"I’m not going to read Time Magazine, I’m not going to read Newsweek, I’m not going to read any of these magazines; I mean, because they have too much to lose by printing the truth"- Bob Dylan, 1965
Cohen then admitted this - telling the court he requested a $50,000 reimbursement for a $20,000 payment to a tech company in 2016
May 20, 2024, 01:26 PM
oddball
It is now proven, Cohen is a liar, and a thief. And that Stormy is off her rocker. And the real victim is Trump.
"I’m not going to read Time Magazine, I’m not going to read Newsweek, I’m not going to read any of these magazines; I mean, because they have too much to lose by printing the truth"- Bob Dylan, 1965
Key prosecution witness Michael Cohen in the Trump hush money trial testified Monday under cross-examination that he stole from the Trump Organization, for whom he worked for over a decade.
Cohen, who was a Trump attorney and fixer before turning on his former boss, admitted he failed to fully reimburse a company that provided services to the Trump Organization and pocketed the difference.
The admission comes as Cohen has faced significant credibility issues as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's key witness.
Legal experts say Cohen's testimony has undermined the case, especially due to his past convictions for perjury.
In 2017, the Trump Organization owed technology company Red Finch $50,000 for services rendered. Cohen, who helped facilitate the transaction, asked for a $100,000 reimbursement, "grossed up" to account for taxes, from the Trump Organization.
However, on the stand Monday, Cohen admitted that he stole from Trump, only paying $20,000 to Red Finch and pocketing the remaining $60,000 for himself.
"So the $50,000 that you got back from Red Finch ... you only paid the Red Finch owner $20,000, right?" Blanche asked Cohen.
"Yes sir," Cohen replied.
The lawyer clarified that Cohen pocketed the $60,000 difference and confirmed this was stealing.
"You did steal from the Trump Organization based upon the expected reimbursement from Red Finch?" Blanche asked.
"Yes sir," Cohen replied, according to CNN.
Cohen said multiple prosecutors from the district attorney's office are aware that he stole form the Trump Organization and acknowledged that he has not plead guilty to alleged crime.
_________________________
May 20, 2024, 07:32 PM
Balzé Halzé
Amazing. This whole case is simply amazing.
It's like Monty Python meets Kafka.
~Alan Acta Non Verba NRA Life Member (Patron) God, Family, Guns, Country
Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan
May 20, 2024, 08:43 PM
Pipe Smoker
^^^^^ a few up “Merchan is obviously disgusted by Costello, whose testimony has thrown a huge wrench into Bragg's case, unlike anything we have seen thus far this entire show trial. Fireworks!”
What!? Judge Merchan isn’t an impartial arbiter? Say it ain’t so Juan!
Serious about crackers.
May 20, 2024, 08:55 PM
Deqlyn
Does anyone feel like Cohen is workin FOR trump? In the netflix documentary on Trump they mentioned Trump used to leak things intentionally to control the narrative. Is that a stretch and reality is Cohen is just a liar? You dont have to worry about what hand theyll play against you if you already know it. Of course it costs a lot to pay these lawyers.
Maybe just my mind running wild.
What man is a man that does not make the world better. -Balian of Ibelin
Only boring people get bored. - Ruth Burke
May 20, 2024, 09:09 PM
parabellum
Definitely an odd duck. For certain, Cohen is a pathological liar, but also, I think he's stupid. I don't mean that as an insult. I think the guy is genuinely stupid. Just look at his clumsy behavior.
As for this NY case, this is some of the stupidest shit I've ever seen in a courtroom. There is no case, no crime. The Democrats have done themselves no favors with this nonsense, although they may still find Donald Trump guilty. If they do, it will be a true miscarriage of justice, and anyone who cares to look at the evidence, or the complete lack thereof, will realize what has happened, and that will be very bad for the Trump haters.
This is the smart move, of course, and would have been even without Cohen's bizarre contributions to this clown-show prosecution. Trump has a discipline problem when speaking extemporaneously, and that's the last thing defense attorneys need in a criminal trial. Prosecutors may have botched their preparations for Cohen, but they undoubtedly have spent months strategizing how to trick Trump into contradictions and lead him into perjury traps. Even on direct examination, Trump would likely have improvised in ways that allow prosecutors to bring in previously irrelevant testimony and make his situation worse than better.
Next up are closing arguments, which apparently will start a week from today. There may be another motion for a directed verdict by the defense on the basis that Alvin Bragg's team still has not identified the felony crime that Trump allegedly tried to cover up with the false business ledger entries, which is the mechanism by which Bragg turned misdemeanors into felonies in the first place. Judge Juan Merchan does not appear inclined to stop the trial for any reason, not even prosecutorial misconduct for allowing Cohen to testify falsely last week, so this will go to the jury.
May 21, 2024, 10:15 AM
sse
Merchan needs time to figure out how he can win this trial.
May 21, 2024, 11:17 AM
Balzé Halzé
Frankly, the outcome of this trial was determined during Jury selection.
~Alan Acta Non Verba NRA Life Member (Patron) God, Family, Guns, Country
Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan
May 21, 2024, 11:34 AM
bronicabill
If the Dims pull this off, there SHOULD be total hell to pay!!!
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé: Frankly, the outcome of this trial was determined during Jury selection.
Most likely very true!
____________________________ Bill R. North Alabama
_____________________________ I just can't quit grinnin' from all of this winnin'!
May 21, 2024, 12:10 PM
HRK
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé: Frankly, the outcome of this trial was determined during Jury selection.
Many are, imagine that the judge is simply wanting to let it run it's course and see what the Jury says, he should have shut this down after the prosecutions case was presented.
