The end. You dont have to put a roof on it, you dont have to put signing on it. You can do whatever you want with it. But its just encouraging to see somebody take their anxiety and turned it into action . Yes. To make a site and actually all of us absolutely lee and 5 more. I mean, thats nothing when you think about it. All right. Thank you so much, bill. And dont miss the onehour champions for Change Special Saturday at nine ac30 60 starts now good evening and what a de and welcome to a week of testimony from perhaps the most consequential and controversial prosecutor and witnesses the former president s hush money trial. Michael cohen a onetime fixer attorney, and according to his memoir, Designated Thug for the former president. Hes now a convicted felon and self admitted per juror. But despite that resume, he took the stand today as the single individual who can show the jury believed him do what no other witnesses can testify to multiple directly conversations with the former president about then candidates not allege knowledge and even authorization of every critical step of the alleged hush money crime that forms the basis of 34 Felony Charges against him, plus, cohen can testify to the prosecutions allegation that the socalled catch and kill scheme was a political move designed to win an election cohen today quoted trump telling him he wanted Stormy Daniels allegation under wraps until after the election, quote if i win and has no relevance, i will be president if i lose, i dont even care. Prosecutor use tax call logs and emails wherever possible to document cohens testimony and tried to front end the credibility issues the defense will certainly use against cohen afterwards, the former president addressed the news media. He had harsh words for the trial itself and the judge, but no mention of the witness just in the gag order, may be having an effect joining me now, criminal Defense Attorney arthur aidala, former federal prosecutor, jeffrey thuban, and a slew of my colleagues who are in the courthouse on these huge day anchors, abby, phillip kaitlan, collins, laura coates, and also corresponds kara scannell, caroline start off with you as we often do, what was like i mean, i thought it was just so fascinating how Michael Cohen was so controlled today. His answers were very deliberate. He chose his words carefully. He was measured as he told this whole story from when he first started working for donald trump, where he was talking favorably about him, about the experience to ultimately where are we ended up at the end of the de, which is work he said donald trump approved this reimbursement to him. Another thing that really stood out to me was how prosecutors were weaving these call logs inbetween everything that michael Congress Testifying to really give the jury Something Else to look at it. Its not just Michael Cohens worry. Its not just Michael Cohens word because a lot of this is cohen remembering a conversation he had with trump, but theres no other evidence of what that conversation was, except these call log show that calls took place, one that stood out to me right before Michael Cohen went to the bank to create the bank account for essential consultants. And then why are the 130,000 payment to Keith Davidson, Stormy Daniels, attorney . He called on trump twice that morning at 8 30. We know he got to the bank at 10 00 a. M. And open the account and began this process. So we were seeing from the prosecutors getting to the credibility of cohen giving the jury Something Else to look at here, which were these call logs kaitlan, you were there in the afternoon. What was that . Yeah. And the afternoon is really when they got to the heart why were sitting inside that courtroom, which is the negotiation of this deal. That was interesting to me. I will go and say before that he spoke to donald trump before he took down that Home Equity Line Of Credit. But what was so notable about that moment is what we had heard from karen are other colleagues all morning. Was that trump wasnt or that Michael Cohen wasnt really looking at the jury, wasnt making eye contact when he was answered bring that question and explaining why he did it, which is because it was paperless, no documents would come in the male to his home saying that you took out 130,000 line of credit because his wife didnt know and he was explaining that he looked directly at the jury for sustained periods of time and it was kinda walking in through it. And then in another moment he was explaining when which the prosecution was trying to get up because they know the defense will bring this up on crossexamination. Is Michael Cohen wanted a job inside the Trump Administration and didnt get one. Michael cohen was saying today, he didnt actually think he was qualified to be Chief Of Staff and he wanted his name to be yeah, thats a great well, this is the for days, but he wanted his name to be included because it was essentially an ego boost. He was very upfront and blunt about that, but he was talking about Text Messages with his daughter and how good of a relationship that they have and where she was texting him. And they showed this on the screen that she was asking, you know, youre not going to get a job after everything youve done for donald trump. And that was his view . Billing as well. And he was explaining that to the jury and they were listening very closely. And it was kind of a humanizing moment for Michael Cohen, which he certainly is going to need when the defense tries