26/ McB:
Blanche asks about Friedman, to whom Cohen leased his taxi medallion, and, separately, the owner of Resolution Consultants, with whom Cohen was also in touch around this time.
Again, all this seems to suggest that Cohen had many irons in the fire around this time.
27/ McB:
Q: During that time period, do you recall having issues with Freidman bc of his financial situation?
A: Bc of the entire taxi industry financial situation.
Blanche says he's not interested in talking about the entire taxi industry, but I, for one, would love to do just that.
28/ Bower:
At the time in the fall of 2016, Friedman was going through a tough time? Yes, marital problems. You helped him find a place to live?
Unclear where this is going.
As Blanche asks Cohen about Friedman, Hoffinger jumps up to object to this line of inquiry. Sidebar.
29/ McB:
Just before a brief sidebar, Blanche was asking about Cohen finding Freidman a lawyer
Back to the iPayments litigation (which we had spoken about during Pecker's testimony)—Cohen says he attempted to settle that litigation in part out of a friendship with Pecker.
30/ Klasfeld:
Blanche's line of questioning explores Cohen's history in the taxi medallion business, which ultimately led to some of his criminal charges.
Cohen tried to help with the marital problems of a business associate, a topic Blanche tried to explore before the prosecution objects.
That business associate, John Lydon, was a mortgage broker with a company called Resolution Consultants.
That's the same name as the entity Cohen used for the hush money payments to Karen McDougal.
31/ Klasfeld:
Blanche explores what else Michael Cohen was up to on the week of Oct. 26, 2016, the day that he executed the payoff to Stormy Daniels through his shell company.
32/ NOTE:
#Maddow is in court today. PLUS tonight on her show: #FaniWillis
33/ McB:
Blanche asks Cohen more about his work with Pastor Scott, the Tiffany Trump blackmail issue—all of which was happening the week of 10/24/16.
We zero in on two calls between Trump and Cohen on 10/26/16: Cohen testified the reason why he wanted to speak to Trump on that day was to get approval for the payments.
Do you remember what Trump was doing on that day? Blanche asks, but Cohen doesn't remember. Blanche shows B168
34/ McB:
BLANCHE: Do you remember that morning that Trump was going to sit down for an interview with ABC News? Does it ring a bell that it was going to be with his entire family too, including Melania?
Objection—sustained, but Blanche asks again, objection again—sustained.
Klasfeld:
👉🏼The last sustained objection, by Justice Merchan, was more emphatic if a little annoyed that his prior rulings apparently had been ignored.
35/ McB:
With all that going on, why focus on Stormy Daniels?
Because it was important to me, Cohen says.
Was fixing Tiffany Trump's situation important to you? Wouldn't that be someting you would update her father about?
Important yes, but no updates no, Cohen says.
My recollection was that I spoke to Trump about Stormy Daniels because that was what he tasked me to take care of, and that's what I had been working on, Cohen says.
36/ Maddow:
Blanche's line of questioning here with Michael Cohen appears to be trying to create the impression that Cohen had a lot going on in late October 2016. OK! Not sure where that lands for anyone.
37/ McB:
We get closer to the heart of the matter: the meeting btwn Trump, Weisselberg, and Cohen about the "retainer agreement" and the reimbursement structure.
38/ Inner City Press (aka Press):
Blanche: You said $130,000 for Daniels, $50,000 for RedFinch for polling?
Yes
Klasfeld:
Blanche's questioning turns to the RedFinch expense, and Cohen describes paying his contact there $20,000 in a "small paper bag."
Cohen says that didn't resolve the matter because the full expense was $50,000.
39/ McB:
Blanche asks about the Red Finch payment, of which Cohen only gave them $20k/$50k.
Cohen says he withdrew the cash over two days, and Blanche asks whether he brought a "duffel bag" of cash.
No, Cohen says. It was a small brown paper bag.
40/ McB:
After that $20k you were square? asks Blanche.
He would've liked the additional $30k as well, Cohen says, with a deadpan matter-of-fact tone.
Fair, says Blanche.
41/ McB:
We're getting some great imagery of Cohen the fixer: answering and placing dozens of phone calls a day, running around town with a brown paper bag filled with tens of thousands of dollars in cash.
In other words, "pants on fire" and frantic.
42/ Klasfeld:
Blanche notes that Cohen billed the Trump Org for the full RedFinch expense — and was reimbursed for it — even though he never fully paid it.
Q: So you stole from the Trump Organization, right?
A: Yes, sir.
Cohen acknowledges that he was never prosecuted for larceny or paid back the Trump Organization.
He also acknowledges he was paid back the "grossed up" version, and so he was reimbursed more than the expense he never paid.
43/ Maddow:
Trump defense counsel Todd Blanche elicits from Cohen that when he took a "reimbursement" from the Trump Org for payment to a company called RedFinch, he was ripping off the Trump Org. He had only paid RedFinch $20k, but he was "reimbursed" $100k by Trump Org for the payment.
👉🏼Blanche is yelling at Cohen about it, Cohen is calmly and repeatedly affirming that yes, that was him stealing from the Trump Org.
44/ McB:
Back to the money that Cohen pocketed, Blanche launches at Cohen: Have you paid back the Trump Org the money that you stole from them?
No sir, Cohen says.
The Red Finch subplot has moved to center stage right now.
