'A man filled with anger': Michael Cohen’s lawyer explains why 'the jury will believe him'
14 May 2024
Former Donald Trump lawyer and key witness Michael Cohen took the stand for a second time Tuesday to testify about giving adult film star Stormy Daniels a hush money payment of $130,000 to benefit the MAGA hopeful's 2016 presidential campaign.
NBC News notes that Trump attorney Todd Blanche's cross-examination has been "expected to paint" the ex-Trump lawyer "as a perjurer and convicted felon; Cohen pleaded guilty to several crimes in 2018, including tax fraud and lying to Congress about plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow."
MSNBC's Ari Melber spoke with Reverend Al Sharpton and Michael Cohen lawyer Lanny Davis about the MAGA hopeful's former "fixer's" demeanor during testimony, and what kind of impact he could have on the jury.
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"I was not surprised when I heard what he said on the stand today," Sharpton said.
"He wasn't making excuses for him being a participant. And I think the way he's trying to redeem himself is by being very open."
Melber allowed Davis to get the last word.
"I hate to do anything beyond what the reverend just said because it was perfect," the attorney said. "But let me just say, Michael Cohen, for good or bad, can't fake it. He is who he is. He's a man in pain. He's a man filled with anger; anger towards what Trump did to him, anger towards what Trump is doing to the country, in his opinion. But he can't fake it.
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Davis emphasized, "With me, I recognized right away this is a very flawed human being, just as I am, just as the reverend teaches his parishioners. We're all flawed. But he is authentic in his contrition. That's why I believe this jury will believe him."
Watch the video below or at this link.