Florida – Florida Representative Matt Gaetz is a prominent supporter of Donald Trump and has consistently shown unwavering loyalty to the former president. As Donald Trump faces a series of charges in the hush-money trial in New York that could define his post-presidential life, the Florida Representative has once again shown his loyalty and caused significant debates after voicing strong opinions about the testimony provided by Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, in the New York case, claiming his testimony undermined the case.
Cohen’s Testimony Under Fire
Michael Cohen has turned into a pivotal figure in the ongoing legal saga surrounding Trump. The former president is accused of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, aimed at suppressing information detrimental to his campaign. Despite pleading not guilty and denying any sexual encounter with Daniels, the stakes remain high with Trump facing 34 felony counts.
Cohen’s role in the trial as the prosecution’s star witness has been anything but straightforward. Appearing on Fox News, Rep. Matt Gaetz, a staunch defender of Trump, criticized Cohen’s credibility and the integrity of his testimony.
“Michael Cohen in this circumstance was dog-walked through a jungle of lies, but the biggest lie he told—he was caught lying on the stand,” Gaetz asserted. He elaborated that Cohen allegedly never discussed finalizing the deal with Trump, a point which he claims left even those jurors inclined to convict feeling doubtful about the strength of the prosecution’s case.
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“Because he never spoke to Trump about the closure of this deal he supposedly orchestrated, and the jury was aghast. And even the jurors who I think want to convict Trump walked out of that courtroom with their shoulders slumped because they knew Michael Cohen blew this case up. Anyone who relies on Cohen, they lose,” Gaetz added.
Contentious Moments and Cross-Examinations
The focus of the contention was a specific phone call on October 24, 2016, which Cohen claims was made to update Trump on the payment arrangements with Daniels. However, during a fiery cross-examination, Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, challenged Cohen’s account, suggesting that the call was instead about harassing phone calls Cohen received from a 14-year-old. Cohen conceded that while part of the conversation involved the harassing calls, he was also in contact with Trump through Keith Schiller, Trump’s bodyguard, about the Daniels payment.
The debate intensified when Blanche questioned the feasibility of discussing both the harassment and the Daniels payment in a call that lasted only one minute and 36 seconds. Cohen maintained that his practice was to immediately inform Trump about important matters, stating, “I always ran everything by the boss immediately, and in this case it could have been just saying, ‘Everything’s been taken care of, it’s going to be resolved.'”
Blanche responded sharply, emphasizing the need for concrete evidence rather than beliefs, “We are not asking for your belief,” he told Cohen. “This jury doesn’t want to hear what you think happened.”
A Show of Support and Ongoing Drama
Throughout the trial, Gaetz, along with other prominent Trump supporters, has been present in the Manhattan courtroom, demonstrating solidarity with the former president. Their presence underscores the high-profile nature of this trial and the deep political divisions it continues to expose.
As the trial progresses, the testimonies of Cohen and other key figures are closely monitored, not only for their legal implications but also for the potential they have to sway public opinion about Trump’s legacy and future political viability.
