By Salam Bustanji
Michael Cohen, once a staunch ally of Donald Trump, took the stand today as a key witness in the New York attorney general’s civil fraud case against the former president.
The trial, now in its fourth week, aims to bar Trump from conducting business in the state.
Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and confidant, previously faced legal troubles himself, serving time for tax crimes and perjury. However, he has since become a star witness against his former boss. His testimony has shed light on hush-money payments made to women who claimed affairs with Trump, as well as offering a critical perspective on the ex-president in his written works.
Addressing reporters before entering the courtroom, Cohen emphasized that the trial transcends personal animosity. He stated, “Let me just turn around and say that this is not about Donald Trump versus Michael Cohen or Michael Cohen versus Donald Trump. This is about accountability, plain and simple. And we leave it up to Judge Engoron in order to make all the determinations on that. So I thank you all for coming," added Cohen.
Today's proceedings are anticipated to pivot from the hush-money payments to scrutinizing Trump's financial statements. The first witness, Bill Kelly, the general counsel of Mazars, Trump’s former accounting firm, is slated to testify prior to Cohen.
The attorney general's office has summoned a total of 12 witnesses to testify, including several current and former Trump Organization employees. Notably, Allen Weisselberg and former Controller Jeff McConney, both defendants in the case, have been called to the stand. Trump's legal team has cross-examined roughly half of the witnesses thus far, reserving the right to call them in the defense phase.
Judge Engoron has allotted over three months for the trial, suggesting the proceedings may extend into late December. The trial's intensity is underscored by recent testimony from a Cushman & Wakefield appraiser, who revealed Eric Trump's direct involvement in appraisals for certain Trump assets, contrary to Eric Trump's deposition.
A pivotal point of contention arises in the forthcoming hearing, where attorneys will debate whether Ivanka Trump, the former president's daughter, can be compelled to testify. Although an appellate court dismissed her as a defendant due to the aging claims against her, her potential role as a witness remains a subject of legal dispute.
