Michael Cohen has testified against Donald Trump after delaying his original court date due to medical issues. Trump’s former fixer had plenty to say against the former president.
“Heck of a Reunion” – Cohen and Trump Face Off
Immediately upon starting his testimony, Michael Cohen ripped into Donald Trump as they faced one another for the first time in five years. “Heck of a reunion,” Cohen remarked.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is taking on Trump in a civil case that pins Trump for overvaluing his properties and lying about their worth to banks.
As he walked into the courtroom, Cohen looked at Trump, but was not acknowledged.
On Tuesday, Cohen took the stand to testify about his role in falsifying financial records for Trump.
One of James’s attorneys probed Cohen about crimes he had committed, and Cohen was quick to defend himself and shift the blame.
Lying for Trump
“I did that at the direction of, in concert with, and for the benefit of Mr. Trump,” Cohen told the court when asked about why he lied to Congress.
In candid testimony, Cohen admitted to several instances of shady behavior which he said was done on behalf of Trump.
Cohen told the court that he “was tasked by Mr. Trump to increase the total assets based upon a number that he arbitrarily elected.”
He said he was told to “reverse engineer” Trump’s financial statements to artificially inflate Trump’s net worth.
“My responsibility along with Allen Weisselberg, predominantly, was to reverse engineer the various different asset classes, increase those assets in order to achieve the number that Mr. Trump had tasked us.”
A Co-Defendant Named
Allen Weisselberg is also being sued alongside Trump. He is the former CFO of the Trump Organization.
During the testimony, Trump sat in the courtroom seemingly unimpressed with Cohen’s recollections.
His body language included arm crossing and head shaking.
While being cross-examined by Trump’s counsel, Cohen claimed that he never actually evaded taxes, despite pleading guilty to the crime under oath.
While being questioned, Cohen repeated “asked and answered” several times.
“This Witness Is Out of Control!”
Trump’s attorneys grew increasingly frustrated with Cohen, and at one point one of them addressed the judge to say, “This witness is out of control, your honor.”
This was not scheduled to be Cohen’s first appearance in court, but he previously had to postpone his testimony due to health issues.
Upon hearing that, Trump accused Cohen of cowardice, saying he “didn’t have the guts” to show up.
Cohen’s response to that quip was to share a photo online of himself with Trump, captioned, “Let’s get you back to your cell.”
Trump’s Thoughts on Cohen Not a Secret
Trump had some choice words for Cohen during his appearance Tuesday, calling his former employee a “proven liar,” a “felon,” and “not a credible witness.”
As the trial continues, a judge is being asked to award $250 million in damages to the prosecution.
If Attorney General James is successful, Trump could also face sanctions when operating his businesses in the state of New York.
For now, Trump awaits decisions about insurance fraud, record falsifications, and conspiracy.
He has already been deemed liable for fraud in this case.
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