Trump defense cross-examines Michael Cohen in hush money trial
By CNN's Kara Scannell, Lauren Del Valle and Jeremy Herb in the courthouse
Updated 0042 GMT (0842 HKT) May 15, 2024
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10:08 a.m. ET, May 14, 2024
Cohen says invoices he submitted were all for Stormy Daniels' payment reimbursement
Michael Cohen confirmed the invoices were actually reimbursement for the hush money payment and not for legal services.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger is asking whether the description in the invoice for legal services rendered was true.
"No ma'am," Cohen says.
Hoffinger again asks Cohen what the payments were actually for.
He says, "Reimbursement to me of the hush money fee along with Red Finch and the bonus.”
"Was this invoice a false record?" Hoffinger asks.
"Yes, ma'am," Cohen says.
Hoffinger goes on to ask, "Were any of those invoices that you submitted based on services performed for the months indicated pursuant to a retainer agreement?"
"No ma’am, they were for a reimbursement," Cohen says.
9:55 a.m. ET, May 14, 2024
Cohen says invoices were consistent with directions given by Weisselberg
Michael Cohen emailed an invoice to former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney on February 14, 2017, including two $35,000 payments for January and February.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asks if the invoices he sent were consistent with directions given by Allen Weisselberg, Trump’s longtime chief financial officer.
"Yes, ma'am," Cohen says.
9:52 a.m. ET, May 14, 2024
Cohen confirms there was no retainer agreement
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger confirmed with Michael Cohen that had there been a retainer agreement it would be accompanied by an agreed upon monthly amount.
But there was no retainer agreement, Hoffinger said.
Cohen said there wasn't one.
Cohen's tone and manner so far is the same as Monday. He is careful, measured and even toned.
10:03 a.m. ET, May 14, 2024
Cohen asked Trump Org. controller to remind him about how much he should ask for in invoices
The jury is now seeing emails between Jeffrey McConney, a former Trump Organization controller, and Michael Cohen.
In one of them dated February 14, 2017, Cohen asks McConney to remind him the monthly amount he is supposed to invoice.
McConney responds to remind Cohen it was $35,000 per month, the emails show.
9:48 a.m. ET, May 14, 2024
Cohen says he put White House meeting in his calendar to "commemorate seeing President Trump"
Michael Cohen says he put the White House meeting in his calendar — something he did not normally do. He says it was to "commemorate seeing President Trump in the White House."
"Meeting with POTUS," the electronic calendar entry reads.
9:54 a.m. ET, May 14, 2024
Trump says payments were legal expenses, again disparages judge, complains about court "icebox"
From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury
Donald Trump aired his grievances about the hush money trial and brought up campaign talking points before entering the Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday.
In multiple instances, Trump said that the gag order implemented by Judge Juan Merchan is unfair to him and should be lifted. "You ask me questions I'm not allowed to respond," Trump told reporters. He later added, "The gag order has to come off."
Trump also read support written by allies. He called Merchan "crooked" and then went on to claim that what he did regarding the hush money payment was legal.
"I paid a lawyer a certain amount of money we marked it down as legal expenses. So I had a legal expense and I marked it down as a legal expense. I didn't mark it down as a construction of a wall, construction of a building, I didn't mark it down as electricity," Trump said.
"There's no crime," Trump said. "I've been here for almost four weeks in an icebox, they call it the icebox, listening to a judge who is totally corrupt and conflicted."
10:36 a.m. ET, May 14, 2024
Jurors shown photo of Cohen at White House following meeting with Trump
Jurors are being shown the photo of Michael Cohen in the White House briefing room, which has been displayed previously.
He says he took the photo from the briefing room podium after the meeting with Trump where the reimbursement for the Stormy Daniels hush money payment was discussed.
9:46 a.m. ET, May 14, 2024
Cohen is testifying about the alleged 2017 Oval Office meeting. Here's what to know about it
From CNN's Lauren del Valle, Kara Scannell, Annette Choi and Gillian Roberts
Prosecutors say that Michael Cohen in February 2017 met with Donald Trump in the Oval Office to confirm how he would be reimbursed for the hush money payment Cohen fronted for Trump to Stormy Daniels.
A month earlier Cohen mapped out the repayment plan with then-Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, who memorialized the calculations in handwritten notes on Cohen’s bank statement, according to court documents.
Under the plan, Cohen would send a series of false invoices requesting payment for legal services he performed pursuant to a retainer agreement and receive monthly checks for $35,000 for a total of $420,000 to cover the payment to Daniels, his taxes and a bonus, prosecutors alleged.
Prosecutors also allege there was never a retainer agreement.
Cohen discusses the Oval Office meeting with Trump
Michael Cohen is discussing an Oval Office meeting with Trump.
Cohen says he visited the White House that same day and had a conversation with Trump in the Oval Office.
