The Stormy Daniels Affair: Trump's Defense Wages Counterattack Against Michael Cohen

In a high-stakes legal battle with significant political implications, Donald Trump's attorneys launched a counteroffensive on Tuesday, May 14th, aimed at undermining the credibility of his former confidant, Michael Cohen, a key witness whose testimony has implicated the former U.S. president in a case involving concealed payments to an adult film star prior to the 2016 presidential election.

The gravity of the historic trial was underscored by the presence of House Speaker Mike Johnson, who denounced the proceedings as a "corrupt" trial and "electoral interference" on the courthouse steps in Manhattan, challenging the court's legitimacy less than six months before the November 5th election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. "The system is using every tool at its disposal to punish one president and cover for another," Johnson declared, echoing the Republican frontrunner's cries of a "witch hunt."

Inside the 15th-floor courtroom, Michael Cohen, the 57-year-old former loyalist who once swore fealty to Trump before turning against him, continued to implicate his former boss, acknowledging that he had held a "cult-like" reverence for Trump during their partnership.

Over the course of an eight-hour interrogation by the prosecution spanning Monday and Tuesday, Cohen recounted how Donald Trump had approved a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, in the final stretch of the 2016 presidential campaign. The payment was allegedly made to buy Daniels' silence regarding an alleged sexual encounter she claims to have had with the married Trump in 2006 – an allegation the former president denies.

Cohen, who facilitated the payment to Daniels, further asserted that Trump had authorized his reimbursement in 2017 – expenses that were allegedly disguised as "legal fees" in the financial records of the Trump Organization, the family's real estate empire.

This testimony is pivotal for prosecutors, as it is this alleged concealment that has led to the 34 counts of falsifying business records that Trump now faces, carrying the potential for an unprecedented criminal conviction of a former U.S. president. While such a conviction could theoretically result in a prison sentence, it would not preclude Trump from remaining the Republican candidate in November.

Following the prosecution's case, Trump's legal team unleashed their assault on Michael Cohen, portraying him as a pathological liar consumed by a thirst for revenge against the former president. Attorney Todd Blanche pointed to Cohen's website, where he sells t-shirts depicting Trump behind bars and mugs wishing him prison over the White House.

"Do you want President Trump to be convicted in this case?" Blanche pointedly asked. "Of course," Cohen replied, having turned against his former boss in 2018 after being ensnared in legal troubles himself.

According to Cohen's testimony, after the FBI's high-profile raid on his home in April 2018, Trump had reassured him, saying, "Don't worry, everything will be fine, I'm the President of the United States."

However, Cohen had later pleaded guilty to bank fraud, tax evasion, lying to Congress, and violating campaign finance laws – the latter charge stemming from the payment to Daniels. He was sentenced to three years in prison, serving 13 months behind bars.

The cross-examination continued on Tuesday, with Cohen appearing unflustered, while Trump often sat with his eyes closed, slumped in his chair.

Earlier, Cohen had driven his point home, asserting that his payment to Daniels in 2016 was "to ensure that the story did not come out and affect Donald Trump's chances of becoming President of the United States." He affirmed that he acted "on behalf of Donald Trump."

In a tense moment, the prosecutor displayed the invoices used to reimburse Cohen, along with 11 checks, most of them directly signed by Donald Trump.

The former attorney calmly reiterated that each invoice was falsified, explaining that Trump feared the story would have a "catastrophic" effect and incur the "hatred" of female voters against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race.

Cohen's testimony builds upon that of Stormy Daniels, who last week provided a graphic account of the alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. There will be no court proceedings on Wednesday, with the cross-examination set to resume on Thursday.