In an interview with Newsmax on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump's attorney, Jesse Binnall, criticized prosecution witness Michael Cohen's credibility during his testimony in Trump's business documents trial, stating that Cohen's past grievances and desire for revenge against Trump are evident.
Meanwhile, attorney Todd Blanche's in-court cross-examination focused on Cohen's motives for cooperation, raising questions about potential ulterior motives.
Binnall, appearing on "American Agenda" praised Todd Blanche, the current attorney questioning Cohen, for his adept cross-examination skills, particularly in dissecting Cohen's motivations.
"Todd Blanche is doing an excellent cross-examination by all reports right now," Binnall stated. "He's pointing out, for instance, that Michael Cohen said that he saw the Trump family as a surrogate family in 2017, but when he didn't get everything he wanted, he became vengeful.
"This is someone who's truly been jilted," Binnall said.
Binnall emphasized Cohen's apparent vendetta against Trump, citing Cohen's public statements and merchandise featuring Trump in jail as evidence of his bias. Binnall suggested that Cohen's credibility with the jury would suffer because of his grievances toward Trump.
"This is absolutely someone who has a bone to pick, and I think that his [Cohen's] credibility with the jury is just going to be demolished," he added.
During Tuesday's trial proceedings, Blanche directed his questioning toward Cohen's cooperation with investigators, particularly regarding a Rule 35 motion. This motion allows for sentence reduction for defendants who assist in prosecuting others. Blanche's inquiries implied that Cohen's cooperation in Trump-related investigations was motivated by a desire to lessen his sentence, The Hill reported.
Cohen confirmed that discussions with his attorneys regarding a Rule 35 motion had occurred, indicating a potential motive behind his cooperation. Blanche further pressed Cohen on his public statements expressing a desire to see Trump convicted.
"Do you want President Trump to get convicted in this case?" Blanche asked.
After initially dodging the question, Cohen's response, "Sure," underscored Blanche's line of inquiry into Cohen's motivations.
The exchange between Blanche and Cohen illuminated the multifaceted nature of the trial, introducing questions about Cohen's credibility and potential motives for his cooperation.
As the trial advances, additional scrutiny is expected to be directed toward Cohen's testimony and its potential impact on the case's verdict.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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