Did Michael Cohen Get Caught LYING on Stand, Ruining Entire Case Against Trump? With Dan Bongino

Megyn Kelly

17 May 202412:24

Summary

TLDRThe video script discusses Michael Cohen's testimony during the Trump trial in New York, focusing on the credibility and likability issues surrounding him. Cohen's actions, such as paying for positive polls and creating fake social media accounts to boost his image, are highlighted. The defense attorney's strategy to undermine Cohen's testimony by pointing out inconsistencies, like the timing of his phone calls and his admission to secretly recording Trump, is detailed. The script also delves into the broader implications of Cohen's behavior for the case, emphasizing how likability can influence jury decisions and the importance of trust in attorney-client relationships.

Takeaways

📢 Michael Cohen, a witness in the Trump trial, is accused of using a $50,000 payment to a group called Red Finch for promoting his image as attractive, similar to actor Andy Garcia, rather than for polling data on Donald Trump.
🗣️ Trump's defense attorney focused on undermining Cohen's credibility, highlighting an instance where Cohen claimed to have discussed the Stormy Daniels payment with Trump, which the defense disputed based on phone records.
🕰️ Phone records were used to challenge Cohen's claim that he spoke with Trump about the Stormy Daniels payment, suggesting instead that the brief call was about harassing phone calls from a 14-year-old.
🤔 The defense attorney questioned the ethics of Cohen taping his client, Trump, without consent, which Cohen justified under the crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege.
🎭 The script suggests that likability plays a significant role in court cases, and Cohen's actions and demeanor may have negatively impacted his credibility and likability in the eyes of the jury.
📞 The script implies that Cohen's handling of the harassing phone calls from a 14-year-old boy and his subsequent actions to involve the Secret Service were seen as questionable and indicative of his character.
🎥 Cohen's own podcast was used against him, where he contradicted his testimony by admitting to meeting with the prosecutor, Alvin Bragg, which the defense used to further discredit him.
🚫 The script discusses the legal and ethical implications of attorneys recording their clients, suggesting that such actions are viewed unfavorably and are illegal in some states.
🏛️ The trial's focus on Cohen's character and actions, rather than strictly on the legal merits of the case, highlights the subjective nature of the judicial process and the importance of a witness's credibility.
📈 The script also touches on the broader implications of the trial, suggesting that the outcome may hinge on which party the jury dislikes less: Donald Trump or Michael Cohen.
📢 The AMAC (Association of Mature American Citizens) is promoted as an organization that unites patriots to preserve American values and oppose the leftist agenda, offering membership benefits and a platform to amplify voices.

Q & A

What was the purpose of the $50,000 payment made by Michael Cohen to the group Red Finch?
-The payment was intended to secure good polling for Donald Trump, but Cohen actually wanted to create a fake online presence with women expressing adoration for him, comparing his looks to that of the actor Andy Garcia.
What was the significance of the phone call between Michael Cohen and Donald Trump's bodyguard, Keith Schiller, after the payment to Stormy Daniels?
-Cohen claimed that he called Schiller to speak with Trump and informed him about the payment to Stormy Daniels, which Trump denies knowing about. This call is crucial as it relates to whether Trump was aware of and directed the payment.
What incident involving a 14-year-old boy did Michael Cohen discuss during his testimony?
-Cohen discussed an incident where he received harassing phone calls and discovered that they were coming from a 14-year-old boy. This led to Cohen threatening to involve the Secret Service, causing the boy to reveal his age and beg for leniency.
How did Trump's defense attorney, Todd Blanche, challenge Cohen's claim about the phone call with Trump regarding Stormy Daniels?
-Blanche used phone and text message records to show that Cohen had contacted Schiller shortly after dealing with the 14-year-old harasser, suggesting that the call was more likely about the harassment issue rather than the Stormy Daniels payment.
What was the duration of the phone call between Michael Cohen and Keith Schiller on October 24, 2016, and what was Blanche's argument regarding its content?
-The call lasted 1 minute and 36 seconds. Blanche argued that it was unlikely Cohen could have discussed both the harassment issue and the Stormy Daniels payment in such a short call, suggesting Cohen was lying about the content of the call.
Why did Cohen claim that recording his client, Donald Trump, was permissible?
-Cohen claimed that recording a client is permitted under the crime-fraud exception to the attorney-client privilege rules, which allows recording if the conversation involves planning a crime.
What ethical issue was raised regarding Cohen's actions as a lawyer in the script?
-The ethical issue raised was Cohen's decision to secretly record his client, which is generally considered unethical and is illegal in some states without the consent of all parties involved.
How did the script describe the impact of Cohen's actions on his likability and credibility in the court?
-The script described Cohen's actions as damaging to his likability and credibility, particularly his decision to secretly record his client and the unrelated incident with the 14-year-old, which made him appear unlikable and less credible.
What was the context of the recording between Cohen and Trump discussing the payoff to another woman, Karen McDougal?
-The recording was made in the context of discussing a hush money payment to Karen McDougal, who was planning to write stories about fitness for American Media Inc. in exchange for not disclosing her alleged affair with Trump.
What is the importance of likability in a court case, as discussed in the script?
-Likability is critical in a court case because it can influence the jury's perception of the parties involved. The script suggests that the jury is not just assessing the facts but also deciding who they dislike less between the two parties.