During the convo with Weisselberg to cover up the $130k payment, Blanche asks, you lied to him about how much you owed to Red Finch? (Blanche asks twice)
Correct, says Cohen.
45/ McB:
Q: You did steal from the Trump Org, correct?
Objection—overruled.
Again, Blanche asks, You did steal from the Trump Org, correct?
Correct, says Cohen.
46/ McB:
There was never an expectation that there would be a retainer agreement, and you never had a retainer agreement for Trump, his children, etc?
Correct and correct, says Cohen.
👉🏼Blanche starts to ask a question but stops himself—sorry, that was a terrible question.
Except for that one convo with Weisselberg, did you have other convos with Weisselberg about your role as Trump's personal attorney?
Yes sir, says Cohen.
47/ McB:
Again, more questions about how Cohen never had a retainer agreement, never would have one in fact.
It's still unclear how this helps the defense—it would only seem to hurt their case. But let's see where Blanche goes with this.
48/ McB:
Had there been a meeting about a retainer agreement, it would have only been between attorney (Cohen) and client (Trump).
🤦🏻♀️Another question, but a confused Cohen screws up his face and asks Blanche to rephrase, but it's so mangled that Blanche just withdraws the question.😂
49/ Bower:
But you and Weisselberg decided there would be no retainer agreement?
Can you rephrase that, Cohen asks, looking a bit perplexed.
Blanche shows him an exhibit. It's an email chain. It's accepted into evidence.
50/ ICYMI: Via Griffin...
Closing arguments in Trump's New York criminal trial will begin the Tuesday after Memorial Day — May 28 — Judge Merchan says, to ensure there are not multiple days between summations and deliberations.
WHICH SUCKS because I'll be in the car on my way to Canada, which will make it REALLY hard to do any live posting.
51/ McB:
The defense submits B260 into evidence, 1/31/17 email response from Weisselberg to Cohen, re Note and mortgage modification agreement for Trump Park Ave condo—Thank you. You never stopped on for a bro hug. Anyway please prepare the agreement we discussed so we can pay you monthly
52/ McB:
Q: Why would you have to prepare an agreement so that you could get paid monthly?
A: In order to get the reimbursement, the $35k for month
Blanche lowers his voice in a sort of "gotcha" way: But you testified that there would never be an agreement.
It's all a bit fuzzy to me.
53/ Bower:
Why would you need to prepare an agreement if there was never any expectation that you would have one?
Because it was so that I could be repaid the reimursement, the 35K per month.
But you testified that you and Weisselberg agreeed that there would be no retainer agreement?
54/ McB:
Blanche asks why payments would be signed by Eric and Don Jr., but we already know why: they were signatories on the Trust account.
55/ McB:
Now we're talking email signatures: starting in 2017, Cohen signed his emails as he always had, except instead of personal attny to the CEO of Trump Org, it was to the president of the United States.
56/ McB:
You told everyone about your new role?
Well, not everyone, says Cohen.
You told TMZ? (Yes) You gave a little scoop to the NYT? (Yes) You announced it on Hannity? (Yes)
McB: While technically not everyone, I think it's fair to say he told most people. Cohen was a fixer—and a gossip.
57/ McB:
We see B261: Cohen's 1/27/17 goodbye email to the Trump Org.
I'm sorry to say it reads like a pretty typical office goodbye email. Nothing too juicy there.
58/ McB:
As personal attorney, sometimes Cohen would help out on a case, and sometimes he would help Trump find another lawyer with more expertise.
Yes sir, that was part of my job, Cohen says.
59/ Bower:
And is one of the things you did as Trump's attorney help Trump find attorneys to work a case? Correct.
You recall doing that in Jan. or Feb. in 2017? Yes, sir.
For example, there were reporters making defamatory statements about Trump...it was part of your job to help w/ that? Yes, sir.
60/ Bower:
Back to the case that Cohen was on with Kasowitz.
There were legal filings in that case? Yes.
You helped with the filings? I reviewed the documents, yes.
You recall helping Trump serve subpoenas on government agencies? No, sir.
Blanche shows Cohen a document.
61/ Bower:
You recall working with Mr. Kasowitz about serving subpoenas? Blanche asks again. Cohen says he received an email related to those matters.
Press:
Blanche: You worked on a real lawsuit, with filings due, with Marc Kasowitz, right?
Cohen: Yes
Blanche: Show B-237. Subpoenas of the State Department? Did you do something on this?
Cohen: Yes, sir.
Blanche: In May 2017 Robert Mueller was appointed
62/ McB:
Now to May 2017—what effect did the appointment of special counsel Mueller have on Cohen's attorney-client relationship with Trump?
None, says Cohen, and says he played no role in selecting Kasowitz.
Were you happy, sad, or indifferent about Trump hiring Kasowitz?
Probably happy, Cohen says, and that he wasn't really part of that case or that work, even though he was still personal attny.
63/ Sidebar via Klasfeld:
ICYMI, this morning, via the hallway press pool.
"[Trump] did not respond to shouted questions:
Mr. Trump, will you testify?
Have your lawyers advised you not to testify?
Mr. Trump, do you want to testify?
Are you afraid to testify?"
64/ Time for my break. I will catch you up on every detail, as always, when I return.
But Mr. BlowDryer is glaring at me. I told him he was a blowhard, full of hot air, and if he's not careful, he'll blow it.
See you in a few.
Laffy
Thomas Lee ✅ 