Key Points from Michael Cohen’s Testimony: Hush Money, Loyalty to Trump, and False Statements
In a bombshell testimony, Michael Cohen revealed shocking details about his involvement in the hush money payments made on behalf of President Trump. Cohen outlined who signed his checks for the hush money installments, shedding light on the inner workings of the operation.
During the testimony, prosecutor Susan Hoffinger highlighted the discrepancies in Cohen’s payments, pointing out that he was being paid for a retainer agreement that did not exist. She emphasized the use of language like “false invoice” and “falsely states” to describe the payments. Trump himself signed each check from April 2017 onwards, implicating the President directly in the scheme.
Cohen also disclosed that he sent the last invoice in December 2017 after being reimbursed for the full $420,000. Despite his involvement in the hush money payments, Cohen claimed that he was never paid directly by Trump or the Trump Organization for his services. He even mentioned a case where he worked on an agreement for Melania Trump but was not compensated for his work.
Furthermore, Cohen admitted to continuing to lie for Trump out of loyalty and a desire to protect him. He confessed to pressuring others to lie about deals with women like Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels in order to shield Trump from the fallout. Additionally, Cohen revealed that he made false statements to Congress during the Russia investigations in 2017, citing pressure from Trump’s joint defense team as the reason for his actions.
Overall, Cohen’s testimony provided a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Trump organization and shed light on the lengths to which individuals were willing to go to protect the President. The revelations from Cohen’s testimony are sure to have far-reaching implications and could potentially impact the ongoing investigations into Trump’s conduct.