Two CNN hosts took turns reading through the transcript of attorney Michael Cohen’s testimony about the $130,000 “hush money” payment at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s trial.
One host played the part of prosecutor Susan Hoffinger, while the other played the role of Cohen. They both held their own copies of the transcript and read through their parts carefully as the live cameras rolled. Two voices behind the camera played the parts of New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan and defense attorney Todd Blanche.
They read through the prosecution’s questioning, where Cohen testified how former President Donald Trump knew the allegation of him having an extramarital affair with porn star Stormy Daniels would be a “disaster” for his performance in the 2016 election. Trump allegedly told Cohen to prevent the affair allegations from becoming public before the election, according to Cohen’s testimony.
They also role-played the portion where Trump allegedly showed concern toward the election rather than his family regarding the allegation. (RELATED: Former Federal Prosecutor Pours Cold Water On MSNBC Host’s Argument Michael Cohen Will Be Good Witness)
“We need to stop this from getting out,” one host read, playing Cohen.
“Was there any conversation about pushing to a period of time?” the other read in Hoffinger’s character.
“Yes,” the host playing Cohen replied.
“What was that?”
“So during the negotiations to purchase and acquire the life rights, what he had said to me is: What I want you to do is just push it out as long as you can, just get past the election, because if I win, it has no relevance, I will be president. If I lose, I don’t even care,” the testimony reads.
Cohen, who pleaded guilty to lying under oath to Congress and a federal judge, largely gave the answers the prosecution was seeking during his Monday testimony by telling the jury Trump directed him to make the $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels. He further testified that Trump agreed with the reimbursement plan at the heart of Bragg’s charges.
The plan allegedly reimbursed Cohen by offering him double the $130,000 payment and tech services to account for taxes. The plan also allegedly offered an additional $600,000 bonus to make up for it being cut the prior year and distributing the money over 12 months in transactions described as payments for legal services pursuant to a retainer agreement.
Trump allegedly approved of the reimbursement plan during a meeting with Cohen and Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg right before his inauguration in January 2017.