to obviously eviscerate them as works. There were a lot of those. It was there in the morning for the the ramp up to all of this. And this is where you really saw Michael Cohen. I think exercising the control, the qarrah is talking about. Weve all at some point or another talk to Michael Cohen, the version of Michael Cohen that most people are used to. Hes pretty bombastic. He can be very loud. He was not that person on the Witness Stand when he first got there in the morning, he had his hands to his side most as if he was sitting on them. He had his Body Language was so close to the vest and he starts talking about this relationship with trump, trying to build up this credibility that he was not always this bitter person, even to the point of talking at not on numerous occasions about how many times he did things for donald trump, knowing that he would not get paid for it. He was not paid for a lot of work that he did before he came into the trump organization. There was 100,000 thousand dollars that that served in two key ways. And at this point perhaps speaks to how well well, he was prepared one, it showed that trump if he didnt want to pay a bill, he wouldnt pay it. But two, that Michael Cohen was willing to do whatever for the simple praise of being in trumps orbit. And then again, when after the election, trump doesnt give him the job of his dreams, but dont as make him a personal attorney. He says he knew he wasnt going to get paid for that job. He was going to have the title, but no compensation. The only money that he was going to get where those 35,000 checks that were actually more or less reimbursements for the Hush Money Scheme . I was really struck by just how puppy like he just he portrayed himself for donald trump. I mean, i was there in the morning. It was a bit surreal to see him describe himself and his voice would almost be wistful talking about. I was on Top Of The World when he would we need praise them, that he was seeking that praise that validation. And that was so important for the prosecution to get out because they want the jury to have a snapshot. They dont want the Michael Cohen up today. They want to have the person who at that time what were you willing to do . What did you do . But more importantly, at who is behest did you do so . We hadnt heard much testimony up until now. About the direction that were given by donald trump, who he was giving the attractions to. We heard today. I want you in the pecker to work together. You and Allen Weisselberg to figure this out. The instructions given in a way we had not seen before. And there was also a moment where they took the wind out of the sale of the Defense Argument suggests that look hes a liar and all capacities why believe and why he says one, i lied routinely for donald trump. That was part of my job. He knew that i did that and for the media, the other part was the big question everyone asks, why did he record that phone call or that that conversation between himself and donald trump . He says fronting the issue, i did it because i wanted david pecker to remain loyal to trump. I did because i wanted to show pecker that he didnt tend to pay the money. And i knew it was in a cut off the phone cloth yet or the courage in the end, but it didnt matter. I already have what i needed at that point. And so whether thats coming across as authentic, the jury or not, that seems like the biggest bunch of bowl i mean, thats what he is arguing. Is that he Donald Trumps personal attorney is secretly recording recording a phone call against covered, violating all sorts of ethical things of his own client that hes then going to play to david pecker, an alleged personal friend of donald trump yeah. To tell david pecker for how trump has his back. If im personal friend of donald trump, im david pecker. Why wouldnt david fair go to trumps theres 40, didnt say thats why at the beginning with so important, were you part of the legal team . No, i was not. Were you prior General Counsel . No, i was not. And we had heard the idea of him being called the attorney all this time. Its what he was to tell david pecker that hes seen quarterly recorded the other part about this is that yes. David pecker was a close friend, two degree of Donald Trumps. But according to Michael Cohen, this is his testimony. David pecker was furious and was antsy. He was nervous that he had put basically 130,000 on amis she wrapped bank bank account and he couldnt justify it and he wanted trump to repay that money back. And on top of that ami had that drawer of dirt alleged Dirt On Donald Trump and Michael Cohen was nervous about that. And so the money that was supposed to go to Karen Mcdougal was not just for Karen Mcdougal, but also but for the contents of that drawer, the part that i was the most skeptical of was why All Of A Sudden that went away when it went away pretty suddenly. All of a sudden, david pecker was like, oh, i made all this money. The more rational explanation mcdougal and knew that this was sketchy and he was recording for his own protection is that thats also not to the benefit of donald trump either. I dont think but the prosecution accomplish what they needed to well, the thing that struck me in reading, i was not in the courtroom, but in reading the testimony is the scaffolding that the prosecution is building around Michael Cohen. Karen mentioned the phone records, but its not just the phone records. Its how often the prosecution susan hoffinger, the lawyer, either explicitly or implicitly