Alina Habba began her cross-examination of Michael Cohen yesterday with theatrics. She pointed out the prosecution’s table and the defense’s table and even said, “That’s the judge,” as if Cohen was a recent arrival from the Planet Xenon and not an attorney who practiced longer than she has. The thrust of her questioning both yesterday and today is to make Cohen out to be a liar.
The highlight of yesterday’s performance was when Cohen, tired of being badgered and nitpicked began to call his own objections. That incensed another Trump lawyer, Christopher Kise, so much that he shot out of his chair and cried out, “Your, honor, the witness is out of control!” which provoked the entire courtroom to erupt with laughter. Today is more of the same with Habba getting loud at times. Hey, you remember Perry Mason: he’d set his jaw and bellow at the guy on the stand, “And isn’t it true Mr. So and So” until the defendant burst out, “Yes! Yes! I did it!” Unfortunately, Habba’s performance isn’t having the same effect, and she’s pissed.
Engoron responds: "OK, granted."
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) October 25, 2023
To which Letitia James replied, “Objection,” and the courtroom tittered, according to the Guardian.
Then Habba takes a new tack, trying to portray Cohen as being vengeful due to being rejected and spurned by Trump. Whut? Oh, yes.
Habba’s cross has also tried to paint Cohen as a spurned friend desperate to save his own skin.
She asked Cohen whether he ever told Robert Costello, who was once a longterm Trump ally, “I don’t have anything on Donald Trump. I swear to god I don’t have anything on Donald Trump.
“I don’t recall that.”
“Do you recall that you told him that you would do–excuse my French–whatever the F it takes to avoid jail time?”
“I don’t recall that, either.”
Habba later intimated that Cohen was upset at Trump for not giving him a top White House position. She showed a series of spring 2017 texts between Cohen where someone listed as “Person 4” speculated about Trump’s chief-of-staff pick.
“Keep guessing, dopey,” Cohen said.
“Stop!!! You!” Person 4 replied, writing shortly thereafter, “OMG Please be true. Are you serious? You need to.”
“He needs to ask, I would never,” Cohen responded.
“You were never given a position in the White House, were you, Mr Cohen?”
“I was given the position that I asked for. There’s no shame in being personal attorney to the president.”
Court has now broken for the mid-morning break.
Here’s Letitia James, clearly enjoying the idiocy.
Short of a Broadway play, this is as entertaining as it gets in New York City right now.
All of these efforts to discredit Cohen, when all along his statements are corroborated by documents or other people. I could be wrong, but doesn’t that make his credibility a non-issue?
The trier of fact, which is Judge Engoron, has noticed that. Remember, this trial is only about damages. Trump has already been found civilly liable. This is just to determine if it’s $100K or $250K or some other number. Right now I think damages of $250K are quite reasonable, actually.
I think you mean 100 million and 250 million 😉
I like the way Cohen comports himself these days. He’s changed himself from the sleazy fixer for a two-bit carny sideshow into a man who clearly likes himself after making many smarter choices. He took on a lot of pain and humiliation to protect his family from it and came away a man of good humor and strong belief that he can help save the country if we will but listen. 👍
Having been wrongly railroaded into prison, on my first legal charge ever, for something that isn’t a crime, as admitted to me by the parole board, and, after four months of facing dangerous assholes, I can tell you, THREE years will change a man. Good for you Michael. I have, as millions now do, a new found respect for you. This privileged pissant HAS NO IDEA what you’ve been through. It’s like watching a teacup poodle yap at a pit bull. Laughable, as Ms. James is demonstrating.
Alina Habba: His Magesty Trump will present Monopoly money, the 500 ones
because
deep State
cow bells,, and cut,
let’s go people, Legune commercials to run.