The prosecution announced it would conclude its case against former President Donald Trump after Michael Cohen’s testimony.
The surprising aspect of this announcement is that the prosecution never clearly stated the specific crime they were trying to prove, the elements of that crime, or why the payments related to Stormy Daniels were not properly recorded as legal expenses.
In reality, the only thing the prosecutors managed to establish was that Michael Cohen falls into the category of dishonest individuals, including liars and pathological liars.
Over the past two days, Cohen has consistently claimed that he used to be a liar but only lied to benefit Trump. However, if this is the main point of his testimony, it is simply another falsehood uttered by Cohen under oath.
Cohen has a history of lying to Congress, courts, special counsels, the IRS, banks, and practically anyone he encounters.
His previous business and tax fraud conviction was not motivated by a desire to protect Trump, but rather to serve his interests.
When Cohen admitted on the witness stand that he had lied during his previous plea agreement, it was not to assist Trump, whom he had already disavowed, but solely to further his own agenda.
There are strong indications that Cohen is still being untruthful.
For instance, let’s consider his testimony regarding his unethical decision to secretly record a telephone call with Trump on September 6, 2016.
Most lawyers would never even contemplate this act of betrayal, let alone carry it out.
When questioned by the prosecutors about this action, Cohen made the bizarre claim that he did it to ensure David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, would “remain loyal to Mr. Trump.”
No one genuinely believes this explanation. It lacks coherence and fails to make sense. Pecker was already engaged in conversations with Trump about the payments and even had a meeting with him at the White House.
Playing a recorded call with Trump would only lead to confusion rather than exerting any pressure on Pecker.
Furthermore, what was Cohen’s reason for recording the call without informing Trump? It seems evident that he did so to gather material that could be used against Trump in the future if necessary.
Cohen’s actions were solely for his benefit.
His testimony revealed a consistent pattern of acting in his self-interest.
Despite Cohen’s attempts to portray his cooperation with prosecutors as a transformative experience, the jury soon realized that his actions were motivated by personal gain, especially regarding his finances.
Despite being advised by prosecutors to refrain from public appearances, Cohen disregarded their warnings and made numerous television and podcast appearances, often mentioning Trump.
Cohen’s self-serving nature was further highlighted during cross-examination, showing that he focused primarily on saving himself.
Despite his attempts to distort reality, Cohen’s true intentions were evident.
His excuses for his behaviour on TikTok were seen as attempts to deflect from his true motives.
It would be unreasonable for any prosecutor to rely solely on Cohen as a witness.
The prosecutors failed to establish Trump’s involvement or knowledge of the payments recorded in business records.
They also neglected to address the fraudulent labelling of these payments as “legal expenses.”
While such details would be crucial in any other case, the focus in this trial seems to be on what can be gained rather than upholding the law.
In this regard, the prosecutors and their star witness, Michael Cohen, seem to share a similar mindset, prioritizing personal gain over justice.
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