©(Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)
Donald Trump's arch-foe and former personal attorney Michael Cohen underwent grueling cross-examination Tuesday, as senior Republicans increasingly politicized the trial by attending court to support the former president.
Trump, who is running to retake the White House, was joined by his most high-profile entourage to date, including House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson and possible vice presidential pick Vivek Ramaswamy.
Republicans beat a path to Trump's New York courtroom to hammer home the narrative of a witch hunt and launch proxy attacks on witnesses he is barred from targeting.
A succession of US lawmakers, state-level officials and other figures with designs on a job in the presidential candidate's next administration made the pilgrimage to circle the wagons and question the legitimacy of the proceedings.
Johnson gave a speech outside court, reiterating Trump's constant claim that the justice system was "weaponized" against the scandal-embroiled Republican.
Cohen, who served as Trump's "fixer" for years, is the prosecution's star witness at the first criminal trial of a former occupant of the White House.
Trump is accused of falsifying business records to reimburse Cohen for a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, when her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump could have doomed his campaign.
A prosecutor asked Cohen if he received 11 checks – most signed by Trump – in return for 11 false invoices he submitted to be reimbursed for the payment, to which Cohen answered "yes."
Cohen said that he made the payments "to ensure that the story would not come out, would not affect Mr. Trump's chances of becoming President of the United States."
The prosecutor then asked Cohen if he would have paid the money if it were not for the campaign.
"No," said Cohen, adding that he broke the law "on behalf of Mr. Trump."
Cohen revealed that Trump had reassured him after FBI agents, seeking evidence of the bank fraud and hush money payments at the heart of the case, raided his hotel room and office in April 2018.
"'Don't worry, everything's going to be fine, I'm the President of the United States'," Cohen recalled Trump saying.
"I felt reassured because I had the President of the United States protecting me," Cohen testified.
Maggy Donaldson with AFP
Trump, who is running to retake the White House, was joined by his most high-profile entourage to date, including House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson and possible vice presidential pick Vivek Ramaswamy.
Republicans beat a path to Trump's New York courtroom to hammer home the narrative of a witch hunt and launch proxy attacks on witnesses he is barred from targeting.
A succession of US lawmakers, state-level officials and other figures with designs on a job in the presidential candidate's next administration made the pilgrimage to circle the wagons and question the legitimacy of the proceedings.
Johnson gave a speech outside court, reiterating Trump's constant claim that the justice system was "weaponized" against the scandal-embroiled Republican.
Cohen, who served as Trump's "fixer" for years, is the prosecution's star witness at the first criminal trial of a former occupant of the White House.
Trump is accused of falsifying business records to reimburse Cohen for a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, when her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump could have doomed his campaign.
A prosecutor asked Cohen if he received 11 checks – most signed by Trump – in return for 11 false invoices he submitted to be reimbursed for the payment, to which Cohen answered "yes."
Cohen said that he made the payments "to ensure that the story would not come out, would not affect Mr. Trump's chances of becoming President of the United States."
The prosecutor then asked Cohen if he would have paid the money if it were not for the campaign.
"No," said Cohen, adding that he broke the law "on behalf of Mr. Trump."
Cohen revealed that Trump had reassured him after FBI agents, seeking evidence of the bank fraud and hush money payments at the heart of the case, raided his hotel room and office in April 2018.
"'Don't worry, everything's going to be fine, I'm the President of the United States'," Cohen recalled Trump saying.
"I felt reassured because I had the President of the United States protecting me," Cohen testified.
Maggy Donaldson with AFP
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