'It's significant': Law professor says key Trump defense can be blown up with one question
Donald Trump's key defense in his hush money cover-up case could be dismantled if the New York prosecutors decide to ask Michael Cohen about one thing, a law professor said on Friday.
Andrew Weissmann, the former top prosecutor on former special counsel Robert Mueller's team, earlier on Friday flagged some reasons he believes Hope Hicks' testimony was devastating for the ex-president. Among those was that "Her testimony sinks Trump's defense since he is on record in a civil case admitting that he reimbursed Cohen the $130,000."
New York University law professor Ryan Goodman flagged that comment Friday evening, calling the development "significant."
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"Here's the deal, and it's significant," Goodman said.
"In 2018, not only did Trump admit this in court. Trump did so in joint filing with Michael Cohen," he added. Trump is now taking the position that Cohen went rogue when it came to the payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
He then added that the "DA can ask Cohen about it" when Cohen ultimately takes the stand.
Goodman included a copy of the joint filing with Cohen and Trump.
He further noted that Trump and Cohen "specifically admitted that Trump reimbursed Cohen $130,000 for the NDA with Stormy Daniels, per the NDA with Daniels (a.k.a. Stephanie Clifford)."
"What's more a subsequent court in 2020 held these to be admissions," he added, including a digital copy of the 2020 court opinion.
You can read the 2018 joint opposition filing by Trump and Cohen (and Cohen company Essential Consultants, LLC) here.2018 joint opposition filing by Trump and Cohen (and Cohen company Essential Consultants, LLC) here.
The 2020 court opinion recognizing the joint opposition included these admissions is available here.2020 court opinion recognizing the joint opposition included these admissions is available here.