Trump claims New York fraud trial imploded with Cohen’s testimony

Former President Trump pointed to the testimony of his former fixer and personal attorney, Michael Cohen, as the catalyst to the supposed “implosion” of the civil fraud case brought against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James (D).

Trump specifically called out Cohen’s testimony, calling the case “rigged” and making unsubstantiated allegations that Judge Arthur Engoron and James were committing fraud.  

“Why doesn’t the implosion of the A.G. of New York State’s Star Witness end this Witch Hunt,” Trump wrote Thursday in a post on Truth Social, referring to Cohen’s testimony. “He admitted on the stand that he lied, and that I NEVER TOLD HIM, OR ANYONE ELSE, TO INFLATE THE NUMBERS.”

“In fact, the numbers are low, or very conservative, the exact opposite of what this ridiculous RIGGED case is all about. THE FRAUD IS BY THE JUDGE & A.G. (Mar-a-Lago & more!),” the former president added. “NOT BY ME!!!”

Trump’s legal team last month sought to undermine the former attorney’s credibility during the cross-examination, showing Cohen a transcript from 2019 when he said Trump did not direct him to inflate his net worth. Earlier that week, Cohen said Trump had done so.

Cohen — whom Trump has called James’s “star witness” in the case — explained the discrepancy by saying the attorneys were “cherry-picking” words in his testimony and noting the former president “speaks like a mob boss” and can “tell you without specifically telling you” what to do.

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Nonetheless, Trump has fixated on Cohen’s statements, suggesting they undermine James’s case.

Engoron has already ruled the evidence James presented was sufficient in proving the crux of her case before the case was brought to trial.

The attorney general’s lawsuit alleged Trump’s company sought lower taxes and better insurance coverage by falsely inflating and deflating the value of its assets. James’s office is seeking $250 million in financial penalties and to bar Trump and his adult children from operating in New York. 

A New York appeals court paused a portion of Engoron’s ruling that would strip Trump’s organization of its business licenses, until it hears the rest of the case.

On Wednesday, Trump’s legal team requested a mistrial in the case, claiming the judge and his principal law clerk were biased against him and “tainted” the case.