During cross-examination, Michael Cohen admitted to stealing from the Trump Organization, leaving CNN and MSNBC hosts and guests shocked and questioning why the prosecution withheld this revelation during its initial questioning.
During cross-examination in New York's case against former President Trump, Michael Cohen, Trump's former fixer, revealed that he had stolen $60,000 from the Trump Organization. This revelation sent shockwaves through media outlets, particularly CNN and MSNBC.
CNN's Jake Tapper expressed disbelief at the revelation, saying, "I’m still kind of reeling from the revelation that Michael Cohen stole money from the Trump Organization and that wasn’t, at least to my knowledge, that the prosecution didn’t get that out earlier."
Co-anchor Laura Coates echoed Tapper's sentiments, stating, "I’m shocked that the news came out for the first time during the third day of Cohen’s cross-examination."
CNN's senior legal analyst Elie Honig added, "The fact that he was ever charged with larceny is important because stealing $60,000 through fraud is more serious of a crime than falsifying business records."
Over at MSNBC, Yasmin Vossoughian described the exchange between Cohen and defense attorney Todd Blanche as "momentous" and "a big exchange."
Bernarda Villalona, a legal guest on MSNBC, highlighted the implications of Cohen's credibility, noting that if the jury finds he lied about a material fact, they could disregard his entire testimony.
CNN hosts and guests also questioned why the prosecution failed to disclose Cohen's theft during its initial questioning. Coates said, "They’ve done that. The prosecution front did that. We knew that he has convictions. But going to the heart of what you were telling your employer about, what money you were owed and the extent of it."
Tapper added, "It goes to the heart of the actual case. It’s not just about establishing him as a liar."
The revelation of Cohen's theft could have significant implications for Trump's case. Former President Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records regarding payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, Playboy's Karen McDougal, and a Trump Tower doorman.
Honig's analysis suggests that Cohen's larceny charge is more serious than falsifying business records. If the jury finds that Cohen stole from the Trump Organization, it could further damage Trump's case.
The admission of Cohen's theft raises questions about the thoroughness of the prosecution's case and the potential for additional revelations that could impact the outcome of the trial.
