Trump lawyers scramble as trial witnesses blow up Michael Cohen strategy

[Tom of Temecula]

Former top Justice Department prosecutor Andrew Weissmann claimed Tuesday that the witnesses being called in the Donald Trump hush money trial are confirming every detail of Michael Cohen's story — with bombshell accuracy. Speaking to MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace, Weissmann said testimony from David Pecker, the ex-publisher of the National Enquirer, was "so powerful I think we have to recalibrate the lens [through which] we were thinking about this case."

The assumption from legal analysts has been that Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen would be the prosecution's star witness, with documents and information that could confirm his ex-boss's involvement in hush money payments paid to coverup a potentially damaging sexual relationship with adult movie star Stormy Daniels.

Instead, Weissmann said, Pecker has proven to be the big witness — and subsequent witnesses backed up everything he testified about. "This case is made very much without Michael Cohen," said Weissmann. "I mean, this is so corroborated, and it is not just that you have David Pecker and now [ex-attorney for Stormy Daniels] Keith Davidson."

He called the witnesses' stories "hand and glove," fitting together "so perfectly." "It is completely corroborated, particularly with respect to Mr. Davidson, by so many texts and email exchanges and the written documents," said Weissmann. Davidson served as the attorney who negotiated the deal for Playboy playmate Karen McDougal and was working with Daniels on her story as well. Both women attempted to sell the National Enquirer details of sexual relationships with Trump.

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-trial-witnesses-confirm-cohen/

[Johonny]

1. Its almost like it isnt a witch hunt

But absolutely what happened

[LakeArenal]

7. That's funny....

We know it isn’t a witch hunt because every single witness against trump, in every case, is a Republican.

I don’t know why media refuses to say that every time “witch hunt” comes up.

[Midnight Writer]

2. I reckon his attorneys are realizing how hard it is to defend someone whose every utterance is a lie.

Trump and his personal team of enablers are incapable of telling the truth about anything. Every statement has to paint Dear Leader in the most flattering light. Any admission of wrong-doing or incompetence is verboten.

That leaves lawyers scrambling when they get people under oath and recognize that everything their client has told them about the case is dredged up from the fantasies of a psychotic cult leader.

[erronis]

10. They have to maintain the web of lies

because if they admit that one of their arguments was false the whole damn defense crumbles.

One of the reasons that using lies as a life strategy is a bad idea. Once you're called out and everyone knows, you're burnt toast.

[NanaCat]

15. If they're scrambling, then they're terrible lawyers

Every defence lawyer I ever knew expected clients to lie to them, either a little or a lot.

After all, they're representing criminals, and lying is a common criminal practice.

[young_at_heart]

3. But, but, but......it's a

'WITCH HUNT'....it's been said hundreds (maybe thousands) of times by all his people. How on earth will they reconcile this? Oh, I know, they'll say that he's lying!

[usaf-vet]

4. Sadly, it's a firewall. Do we pay to open firewalls or DONATE to Democratic candidates? I'll donate. Fixed income......

..... already pushing the budget. With months of campaign requests for "even a dollar helps" getting more demanding via email, text, USPS, phone calls, and front door solicitations.

I HATE THIS SEASON

Sorry for the RANT.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

9. Transcripts...

https://ww2.nycourts.gov/press/index.shtml

[erronis]

11. Yes - and rawstory is just a news aggregator that rarely makes it easy to find the original story

[malaise]

5. Your graphics are always a treT

Rec😀

[Wild blueberry]

6. If I were on the jury and never heard directly from the criminal,

I would wonder how on earth he could be Not guilty.
Then, as soon as he testified, he would confirm every particle of guilt.
Must really suck to be Loser J Stench's lawyers.

[Marcuse]

8. Trump lawyers scramble.

Apologies to Democratic Wiccans.

[bucolic_frolic]

12. What a headline. "Blow up" means corroborate.

SMH. Journalism is dying. Every day.

[Ursus Rex]

14. I had to read it a couple of times, but I think it means the opposite...

I.e., "blowing up" the strategy of the defense, which was likely based on Cohen being the star witness/lynchpin of the prosecution. The testimony by Pecker and Davidson have already laid out the prosecution's case convincingly, and so the defense strategy of attacking and discrediting *just* Cohen may not be very effective, if at all.

It's definitely not a very good headline, to be sure.

[ProfessorGAC]

17. Thats How I Read It, Too

And, I agree with the 2 of you that the headline is, at best, awkwardly written.

[TeamProg]

13. KNR

[MorbidButterflyTat]

16. Why would anyone think Michael Cohen's testimony wouldn't be verified

through other witnesses, emails, documents, etc.? Especially since they haven't heard it yet. NY prosecutors aren't the *rumpy Clown Show Discount Lawyers.

The defense "strategy" was: "Well...Michael Cohen is a convicted liar! So there! Case closed!" ???

Um. Cohen crimed for *rump.

Maybe the talking heads could wait until Michael Cohen testifies before declaring Pecker prosecutors' pick for Star Witness....?

I can't wait for Cohen to testify.

The courtroom sketches should be *awesome*.