jeffrey Citron.
Cohen “was absolutely manic” during the first meeting, Costello said. The FBI had just raided his home and office.
“I really want you to explain what my options are. What’s my escape route?” Costello said Cohen told him.
Cohen said, “My life is shattered, my family’s life is shattered,” Costello testified.
Costello said he told Cohen, “This entire legal problem he was facing would be resolved by the end of the week if he had truthful information about Donald Trump and cooperated with the Southern District of New York.”
Costello said that Cohen on multiple occasions said, “I swear to god Bob, I don’t have anything on Donald Trump.”
Merchan briefly closes courtroom, forcing reporters into hallway
Judge Juan M. Merchan on Monday afternoon briefly closed the courtroom where Donald Trump’s criminal trial is being held, forcing reporters into the hallway after he admonished witness Robert Costello for his behavior.
Costello aggravated Merchan repeatedly in his testimony by making comments under his breath and continuing to speak after objections were sustained – a signal to witnesses to stop talking.
At one point, frustrated as he was again cut off by a sustained objection, Costello remarked, “Jeez.”
“I’m sorry? I’m sorry?” a peeved Merchan asked.
“Strike it, I’m -.” Costello replied, cutting himself off.
At another point, he called the whole exercise, “ridiculous.”
After excusing the jury, Merchan told the witness: “Mr. Costello, I want to discuss proper decorum in my courtroom. When there’s a witness on the stand, if you don’t like my ruling, you don’t say ‘jeez’… You don’t give me side eye and you don’t roll your eyes.”
“Are you staring me down right now? Clear the courtroom, right now. Clear the courtroom,” the judge said.
For several minutes, there were no reporters in the courtroom or video access to the proceedings in the overflow room.
Defense moves for dismissal of case, judge says he’ll reserve his decision
The defense made a motion for the dismissal of the case, with defense attorney Todd Blanche telling Judge Merchan, “There’s absolutely no evidence the filings were false, the business records were false.”
When the invoices for Cohen’s payment were sent to the Trump Organization there’s no evidence they were entered improperly, Blanche said. “At the start, there is absolutely no false business filings. They’re accurate business filings,” he said.
“There’s no evidence that there’s any intent to defraud by Mr. Trump in connection to these filings,” Blanche argued.
“There are no other crimes,” defense attorney Todd Blanche argued about the legal standard in the case — that Trump falsified business records in furtherance of another crime. “There is no evidence that any one was thinking about a campaign finance charge in 2016 when this payment was made to Ms. Daniels.”
“There is no way that the court should let this case go to jury relying on Mr. Cohen’s testimony,” Blanche said “Without Mr. Cohen, there is no case.”
Judge Merchan asked if Blanche was calling for him to rule that Cohen’s testimony is “not credible as a matter of law.”
“Absolutely, that’s exactly what we’re calling on the court to do,” Blanche replied. “He testified, and he lied under oath — in this courtroom.”
Judge Merchan said he will reserve his decision on the motion.
Court was then concluded for the day.
“Prosecutors admit they had a man admitting to a major larceny but never charged Cohen.”
What little, if any, credibility the star witness had, went out the window today.
This trial was a farce from the beginning. That’s what happens when you pick your target first, then hope to find a crime.
This case should be dismissed. And if it is, Trump will come out much stronger from it.