Outlines

00:00

🕵️‍♂️ Michael Cohen's Testimony and Trump's Defense Strategy

The first paragraph discusses Michael Cohen's role as a key witness in the Trump trial in New York. It highlights Cohen's claim that he informed Trump about the payment to Stormy Daniels, which Trump denies. The defense attorney, Todd Blanche, challenges Cohen's credibility by pointing out inconsistencies in his statements, such as Cohen's knowledge of a 14-year-old behind harassing phone calls and the timing of his phone call with Trump's bodyguard, Keith Schiller. The paragraph also touches on Cohen's attempt to gain a favorable image by comparing himself to actor Andy Garcia, which is criticized as a sign of narcissism. The defense's strategy is to discredit Cohen's testimony, suggesting that his claims about discussing the Daniels payment with Trump are false.

05:01

🤔 Assessing Michael Cohen's Credibility and Impact on the Jury

The second paragraph delves into the implications of Cohen's testimony and the defense's efforts to undermine his credibility. It mentions Cohen's admission of being a convicted perjurer and the defense's highlighting of his unethical behavior, such as secretly recording his client, Trump. The paragraph also discusses the importance of likability in court, suggesting that Cohen's actions and demeanor may negatively affect the jury's perception of him. The defense's strategy includes playing audio recordings to show Cohen contradicting himself, which could create reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the significance of likability in determining the outcome of the trial.

10:02

🗳️ AMAC Membership and the Importance of Civic Engagement

The third paragraph shifts focus from the trial to a promotional message about the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). It encourages viewers to join AMAC to strengthen their voice in the political landscape and oppose the leftist agenda. The benefits of AMAC membership include access to a magazine, social security and Medicare guidance, discounts, and more. The paragraph also mentions an election year sale, offering a four-year membership for $30, and invites viewers to join the over 2 million members to make their voices heard.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen is a central figure in the video, a former attorney for Donald Trump who has become a witness in a trial involving Trump. His actions and credibility are heavily scrutinized in the video, particularly regarding his involvement in the payment to Stormy Daniels and his subsequent testimony.

💡Stormy Daniels

Stormy Daniels is an adult film actress who was allegedly paid to keep quiet about an affair with Donald Trump. The payment to Daniels is a significant part of the narrative in the video, as it pertains to discussions between Cohen and Trump and is a point of contention in the trial.

💡Keith Schiller

Keith Schiller is mentioned as Donald Trump's bodyguard. The video discusses a phone call that Cohen made to Schiller, which Cohen claims was to inform Trump about the payment to Stormy Daniels, a claim that is disputed in the trial.

💡Trump's defense attorney

The defense attorney for Trump is portrayed as effectively challenging Cohen's credibility during the trial. The attorney, Todd Blanche, is highlighted for his cross-examination of Cohen, particularly concerning the phone call with Schiller and the recording of Trump.

💡Credibility

Credibility is a major theme in the video, as it pertains to Michael Cohen's testimony and his character. The defense attorney aims to undermine Cohen's credibility by pointing out inconsistencies in his statements and actions, such as recording his client and the incident with the 14-year-old harasser.

💡Harassing phone calls

The video recounts an incident where Cohen received harassing phone calls from a 14-year-old, which he intended to report to the Secret Service. This incident is used to illustrate Cohen's character and the lengths he would go to solve personal problems.

💡Likeability

Likeability is discussed as a critical factor in the trial's outcome. The video suggests that jurors may be swayed by their perception of the personalities involved, particularly the unlikability of Cohen, which could impact their judgment of the case.

💡Recording a client

The act of recording a client is a significant ethical issue raised in the video. Cohen's admission that he recorded Trump without his knowledge is portrayed as a breach of attorney-client privilege and is used by the defense to question his ethics and trustworthiness.

💡Fake women

The video mentions a scheme where Cohen allegedly paid to create fake social media profiles of women who would praise him, aiming to boost his image. This is used to illustrate Cohen's character and the lengths he would go to for personal promotion.

💡AMAC (Association of Mature American Citizens)

AMAC is mentioned at the end of the video as an organization that viewers are encouraged to join. It is described as a group that unites like-minded individuals committed to preserving American values and opposing the leftist agenda, aiming to elevate the voices of its members.

💡Eviscerating credibility

The phrase 'eviscerating credibility' is used in the video to describe the defense attorney's strategy of dismantling Cohen's reputation and trustworthiness in court. This is achieved through highlighting inconsistencies and questionable actions in Cohen's past behavior.

Highlights

Michael Cohen paid $50,000 to Red Finch for positive polling on Donald Trump, but also sought fake women to praise him online.

Trump's defense attorney focused on undermining Michael Cohen's credibility during the trial.

Cohen claimed he informed Trump about the payment to Stormy Daniels, which Trump denies.

Phone records indicate Cohen was discussing a different matter with Trump's bodyguard, not the Daniels deal.

Cohen's claim of informing Trump about the payment was labeled a lie by Trump's lawyer.

Cohen's attempt to promote himself by looking like actor Andy Garcia is criticized as narcissistic.

Cohen's credibility questioned due to his history as a convicted perjurer.

The importance of likability in court and how it can influence a jury's decision.

Cohen contradicted himself on the stand, damaging his credibility.

Cohen's surreptitious recording of his client, Trump, is highlighted as unethical.

The legal and ethical implications of a lawyer recording a conversation with their client.

Cohen's actions are unfavorably compared to legal standards in Florida and Maryland.

The trial's focus on likability rather than just the facts of the case.

Cohen's unlikability and its potential impact on the jury's perception.

The significance of the tape recording in the context of the attorney-client privilege.

Cohen's admission of recording his client to play for a third party.

The trial's emphasis on the character and likability of the witnesses involved.

The potential impact of the AMAC membership and its role in elevating voices during elections.