WATCH: Judge Napolitano Rips Michael Cohen, Explains Why Alvin Bragg Has ‘Credibility Problem’

On Monday, prosecutors with Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s office called on their star witness, ex-lawyer Michael Cohen, to testify in the New York v. Trump case. As the prosecution nears the end of its witness list, Trump’s defense team prepares to present their case. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to alleged hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.

Cohen’s testimony, which has spanned over three and a half hours, covered his dealings with Trump, including recorded conversations. Speaking to Newsmax, Judge Andrew Napolitano highlighted the credibility issues plaguing the prosecution’s star witness.

“It was a bit startling, although those of us knew it was coming, to hear him reveal that he had recorded the former president,” Napolitano said. The legality of these recordings, permissible in New York, brought forth a critical moment in the trial when discrepancies between the audio tapes and transcripts surfaced. The judge instructed the jury to rely on the tapes, not Cohen’s recollection or the transcript, replaying the tapes to ensure clarity.

Despite the significance of the tapes, Napolitano alluded to the prosecution’s primary challenge: Cohen’s credibility. “One way to look at it is he has pleaded guilty to lying under oath before and he went to jail for it, so why should you believe him now?”

“The government will say all of that is true. You think he’s going to lie a second time and go to jail a second time? So the jury’s going to have to decide whether or not he’s believable because he is likely to be telling the truth in order to avoid jail a second time? Or is he just an inveterate liar who hates Donald Trump and will say what the government wants him to say?” Napolitano explained.

WATCH:

"Is he just an inveterate liar who hates Donald Trump and will say what the government wants him to say?"

Judge Andrew Napolitano explains why the prosecution has a credibility problem with Michael Cohen as a Trump trial witness.@Judgenap @BiancaDLGarza pic.twitter.com/s7dTIhJwVC

— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) May 13, 2024

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“If you like or hate Trump, this should not be happening. This is all to distract from Biden’s issues when it comes to inflation,” Napolitano quoted Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) who criticized the timing of the trial and questioned DA Bragg’s motives earlier today.

Earlier in the day Cohen testified that Trump directed him to proceed with the payment to Daniels. Cohen stated he “immediately” informed Trump once Daniels signed the deal. To conceal the transaction from his wife, he used his home equity line of credit, opting for a paperless method.

Cohen also claimed that Trump’s concern was the 2016 presidential campaign, not his marriage, as he sought to suppress the alleged affair with Daniels. However, he contradicted this claim when he also testified that Trump said, “If I win, it won’t have any relevance. If I lose, I don’t really care.”

The defense’s strategy and Cohen’s reliability will play crucial roles in determining the trial’s direction.

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