Michael Cohen tells trial he lied and bullied for ex-president and was ‘knee deep’ in Trump ‘cult’

Michael Cohen stated he had been “knee deep into the cult of Donald Trump” as he testified for a second day within the ex-president’s trial.

As Trump‘s defence tried to color the previous lawyer and ‘fixer’ as a bitter and fame-hungry former acolyte, he denied being obsessed by his former boss however stated he had as soon as “admired him tremendously”.

He is testifying within the case about hush cash funds to ex-porn star Stormy Daniels in an try to cowl up an alleged sexual encounter in 2006.

Trump trial – Day 17 because it occurred

Such payouts aren’t unlawful, however Trump is accused of falsifying enterprise data to cover it – a declare he denies.

He informed the court docket on Tuesday that loyalty was the rationale he saved mendacity concerning the cost when it got here out within the media.

In 2016 he described Trump as form, humble, trustworthy and real.

The defence requested whether or not he had believed what he was saying.

“At the time, I was knee-deep into the cult of Donald Trump,” he responded, including: “I was not lying, no, that’s how I felt.”

Mr Cohen admitted he “missed Trump” at instances after he grew to become president.

They have additionally pointed to a whole lot of media appearances, podcasts and interviews wherein the disgraced lawyer has talked about him.

His credibility was underneath assault as Mr Cohen has beforehand admitted mendacity underneath oath.

The 57-year-old was jailed after pleading responsible in 2018 to fees referring to the hush cash cost and different unrelated offences.

He stated that after a FBI raid on his dwelling the identical yr, Trump had messaged him: “I am the president of the United States, everything is going to be okay, stay tough”.

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Donald Trump denies the liaison with Stormy Daniels and says Mr Cohen acted on his personal initiative when he made the cost.

The former lawyer denied that declare in earlier proof, saying “everything required Trump’s sign-off”.

‘I violated my ethical compass’

Mr Cohen – who as soon as stated he would take a bullet for his boss – admitted on the finish of questioning on Tuesday that he “violated my moral compass” whereas working for Donald Trump.

“I regret doing things for him that I should not have,” he informed the New York court docket. “Lying, bullying people in order to effectuate the goal.

“I do not remorse working for the Trump Organisation – as I expressed earlier than, [those were] some very fascinating, nice instances,” he added.

“But to maintain the loyalty and to do issues that he had requested me to do, I violated my ethical compass, and I suffered the penalty, as did my household. That is my failure.”

On Monday, the court docket heard him testify about organising a shell firm to make the $130,000 hush cash out of his personal cash.

Prosecutors say Trump later paid the cash again and lined it up by recording it as a authorized retainer price.

He faces 34 counts of falsifying enterprise data over the claims.

Trump – who will tackle Joe Biden in his bid to turn out to be president once more in November – is unlikely to face a custodial sentence if discovered responsible.

His different instances are doubtlessly extra damaging however mired in delays.

They concern allegations of holding stacks of secret paperwork after leaving workplace and attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat. He denies the claims.