"I was sitting with President Trump and he asked me if I was OK. He asked me if I needed money. And I said, 'no all good.' He said because I can get a check. I said, 'no, I’m OK.' He said, 'Alright, just make sure you deal with Allen,'" Cohen testifies.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked whether Trump said anything about what would be forthcoming to Cohen.
"Yes, it would be a check for January and February," Cohen says.
Donald Trump's defense will continue to cross-examine Michael Cohen on Thursday as it aims to discredit the prosecution's key witness in the former president's criminal hush money trial.
During at times fiery exchanges, Trump’s ex-attorney and fixer was grilled about his shifting views on Trump and the money he's made commenting on the former president as the defense painted him as bent on revenge.
Over two days, Cohen detailed the hush money scheme involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, walked the jury through the $130,000 he paid at Trump’s direction and his fallout with the former president.
Cohen’s testimony ties together the prosecution’s allegations that Trump broke the law by falsifying business records to reimburse Cohen and conceal the payment. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies having an affair with Daniels.
Meanwhile, a New York appeals court rejected Trump's attempt to overturn the gag order against him in the case.
Our live coverage has wrapped up, but we'll be back Thursday morning. Scroll through the posts below to read more about what happened in court today.
Michael Cohen confirmed the invoices were actually reimbursement for the hush money payment and not for legal services.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger is asking whether the description in the invoice for legal services rendered was true.
"No ma'am," Cohen says.
Hoffinger again asks Cohen what the payments were actually for.
He says, "Reimbursement to me of the hush money fee along with Red Finch and the bonus.”
"Was this invoice a false record?" Hoffinger asks.
"Yes, ma'am," Cohen says.
Hoffinger goes on to ask, "Were any of those invoices that you submitted based on services performed for the months indicated pursuant to a retainer agreement?"
"No ma’am, they were for a reimbursement," Cohen says.
Michael Cohen emailed an invoice to former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney on February 14, 2017, including two $35,000 payments for January and February.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asks if the invoices he sent were consistent with directions given by Allen Weisselberg, Trump’s longtime chief financial officer.
"Yes, ma'am," Cohen says.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger confirmed with Michael Cohen that had there been a retainer agreement it would be accompanied by an agreed upon monthly amount.
But there was no retainer agreement, Hoffinger said.
Cohen said there wasn't one.
Cohen's tone and manner so far is the same as Monday. He is careful, measured and even toned.
The jury is now seeing emails between Jeffrey McConney, a former Trump Organization controller, and Michael Cohen.
In one of them dated February 14, 2017, Cohen asks McConney to remind him the monthly amount he is supposed to invoice.
McConney responds to remind Cohen it was $35,000 per month, the emails show.
Michael Cohen says he put the White House meeting in his calendar — something he did not normally do. He says it was to "commemorate seeing President Trump in the White House."
"Meeting with POTUS," the electronic calendar entry reads.
Donald Trump aired his grievances about the hush money trial and brought up campaign talking points before entering the Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday.
In multiple instances, Trump said that the gag order implemented by Judge Juan Merchan is unfair to him and should be lifted. "You ask me questions I'm not allowed to respond," Trump told reporters. He later added, "The gag order has to come off."
Trump also read support written by allies. He called Merchan "crooked" and then went on to claim that what he did regarding the hush money payment was legal.
"I paid a lawyer a certain amount of money we marked it down as legal expenses. So I had a legal expense and I marked it down as a legal expense. I didn't mark it down as a construction of a wall, construction of a building, I didn't mark it down as electricity," Trump said.
"There's no crime," Trump said. "I've been here for almost four weeks in an icebox, they call it the icebox, listening to a judge who is totally corrupt and conflicted."
Jurors are being shown the photo of Michael Cohen in the White House briefing room, which has been displayed previously.
He says he took the photo from the briefing room podium after the meeting with Trump where the reimbursement for the Stormy Daniels hush money payment was discussed.
Prosecutors say that Michael Cohen in February 2017 met with Donald Trump in the Oval Office to confirm how he would be reimbursed for the hush money payment Cohen fronted for Trump to Stormy Daniels.
A month earlier Cohen mapped out the repayment plan with then-Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, who memorialized the calculations in handwritten notes on Cohen’s bank statement, according to court documents.
Under the plan, Cohen would send a series of false invoices requesting payment for legal services he performed pursuant to a retainer agreement and receive monthly checks for $35,000 for a total of $420,000 to cover the payment to Daniels, his taxes and a bonus, prosecutors alleged.
Prosecutors also allege there was never a retainer agreement.
Michael Cohen is discussing an Oval Office meeting with Trump.
Cohen says he visited the White House that same day and had a conversation with Trump in the Oval Office.
"I was sitting with President Trump and he asked me if I was OK. He asked me if I needed money. And I said, 'no all good.' He said because I can get a check. I said, 'no, I’m OK.' He said, 'Alright, just make sure you deal with Allen,'" Cohen testifies.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked whether Trump said anything about what would be forthcoming to Cohen.
"Yes, it would be a check for January and February," Cohen says.
