GottaLaff

GottaLaff, 29 minutes ago

41/ McB:

We're getting some great imagery of Cohen the fixer: answering and placing dozens of phone calls a day, running around town with a brown paper bag filled with tens of thousands of dollars in cash.

In other words, "pants on fire" and frantic.

GottaLaff, 28 minutes ago

42/ Klasfeld:

Blanche notes that Cohen billed the Trump Org for the full RedFinch expense — and was reimbursed for it — even though he never fully paid it.

Q: So you stole from the Trump Organization, right?
A: Yes, sir.

Cohen acknowledges that he was never prosecuted for larceny or paid back the Trump Organization.

He also acknowledges he was paid back the "grossed up" version, and so he was reimbursed more than the expense he never paid.

GottaLaff, 27 minutes ago

43/ Maddow:

Trump defense counsel Todd Blanche elicits from Cohen that when he took a "reimbursement" from the Trump Org for payment to a company called RedFinch, he was ripping off the Trump Org. He had only paid RedFinch $20k, but he was "reimbursed" $100k by Trump Org for the payment.

👉🏼Blanche is yelling at Cohen about it, Cohen is calmly and repeatedly affirming that yes, that was him stealing from the Trump Org.

GottaLaff, 25 minutes ago

44/ McB:

Back to the money that Cohen pocketed, Blanche launches at Cohen: Have you paid back the Trump Org the money that you stole from them?

No sir, Cohen says.

The Red Finch subplot has moved to center stage right now.

During the convo with Weisselberg to cover up the $130k payment, Blanche asks, you lied to him about how much you owed to Red Finch? (Blanche asks twice)
Correct, says Cohen.

GottaLaff, 25 minutes ago

45/ McB:

Q: You did steal from the Trump Org, correct?
Objection—overruled.

Again, Blanche asks, You did steal from the Trump Org, correct?

Correct, says Cohen.

GottaLaff, 24 minutes ago

46/ McB:

There was never an expectation that there would be a retainer agreement, and you never had a retainer agreement for Trump, his children, etc?

Correct and correct, says Cohen.

👉🏼Blanche starts to ask a question but stops himself—sorry, that was a terrible question.

Except for that one convo with Weisselberg, did you have other convos with Weisselberg about your role as Trump's personal attorney?

Yes sir, says Cohen.

GottaLaff, 23 minutes ago

47/ McB:

Again, more questions about how Cohen never had a retainer agreement, never would have one in fact.

It's still unclear how this helps the defense—it would only seem to hurt their case. But let's see where Blanche goes with this.

GottaLaff, 22 minutes ago

48/ McB:

Had there been a meeting about a retainer agreement, it would have only been between attorney (Cohen) and client (Trump).

🤦🏻‍♀️Another question, but a confused Cohen screws up his face and asks Blanche to rephrase, but it's so mangled that Blanche just withdraws the question.😂

GottaLaff, 21 minutes ago

49/ Bower:

But you and Weisselberg decided there would be no retainer agreement?

Can you rephrase that, Cohen asks, looking a bit perplexed.

Blanche shows him an exhibit. It's an email chain. It's accepted into evidence.

GottaLaff, 20 minutes 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.

GottaLaff, 18 minutes ago

51/ McB:

The defense submits B260 into evidence, 1/31/17 email response from Weisselberg to Cohen, re Note and mortgage modification agreement for Trump Park Ave condo—Thank you. You never stopped on for a bro hug. Anyway please prepare the agreement we discussed so we can pay you monthly

GottaLaff, 18 minutes ago

52/ McB:

Q: Why would you have to prepare an agreement so that you could get paid monthly?
A: In order to get the reimbursement, the $35k for month

Blanche lowers his voice in a sort of "gotcha" way: But you testified that there would never be an agreement.

It's all a bit fuzzy to me.

GottaLaff, 17 minutes ago

53/ Bower:

Why would you need to prepare an agreement if there was never any expectation that you would have one?

Because it was so that I could be repaid the reimursement, the 35K per month.

But you testified that you and Weisselberg agreeed that there would be no retainer agreement?

GottaLaff, 16 minutes ago

54/ McB:

Blanche asks why payments would be signed by Eric and Don Jr., but we already know why: they were signatories on the Trust account.

GottaLaff, 15 minutes ago

55/ McB:

Now we're talking email signatures: starting in 2017, Cohen signed his emails as he always had, except instead of personal attny to the CEO of Trump Org, it was to the president of the United States.

GottaLaff, 13 minutes ago

56/ McB:

You told everyone about your new role?
Well, not everyone, says Cohen.
You told TMZ? (Yes) You gave a little scoop to the NYT? (Yes) You announced it on Hannity? (Yes)

McB: While technically not everyone, I think it's fair to say he told most people. Cohen was a fixer—and a gossip.

GottaLaff, 12 minutes ago

57/ McB:

We see B261: Cohen's 1/27/17 goodbye email to the Trump Org.

I'm sorry to say it reads like a pretty typical office goodbye email. Nothing too juicy there.

GottaLaff, 8 minutes ago

58/ McB:

As personal attorney, sometimes Cohen would help out on a case, and sometimes he would help Trump find another lawyer with more expertise.

Yes sir, that was part of my job, Cohen says.

GottaLaff, 8 minutes ago

@tanyakaroli Thanks. I have no choice.

GottaLaff, 6 minutes ago

59/ Bower:

And is one of the things you did as Trump's attorney help Trump find attorneys to work a case? Correct.
You recall doing that in Jan. or Feb. in 2017? Yes, sir.
For example, there were reporters making defamatory statements about Trump...it was part of your job to help w/ that? Yes, sir.

GottaLaff, 6 minutes ago

60/ Bower:

Back to the case that Cohen was on with Kasowitz.

There were legal filings in that case? Yes.
You helped with the filings? I reviewed the documents, yes.
You recall helping Trump serve subpoenas on government agencies? No, sir.

Blanche shows Cohen a document.

GottaLaff, 5 minutes ago

61/ Bower:

You recall working with Mr. Kasowitz about serving subpoenas? Blanche asks again. Cohen says he received an email related to those matters.

Press:

Blanche: You worked on a real lawsuit, with filings due, with Marc Kasowitz, right?
Cohen: Yes
Blanche: Show B-237. Subpoenas of the State Department? Did you do something on this?
Cohen: Yes, sir.
Blanche: In May 2017 Robert Mueller was appointed

GottaLaff, 4 minutes ago

62/ McB:

Now to May 2017—what effect did the appointment of special counsel Mueller have on Cohen's attorney-client relationship with Trump?

None, says Cohen, and says he played no role in selecting Kasowitz.

Were you happy, sad, or indifferent about Trump hiring Kasowitz?

Probably happy, Cohen says, and that he wasn't really part of that case or that work, even though he was still personal attny.

GottaLaff, 4 minutes ago

63/ Sidebar via Klasfeld:

ICYMI, this morning, via the hallway press pool.

"[Trump] did not respond to shouted questions:

Mr. Trump, will you testify?
Have your lawyers advised you not to testify?
Mr. Trump, do you want to testify?
Are you afraid to testify?"

GottaLaff, 2 minutes 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.