NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen continued his testimony on Tuesday, telling jurors he repeatedly lied about a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign in order “to protect Mr. Trump.”
Cohen said he lied about the hush money payment “to stay on message, to demonstrate continued loyalty” to Trump. However, he also said everything he did was “at the direction of Donald J. Trump.”
“I regret doing things for him that I should not have. Lying. Bullying people in order to effectuate a goal,” Cohen said. “I don’t regret working with the Trump Organization, as I expressed before some very interesting great times.”
“But to keep the loyalty and do things that he had asked me to do — I violated my moral compass, and I suffered the penalty, as has my family,” Cohen said.
Trump attorney Todd Blanche sparred with Cohen, painting him as a liar and untrustworthy.
Cohen said Trump had approved the statement ahead of time, and Cohen said it was both “true” and “misleading.” “It was neither the Trump Organization or the Trump campaign. It was Donald J. Trump himself,” he said.
Blanche asked Michael Cohen if he had been following the progress of the trial.
“Do you recall saying on TikTok on April 23 and that’s when Mr. Pecker was still on the stand that from everything you have heard David Pecker has corroborated everything you have been saying for six years?” Blanche asked.
“Somebody called me and told me that Mr. Pecker had corroborated what I’d been saying for a long time,” Cohen said.
Blanche asked if Cohen if he leaked information about the DA’s investigation into the Stormy Daniels payment.
“Would it surprise you to learn that you were on TV talking about the investigation in February 2021?” Blanche asked.
“No, it does not surprise me,” Cohen said.
Cohen conceded he wants to see Trump found guilty.
“Have you regularly commented on your podcast that you want President Trump to be convicted in this case?” Blanche asked.
“I would like to see accountability. That’s not for me. That’s for the jury and this court,” Cohen said.
Trump appeared happy with Blanche’s work after court, telling reporters “I think it was a very, very good day.”
Cohen is the final witness in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case. Meanwhile, for Trump’s side, it is unclear whether the defense will call any witnesses, including Trump.
