squistion

Was suspended multiple times until he was finally permabanned.

I don't think that is what she meant.

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791146849887289777 We are finally moving onto a line of questioning dealing directly with the allegations in this criminal case: BLANCHE: On Tuesday, you testified about a phone call on Oct. 24, 2016. Two days before you make a payment to HELOC, move to LLC, and wire the money to Keith Davidson? COHEN: correct BLANCHE: Does Mr. Schiller put the phone on speaker or hand Trump the phone for a private conversation? COHEN: i’ve seen him do both BLANCHE: which one was it for that call? COHEN: I don’t know the answer, I wasn’t with him. BLANCHE: you discussed the stormy daniels matter and the resolution, and you also discussed the conversation would be that it was resolved, that you were going to move forward and fund the deal COHEN: Yes, sir BLANCHE: do you have any recollection of what you said to Trump on that day COHEN: we talked about the matter and it was resolved BLANCHE: When you testified to the grand jury last March, did you talk about this call? COHEN: Not that I recall BLANCHE: Do you recall speaking about this call when you met with prosecutors before grand jury? (OBJECTION) BLANCHE: Do you recall ever speaking about this call? COHEN: I don’t recall BLANCHE: So the first time that you recalled having a phone call with president trump was on Tuesday [of this week]? COHEN: I don’t recall when I spoke to the DA’s about that specific matter.

Which is why the prosecution saved him until the end.

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791144898281763073 BLANCHE: In December 2016, your daughter expressed it was ridiculous that [Gary] Cohn was appointed and not you? COHEN: Correct BLANCHE: Your daughter said Pres Trump was walking all over you? COHEN: Yes sir. BLANCHE: And you agreed with that at the time? COHEN: At the time. BLANCHE: “You also agreed with your daughter that president trump isn’t doing right by you in any way.” COHEN: I was still waiting for the title "personal attorney" BLANCHE: you were disappointed that after all the work, nobody including president trump offered you a position in the White House? COHEN: that’s not accurate

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791140616170029091 Lots of questions by Blanche about Cohen’s aspirations to serve in the White House. A few too many questions about the issue. BLANCHE: you wanted the title of special counsel to the president? COHEN: Yes BLANCHE: President Trump expressed some frustration that he couldn’t find a place for you in the White House? COHEN: that we had not come up with a role for me at the White House

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791138838108078193 BLANCHE: you went from being sentenced to supervised release which you are still on today? COHEN: Yes BLANCHE: you have made several efforts to have that end early? COHEN: Yes BLANCHE: How many? COHEN: 3. Could be 4. BLANCHE: None of those have been successful COHEN: No sir

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791136896879411684 Cross resumes. BLANCHE: You testified earlier this morning, you were never offered a cooperation agreement with SDNY, or Mueller or this case, right? COHEN: Correct. BLANCHE: Since your sentencing, once you were at Otisville you met with reps from the Manhattan DA in August of 2018? COHEN: Correct BLANCHE: Since then you have made several attempts to be released from supervised release early? COHEN: Correct

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791124132098199804 BLANCHE: “Do you agree with me that when you plead guilty of a crime and you are lying, that’s not accepting responsibility, is it?” COHEN: “I accepted responsibility and I am suffering the consequences as a result”

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791121289345704389 Blanche doggedly asks Cohen about his guilty plea with the SDNY and his attacks against that office and the federal judge who presided over his case. COHEN: I have stated I don’t dispute the facts of the case, but I should not have been prosecuted. First time tax evader, all the money at capital one bank, all the bank records provided to my CPA in a book the FBI took. COHEN: “I don’t believe that I should have been charged. I should have been given the same opportunities as everybody else when you receive a letter from the IRS indicating there is an issue with you taxes. I never received that.” COHEN: No chance for a meeting to keep things civil, in 48 hours it went criminal. BLANCHE: And you were asked if you had lied more than once in front of Judge Pauley? COHEN: correct BLANCHE: The reason you lied was because the stakes affected you personally? COHEN: Yes

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791115624770330843 BLANCHE: “Nobody induced you or threatened you to plead guilty, correct?” [**Long pause**] COHEN: “As I stated previously, I was provided with 48 hours within which to accept the plea or the southern district of New York was going to file an 80 page indictment that included my wife, and I elected to protect my family. “ COHEN: i never denied the underlying facts and “I do not believe that I should have been criminally charged” after those offenses BLANCHE: You started saying that you had not committed the tax crimes? COHEN: No sir, i said i take responsibility but i did not believe it was a crime i should have been charged with BLANCHE: when you wrote a book called Revenge you called the tax charges were bogus and 100% inaccurate? COHEN: “I believe that I should not have been charged, yes sir”

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791115624770330843 BLANCHE: When you were sentenced for that crime, you spoke to the judge and said you were accepting responsibility for lying to congress, but you said this morning and early this week you said you lied because of loyalty to Pres Trump? COHEN: I worked with the joint defense agreement and we crafted this document, this two page document in order to stay on message that we knew Mr. trump wanted, including mr. Trump’s attorney at the time BLANCHE: Are you saying you are accepting responsibility or blaming? COHEN: Accepting responsibility

More likely the concern is with threats and acts of violence directed against him and his family.

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791114074450735201 After spending some time trying to show the jury that Cohen has a revenge angle to his testimony against Trump, Blanche moves on to ask about Cohen’s understanding of what an oath to tell the truth means. Blanche is starting to walk through the many times during which Cohen took an oath to tell the truth and when he allegedly lied, omitted information, misled authorities, etc.

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791110935328731175 Blanche is asking Cohen about texts he sent Rosenberg as well as comments he’s publicly made about Trump: COHEN ON TAPE: “I truly hope that this man ends up in prison”.... For the damage he did to me and my family COHEN ON TAPE: “Revenge is a dish best served cold” COHEN ON TAPE: “You better believe that I want this man to go down, and locked inside for what he did to me and my family.” BLANCHE: You said you believe the work you did with prosecutors and book and podcast played a role in the indictment in this case? COHEN: “I took some credit, yes” BLANCHE: [Trump called you a name] so you responded in kind, calling him a name right back? COHEN: That’s correct BLANCHE: “You called him Dumbass Donald?” COHEN: “Sounds correct”

Of course he will. If anyone drops out it will be Trump who will change his mind like will about testifying in his NYC trial.

https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1791103799748116514 Sidebar is over. Judge Merchan apologizes for the length of time. Michael Cohen now enters the courtroom.

True. True. True.

His commencement address was only last Saturday, so it is still a timely discussion.