Coffee with Hawk Episode 038: Michael Cohen Day 1

This episode provides an update on the first day of Michael Cohen's direct examination testimony in the Trump criminal trial. Hawk addresses criticisms of Cohen's credibility as a witness, noting that almost everything Cohen testified to has already been corroborated by other evidence and witnesses. The prosecutors did an excellent job preparing Cohen and highlighting key points they want to emphasize through his testimony, such as Trump's awareness that scandals could arise and efforts to suppress negative stories during the 2016 campaign.

Cohen testified about his involvement in the "catch and kill" scheme with David Pecker at the National Enquirer to bury stories about Trump's affairs. He provided details on specific payments made to Karen McDougal and the doorman, though the charges relate to the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels that Cohen was later reimbursed for in a convoluted way. Cohen directly tied Trump to conversations about urgently needing to get Daniels' story suppressed after the Access Hollywood tape, indicating the payment was for the campaign's benefit.

Hawk expects prosecutors to finish their direct examination of Cohen on Tuesday, after which the defense will vigorously cross-examine him for potentially the rest of the week. They are expected to attack Cohen's credibility by portraying him as a disgruntled, greedy, convicted liar out for vengeance against Trump. Despite this, Hawk feels the prosecution has over-delivered so far and is looking forward to Cohen's cross-examination as potentially the trial's most interesting part.

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