Trump lawyer casts doubt on Cohen’s testimony about October 2016 call to Trump – live | Donald Trump trials

Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanch is pulling Michael Cohen based on his testimony earlier in the week that he remembers how big of a deal the Access Hollywood tape was for the Trump campaign because he remembers the phone call he received when he was in London.

But Blanche, in an attempt to cast doubt on that testimony, notes that Cohen probably had 50 or 60,000 phone calls since that day.

Blanche asks how Cohen could have had a “specific memory” of that call, as he said he did, considering it was so long ago.

Cohen responds that it stood out “because it was significant,” but with the caveat that he relied on other documents to refresh his memory.

Unconvinced, Blanche again asks if Cohen has a specific memory of that call – and Cohen objects.

Donald Trump’s lawyer renewed attacks on the credibility of Michael Cohen on Thursday, forcing him to admit that he previously lied to protect Trump because it affected the stakes for him personally, and that he lied to a federal judge when he was prosecuted for tax evasion and making false statements.

Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche released clips from Cohen’s Mea Culpa podcast, including where Cohen said that “thinking about Trump in Otisville jail makes me giddy with joy.” He also got Cohen to admit that he believed he played a big role in getting Trump indicted — and bragged about it.

The defense later went into Cohen’s previous lies under oath and how he seemingly lied about details big and small. When Cohen testified before Congress in 2017 about a Trump real estate deal in Moscow, Blanche revealed that Cohen had lied about how many times he had spoken to Trump about the deal.

And although Cohen told William Pauley, U.S. District Court judge, in 2018, that he was not induced to plead guilty to federal tax evasion and false statement charges, Blanche challenged, Cohen later said he felt cornered into pleads guilty so that his wife will not be charged as well.

“The reason you would lie to a federal judge is because the stakes affect you personally?” Blanche asked. “Yes,” Cohen replied, confirming that he told lies not only to protect Trump, as Cohen claimed, but also for his own personal gain when it was convenient for him.

In an apparent attempt to undermine Cohen’s testimony on direct examination that Trump was responsible and involved in the effort to cover up Daniels’ secret money, Blanche ripped from Cohen that he has a track record of trying to shift the blame for his own actions onto other people.

“You blamed … Your bank? Your accountant? You charged federal prosecutors? The judge? President Trump?” Blanche asked. “Yes, sir,” Cohen answered each question.

– asks Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanch Michael Cohen regarding a call dated October 24, 2016.

Cohen testified that he made the call to talk with Donald Trump for “discussion of Stormy Daniels matter and its resolution”.

Asked what his recollection of that call was, Cohen said:

We talked about it and it was resolved.

Blanche asks Cohen directly now if he lied in his testimony Tuesday about calling Trump’s bodyguard Keith Schiller and spoke to Trump during the conversation about the Daniels matter.

Blanche speculates, based on reports from the time, that Cohen called Schiller primarily to complain about being prank-called by a 14-year-old — and he wouldn’t have enough time within 1 minute and 36 seconds of conversation to notify Trump of the deal.

Over three hours of cross-examination passed and Michael Cohen largely kept his composure on the stand.

The former Trump go-between looked downcast and confused at times, but for the most part remained calm and level-headed, answering many of Blanche’s questions with “Yes, sir” and “No, sir.”

Trump attorney Todd Blanch is also asking Michael Cohen did he express his frustration to Darrell Scott, pastor and former member of the Trump Diversity Coalition, because Trump did not bring him into the administration.

“Not in administration, I knew the role I wanted,” Cohen said. He adds:

I may have expressed disappointment.

Blanche also asks Cohen why he wanted Scott to advocate for Trump on his behalf, despite Cohen’s testimony that he spoke with Trump almost every day during the campaign.

In response, Cohen says:

It’s always good to have another defender.

As Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche asks Michael Cohen about his time in the White House, Donald Trump he seems to be staring at Cohen intently.

Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche asks questions Michael Cohen about his text messages with his daughter in which they discussed a potential role for Cohen as White House chief of staff.

“And you said, ‘He’s pushing like crazy,'” Blanche quotes Cohen’s text in which Cohen mentions Reince Priebusattempts to secure the position – which he eventually did.

Blanche goes on to ask Cohen if he told his daughter that he was disappointed that Priebus ended up being cast in the role. “That was not taken into account, yes, sir,” says Cohen.

Blanche asks Cohen if he was disappointed or “embarrassed” at being left with only the role of personal lawyer to the US president after “all the work” he did for Trump.

“That’s not accurate,” says Cohen.

asked Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanch Michael Cohen about his desire to work in the White House, as well as his desire to be considered chief of staff.

Cohen said:

I would like to be considered ego goals.