Michael Cohen finishes testifying in Trump's NY hush money trial
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Michael Cohen departs for the second day of testimony at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 14. Photo: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Donald Trump's onetime fixer Michael Cohen finished testifying Monday in the hush money trial in New York, bringing the first-ever criminal trial of a former president one step closer to completion.
Why it matters: Trump's legal team again on Monday sought to undercut Cohen's credibility as a witness, presenting him as deceitful and seeking revenge on his former boss.
- Cohen's testimony, which spanned four days, marked a crescendo in the the Trump-Cohen feud, which has escalated in the years since the 2016 presidential election.
- The prosecution rested its case on Monday.
Driving the news: Trump's lawyers have repeatedly tried to cast doubt on Cohen's testimony. He is a star witness for the prosecution, providing details on the $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
- Cohen, who received $420,000 as reimbursement for orchestrating the payment, testified Monday that he kept $30,000 of the $50,000 that was supposed to go to the tech firm Red Finch for manipulating online polls.
- "You stole from the Trump Organization, right?" Trump attorney Todd Blanche asked Cohen on Monday, per the New York Times.
- "Yes, sir," Cohen replied.
Zoom in: Cohen's admission on Monday also highlights the risks for the prosecution pinning its case predominately on one witness, who has been convicted for numerous crimes, including lying to Congress.
- Cohen testified last week that Trump directed him to make the hush money payment to Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
- He also testified that Trump approved the reimbursement plan to Cohen, which is at the heart of the charges against the former president.
- How compelling the jury finds Cohen's testimony could ultimately determine whether Trump is convicted.
Between the lines: Cohen, a self-described Trump "pitbull," largely kept his composure during his multiday testimony. He also repeatedly stood by his testimony, despite persistent questioning from the defense.
- "No doubt in your mind?" Blanche asked Cohen on Monday about whether he had a conversation with Trump to work out the hush money payment, per the Associated Press.
- "No doubt," Cohen said.
What to watch: Judge Juan Merchan said Monday that he expects closing arguments in the case will begin next Tuesday.
- The case will then be with the jury. Jury deliberation could take anywhere from a few hours to several days.
Go deeper: Georgia focus group voter on Trump trials: "We need an answer"