connected his testimony to other evidence in the case, whether its other testimony, other other documents just building this scaffolding so that if he gets attacked, its not just his word now, obviously his word counts for a lot, especially in the conversations with trump. But other than that, you know, what the question i have and i assume well get to this later is just how are they going to attend . Hi, kim, because they cant say he didnt know donald trump and the checks speak for themselves. He did pay Stormy Daniels. He did get checks from trump. What is theyre going to say hes liar, hes terrible. But what is it that he lied about . Why we had a Defense Attorney what, do, you attack him . Everyone saying, oh, you know, today was a great day for the prosecution. If today was not a great day for the prosecution, alvin bragg has to go in there tomorrow and like dismiss the charges. I mean, today had to be a great day. Oh, the first maybe maybe one of the theres so many ways to attack but i would say mr. Cohen, you testified direct examination that you didnt take 130,000 out of your bank account because to pay for this because i dont want your wife to know, correct. And would you determine to do the way to get around that wants to take out a Home Equity Line Of Credit . Correct. And that was a way for you to lie to your wife, correct . No. No, i was so in my life. Well, you didnt go home and say, honey, we have to make a decision here and our marriage to give 130,000 to pay this off. He didnt do that, correct. So you deceived your own wife regarding this particular matter . Correct. How does that make donald trump innocent . Its jeffrey, you know, this is why i have the charge will read or later on, i have the charge that the judge will read to the jury at the end of the case about credibility at basically anderson, what it says is you could accept in whole or in part its called falses uno so if you find that hes lying about one thing, just one thing. The judge is going to tell him. You can throw all of them the testimony when President Trump needs is one to two or maybe three of those people on the jury to be like, i cant live. Abby doesnt believe him about one thing seriously, then obviously one or two of those people who dont agree with her like this guys full of it. I do have one other thing that i found to just be lacking in Michael Cohen once testimony me, he testified to Allen Weisselberg talking him through how he would be compensated, and then he says, Allen Weisselberg went and brave basically briefed trump, but he wasnt in the room for that conversation. The strong implication is that trump was then told that he was going to be given Michael Cohen was going to be given this money on the cover of some kind of retainer, which is the falsification of business records. Part of it. But Michael Cohen doesnt actually know that and he testified that maybe that conversation happened, but he cant really prove it and you cant really put he was out allen, but he was asked at the end, which is probably one of those critical ones to come out of this is if Alan Isobaric showed that document, which is the key document, really the whole case to trump, where they talk about how theyll change it, and how always going to be compensated and then get the extra 50 grand for something that trump didnt pay him four. And he said he testified that yes. Allen weisselberg did show that document to trump and the trump did approve it. If youre the jury, arent you wondering where as weisselberg theyve called other people, talk about what hes, what hes done and how the accounting works. But thats the real missing elephant in the room. But one way to get a sense of how maybe the fact binders a jury of thinking about this is through the objections that were raised by the defense that were sustained today. When the judge is going along with what theyre arguing and part of that was every time the prosecution attempted to say and go one step further. If i go cohen and say and from what did you think that person meant when they said that to you or what do you think that person was feeling at the time it was sustained each time because youre needing Michael Cohen to go that extra step to suggest as it wasnt just intimation, it wasnt just my thought about how and why you were saying it. But could you actually give me the verbatim details of what they said as opposed to him just saying, well, what did he say once you told him things have been done . Fantastic gift. Thank he stayed fantastic, fantastic is not an instruction, but it could be for the Jury Allegation that he wanted it to happen kara scannell. Thank you. Were never more everyone else stay with us. We just got the full transcripts of todays testimony, including Michael Cohen admitting to pass lies. John berman is going to go through those forests plus the most fascinating if you pointing the entire courtroom Sketch ArtistChristine Cornell joins, except for the people on the panel. Of course, Christine Cornell joins us again with her impressions the place where no cameras are sadly allowed. Look right back anderson cooper, three, 60. Hes brought to you by tebor visit sounds like td. Com jade made progress with your Mental Health, but her medication caused unintentional movements in her face, hands, and feet called tardive dyskinesia or tdi. So her doctor prescribed us dead oh, xr a oncedaily td treatment for adults hasta to xr significantly reduced kates td movements some people saw response as early as two w