Testimony against former President Donald Trump from his onetime "fixer" Michael Cohen could also highlight all Cohen's "baggage" during what may be several days on the stand, former Judge Andrew Napolitano told Newsmax on Monday.
In an interview on "Newsline," Napolitano noted "the government can't pick its witnesses."
"Often the government's witnesses, particularly in a conspiracy case, where people are alleged to have collaborated to have done something wrong, often the government's witnesses are guilty of the very same things the government says the defendant is guilty of," Napolitano said.
"The government can't pick its witnesses. So Michael Cohen with all of his baggage … is the best they have," he said.
"They do have documents that they'll be going through with him in order to corroborate, because they know that his words alone are not enough to convict the former president.
"They have to tie his words to all the checks that were written and all the documents that are in this case. That's why [Cohen] is going to be on the stand for two or three days before the defense even gets a chance to cross examine him."
But Napolitano also noted Trump himself has shown so far that he's able to defend himself outside the courtroom.
"What he is doing when he makes these comments as he leaves and enters the courtroom — he's testifying and he can't be cross-examined," Napolitano said. "And even though the jury is told, 'When you got home at night, don't turn your computers on, don't turn your television screen on' they're human beings … and they are hearing arguments about the defects in this case that … the president's lead lawyer will not be permitted to make in the courtroom."
"The president himself is making these arguments very effectively to the press outside of the courtroom," he added.
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Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
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