So with the photo admitted, Team The People got to run Cohen through his story as to how he got authorization to make the payment directly over the phone on 10/24. A few more reiterating questions later, Team The People ended re-direct.
In a brief re-cross, Blanche got Cohen to admit that he had never seen Trump before or since overpay for anything other than what he overpaid to Cohen for the reimbursement. Not sure what Blanche would want to do the People’s job for them, but that’s what he did.
The prosecution rested.
Team Trump called its first witness, a paralegal in Blanche’s firm to allow entry into evidence of a bunch of analysis of phone records.
Next up is Robert Costello, the lawyer who Cohen claimed tried to pressure him into taking on as counsel because he had a connection to Giuliani (drink!) and thus had a connection to Trump. Cohen was provided with a contract for such services but never signed it.
A lengthy sidebar ensues as the lawyers argue about Costello’s testimony.
The sidebar is because Team Trump wants Costello to rebut the pressure campaign put on Cohen to accept his services. Merchan points out that Costello cannot testify to what Cohen was thinking. He has taken 5 minutes to consider his response.
I’m guessing the next witness will be Sean Hannity to testify to what Trump was thinking when he wasn’t fucking Stormy Daniels.
Not sure about this defense. Trump’s team is claiming Cohen paid Daniels without Trump’s knowledge, but once Trump knows what Cohen did, and then paid him the hush money amount, plus a sum for his troubles, isn’t Trump just as guilty as if he knew it from the get go?
This is bizarre. Team Trump seem to be using Costello as an objection factory to testify to Cohen telling him that Trump didn’t know about the payment to Daniels.
This would be meaningful if:
Cohen hadn’t already testified to these conversations and that he lied to Costello because he believed anything he said to Costello would got straight back to Trump via Giuliani (drink!); and
Trump testified in the CA case that he paid Cohen back for the NDA purchase, and that testimony has been admitted here.
Slap down being delivered. Merchan has excused the jury will he bitch-slaps the life out of Costello, who has been playing up on the stand over all the objections.
Why is everyone in Trump’s circle a giant, diaper-shitting baby?
Costello has been given a juice box and the jury is back. Team Trump is eliciting from Costello that he was, indeed, a cut-out for Giuliani (drink!). Not sure what this does for the defense - it seems to be buttressing Cohen’s testimony - but I guess we’ll see where it goes.
When your first witness is a paralegal with 4 days experience of working on the case and your second is an extra from Goodfellas, I think there is a very different look to the defense’s presentation than the prosecution’s.
Fun Fact: Costello is a lawyer who did work for Trump so (say it with me) Trump owes him millions in unpaid legal bills.
Testimony for today has ended and Merchan has excused the jury. In an exercise in how not to read a room, up pops Blanche with a motion to dismiss the case.
Just like with Trump’s morning session of lies, why does the press cover this? These idiots are a bunch of stooges spouting bullshit. Like Trump, I assume they don’t take questions, so what’s the point in covering their shit. You’re just acting as an unwitting tool for them, a megaphone of their propaganda.
