Former President Donald Trump attends the first day of his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on April 15, 2024. Judge Juan Merchan poses for a picture in his chambers, Thursday, March 14, 2024, in New York. (Angela Weiss/AFP via AP, POOL/AP)
The prosecution team argues that Trump falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to former pornography star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to quiet her claims of an affair with Trump. Trump has pleaded not guilty in the case and has repeatedly denied any affair with Daniels.
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Blanche said there were "absolutely no false business filings" and no evidence of connection to Trump.
"How on earth is keeping a false story from voters criminal?" Blanche said.
Former Trump attorney, Michael Cohen, departs his home for Manhattan Criminal Court for the trial of former US President Donald Trump for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs in New York City, on May 14, 2024. (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Cohen said that he stole $30,000 from the Trump Organization by overstating how much he paid a tech company that provided services for the company. Cohen said he told former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg in 2017 that he had paid tech firm Red Finch $50,000 out of his own pocket, and that he still needed to be reimbursed for the payment.
Weisselberg and Cohen in 2017 calculated a $420,000 repayment to Cohen for his $130,000 payment to Daniels, as well as the alleged $50,000 payment to Red Finch.
Cohen said Monday before the court, however, that he only paid Red Finch $20,000 – meaning he pocketed $30,000 when he was reimbursed.
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"You stole from the Trump Org, right?" Trump attorney Todd Blanche asked Cohen Wednesday morning.
"Yes, sir," Cohen responded.
Robert Costello / America Newsroom (Robert Costello / America Newsroom)
The courtroom became tense during Costello's testimony, with Merchan ordering the media and jurors out of the room after Costello audibly and visibly disapproved of the judge's rulings sustaining multiple objections from the prosecution team.
"I want to discuss proper decorum in my courtroom," Merchan said after the jury left. "You don’t say strike it because I’m the only one who can strike it."
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Merchan reprimanded Costello to not roll his eyes or react to his rulings. Before the jury came back into the courtroom, Merchan asked Costello: "Are you staring me down?"
Costello will resume his cross-examination testimony Tuesday. Closing arguments in the case are anticipated to be held next Tuesday.
Trump has consistently maintained his innocence in the case, calling it a "sham" and "witch hunt" promoted by the Biden administration and Department of Justice ahead of the 2024 election.
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"It's an attack on [President Biden's] political opponent. That's all it is. All of the things you saw over the last four weeks, most of it should have never even been brought up. And then on top of that, there's no crime. And we go on day after day. And I have to tell Iowa, 'I'm sorry, I won't be able to make it.' I tell New Hampshire, 'Sorry, I won't be able to make it. I'm sitting in an ice box all day,'" Trump told the media earlier Monday before day 19 of the trial kicked off.
Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman and Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.
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