'Let me complete the sentence': Michael Cohen's lawyer pushes back on credibility issues
Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen is expected to testify in his hush money trial, and his legal adviser explained how he would counter the former president's attacks on his credibility.
Cohen pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who testified last week, and his legal adviser Lanny Davis pushed back on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" after legal analyst Lisa Rubin questioned his credibility as a witness.
"Michael Cohen owns what he did wrong and apologized and took the punishment by going to prison," Davis said. "You're also going to see everything. Everything that Michael Cohen testifies to. After spending years with these prosecutors, behind closed doors with Michael and me, everything will be corroborated by documents and witnesses loyal to Donald Trump. That's why I believe this jury, despite the attacks and personal attacks on Michael, will believe Michael Cohen."
Defense attorneys will likely remind jurors that Cohen has admitted to lying to Congress about a Moscow real estate project he pursued on behalf of Trump, and Davis made clear that all of his testimony could be backed up by documentary evidence.
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"That's correct, but let me complete the sentence," Davis said. "He lied on behalf of and for the benefit of Donald Trump. He owned those lies, he doesn't defend those lies. You have to finish the sentence. I would also remind Lisa Rubin, who I greatly respect, that a great criminal defense lawyer who is defending Michael, former member of the Southern District of New York, that when he was in court on the tax crimes, he was talking about the disproportionate criminalization, being forced to plead guilty, she said, because on a Friday night for the first time, he was threatened with an indictment of his wife unless he pled guilty. An indictment [came] the following Monday. She said that was a coerced situation."
"He doesn't excuse himself," Davis added. "He went to prison for those crimes, and he served his time. But he will turn to the jury, and he will say, 'I own those, and now I'm telling you the truth. They're backed up by documents and by others.' It'll be up to the jury to decide the credibility. Personal attacks by Mr. Trump's lawyers were attempted in the trial before the attorney general, vicious cross-examination. What did the judge end up concluding? He found Michael Cohen credible. I think that will be the case for this jury."
Watch the video below or at this link.
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