GottaLaff

GottaLaff, 1 hour ago

95/ Phang:

BLANCHE: when you lied to congress, you said you were lying out of loyalty, correct? COHEN: Correct
BLANCHE: it’s true that you will lie out of loyalty, correct? COHEN: Yes sir
BLANCHE: Your testimony remains that notwithstanding everything you said over the years, you have a specific recollection on the phone with then-candidate Donald Trump about the Stormy Daniels payment? COHEN: yes sir, no doubt

No further questions from Blanche. Michael Cohen’s cross is over.

GottaLaff, 1 hour ago

92/ NOTE: ANY TYPOS OR MISTAKES ARE THEIRS, NOT MINE. I WON'T CORRECT, THAT'S UP TO THEM, AND I ADD CORRECTIONS WHEN THEY MAKE THEM.

McB:

Blanche asks: Isn't it true that you're willing to lie under oath if it affects you personally? and mentions that Blanche testified to that previously. But Hoffinger objects—sustained.

You would lie under oath out of loyalty, correct?

Objection again—sustained again.

GottaLaff, 1 hour ago

90/ McB:

Q: If Trump is convicted that would benefit you personally, financially?
A: No sir.
Q: Then what is your financial interest in this case?
His personal interest, Cohen clarifies, is that he talks about the case on his podcast and TikTok.

GottaLaff, 37 minutes ago

125/ McB:

😂Snooze Alert 😴 Though it is no longer news: Trump's eyes are closed.

Q: When you submitted each of your 11 invoices to the Trump Org for services rendered pursuant to the retainer agreement, was that true or false?
A: False.
We lather, rinse, repeat for the vouchers and stubs.

GottaLaff, 32 minutes ago

129/ Bower:

Now Hoffinger asks about the time when Cohen caused his attorney to submit fake cases in his filings for early termination of supervised release.

McB:

Now back to when Cohen provided fake cases to his lawyer thanks to hallucinations made by Google Bard, which he had to use bc he didn't have access to Westlaw. ...Who among us.

GottaLaff, 1 hour ago

93/ Pagliery:

👉🏼Blanche's cross ends with something of a dud, setting up a punchline and then... not delivering.

Blanche: When you lied to congress, you said you lied out of loyalty correct?
Cohen: Yes sir.

Blanche: It's true that you will lie out of loyalty, correct?
Cohen: Yes sir.

GottaLaff, 9 minutes ago

136/ Pagliery:

Phone logs proved a Cohen-Schiller call took place.

Cohen testified he spoke to Schiller then Trump.

But was Trump with his bodyguard?

Asst DA Joshua Steinglass says prosecutors found CSPAN video taken Oct. 24 at 7:57pm (just 5 min before call) showing "they were together."

Blanche is trying his damnest to say this evidence is not relevant, hearsay, etc.

Judge says this is absolutely relevant. He'll decide whether it's hearsay later.

GottaLaff, 1 hour ago

98/ Klasfeld:

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger begins redirect, by having Cohen clean up his answer about whether he testified falsely in Congress in 2019.

During cross, Cohen said he did, but the year he lied to Congress was 2017, he says now.

GottaLaff, 1 hour ago

94/ Phang:

BLANCHE: Revenge is a dish best served cold? COHEN: Best served cold
BLANCHE: You meant it when you said it then and when you said it now? COHEN: yes sir

BLANCHE: This trial affects your personal life? COHEN: yes sir
BLANCHE: you also have said to this jury but i want to make sure I understand, that you would lie under oath out of loyalty?
OBJECTION SUSTAINED

GottaLaff, 1 hour ago

100/ McB:

Another clarification: defense asked whether Cohen discussed other matters with Trump on 10/26/16, in addition to the Daniels issue. He didn't have a "specific" recollection of other matters, but he does remember the Daniels matter bc it was important to him (yes ma'am.)

GottaLaff, 1 hour ago

97/ Maddow:

COHEN: i make money by speaking about it, but whether trump is innocent or guilty is not going to affect whether i speak about it or not.
BLANCHE: (heated) the question is whether a CONVICTION benefits you.
COHEN: (firmly and loudly) the answer is no. (more quietly) if he's not, it gives me more to talk about in the future. (audible reaction in the courtroom).
2/2

GottaLaff, 1 hour ago

99/ McB:

Hoffinger begins redirect.

She starts with Blanche's question about whether Cohen testified falsely in Congress in 2019—did you testify truthfully in Congress in 2019? (Yes, ma'am, it was 2017 when he lied, his initial answer was a mistake.)

GottaLaff, 5 minutes ago

137/ Via Henry Rosoff:

Good analysis here...
"Cohen stole from Trump" is a great headline... but Trump has argued these payments were for legal services NOT reimbursement.

Little bit of throwing things against the wall and seeing what sticks.

GottaLaff, 1 hour ago

96/ Maddow:

BLANCHE: do you have a financial interest in the outcome of this case.
COHEN: yes
BLANCHE: because if trump is convicted, then that will benefit you financially?
COHEN: no.
BLANCHE: then what is your financial interest? ... 1/2

GottaLaff, 3 hours ago

11/ McB:

Colangelo stands for the prosecution and cites their Nov 9 motion to demonstrate that they briefed this theories 6 months ago.

"There's nothing new at all about the unlawful means argument," he says.
https://documentcloud.org/documents/24432843-2023-11-09-das-mem-opp-defs-omnibus-motions-redacted

GottaLaff, 3 hours ago

37/ McB:

We get closer to the heart of the matter: the meeting btwn Trump, Weisselberg, and Cohen about the "retainer agreement" and the reimbursement structure.

https://documentcloud.org/documents/24651131-peoples-35-first-republic-bank-statement-with-handwritten-notes#document/p1/a2558679

GottaLaff, 2 hours ago

64/ Time for my break. I will catch you up on every detail, as always, when I return.

But Mr. BlowDryer is glaring at me. I told him he was a blowhard, full of hot air, and if he's not careful, he'll blow it.

#bygones

See you in a few.

GottaLaff, 3 hours ago

10/ McB:

BOVE: What makes this case different is the predicate for the 175.10 charge (the NY state election law) is it's only unlawful if there is unlawful activity. Otherwise, it's just agreement to win an election.

👉🏼After Merchan cuts in, Bove waves his arms and continues to try to argue, but Merchan calms him down, and says "relax."

"I'm going to be consistent with my earlier rulings," Merchan says, reminding Bove that the People initially had 4 theories, and he ruled against one of them.

GottaLaff, 3 hours ago

32/ NOTE:

#Maddow is in court today. PLUS tonight on her show: #FaniWillis

GottaLaff, 2 hours ago

50/ ICYMI: Via Griffin...

Closing arguments in Trump's New York criminal trial will begin the Tuesday after Memorial Day — May 28 — Judge Merchan says, to ensure there are not multiple days between summations and deliberations.

WHICH SUCKS because I'll be in the car on my way to Canada, which will make it REALLY hard to do any live posting.