New York, NY – May 14, 2024

On Monday in Manhattan, the courtroom was abuzz as Michael Cohen, a pivotal witness for the prosecution, took the stand in the ongoing criminal trial involving former President Donald Trump. 

Cohen, who once said, “He would take a bullet for Mr. Trump,” delivered a bomb shell testimony regarding hush money payments.

With riveting testimony, Cohen peeled back the layers of deception surrounding hush money payments and alleged affairs, offering a damning portrayal of Trump’s involvement. Cohen’s testimony centered on the payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to ensure her silence about an affair with Trump. He claimed that Trump, in a cavalier manner, instructed him with a terse tone, “Just Do it” regarding the payment. Furthermore, Cohen asserted that at Trump’s direction, he orchestrated the suppression of stories from various women. Cohen’s testimony emphasized Trump’s nonchalant attitude toward the possible impact of his marriage to Melania. Still, Trump’s sole concern was about the stories going public and their effect on his 2016 presidential campaign

The spectacle escalated as Cohen, still under oath, recounted Trump’s callous response to the emergence of Karen McDougal, a former Playboy Playmate, alleged a nine-month affair with Trump. Ms. McDougal’s story was the first that Cohen purported he needed to fix. Cohen stated that Trump, unperturbed by the potential damage to his marriage, instructed him to handle the situation discreetly, underscoring Trump’s disregard for the consequences of his actions.

Under oath, Cohen detailed the meticulous orchestration of the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, revealing that he secured a personal home equity loan under the assurance that Trump would pay back the $130,000 sum. Cohen presented phone records corroborating his claim that Trump explicitly approved the payment before Cohen promptly wired the funds to Daniels, a move he believed would salvage Trump’s reputation.

As the trial continues on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, the spotlight will turn to Todd Blanche, Trump’s lawyer. Blanche is poised to mount a vigorous cross-examination aimed at discrediting Cohen as a convicted felon and perjurer. Blanche’s strategy reflects the broader narrative pushed by Trump’s camp, aiming to cast doubt on Cohen’s credibility amidst his prior convictions for tax fraud and lying to Congress.

In a surprising twist, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), a potential vice-presidential candidate, appeared outside the courthouse expressing his support for Donald Trump and condemning the procedure as a broader attempt to interfere with the Presidential election. He made it clear that he showed up at the courthouse on his own.

Speaker Johnson said while addressing cases involving Special Council Jack Smith, “The latest revelation is that they manipulated documents and might have tampered with the evidence in the cases, it seems.  In Congress, we have oversight responsibility, and it is our objective and our responsibility to hold them accountable. These are politically motivated trials, and they are a disgrace; it is election interference.”

The stakes are high for Trump, who faces 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal reimbursements to Cohen for the hush money payment to Daniels. Despite Trump’s vehement denial of the charges, the trial unfolds as pivotal, laying bare the intricate web of deceit surrounding the former President.

At 11:15 a.m., Donald Trump and his team of lawyers left the courtroom. The former President did not comment to the press or the stationed cameras outside the courthouse.