Manhattan DA's Star Witness: Indict Trump Now or I'm Out

[babylonsister]

Manhattan DA’s Star Witness: Indict Trump Now or I’m Out
LAST CHANCE
The grand jury that the Manhattan DA summoned to go after the Trump Organization expires at the end of the month. If it doesn’t bring charges, a key witness says he’s done.
Jose Pagliery
Political Investigations Reporter
Updated Apr. 21, 2022 5:43AM ET / Published Apr. 21, 2022 5:12AM ET


If Manhattan prosecutors don’t indict former President Donald Trump with the grand jury they’ve got in the next nine days, the key witness investigators have used to build their entire case says he won’t help revive it in the future.

Michael Cohen, the New York lawyer Trump used for years as his family company’s trusted consigliere, told The Daily Beast he’s already wasted too much of his time on a case that slowly and then suddenly doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Prosecutors only have until the current grand jury’s term expires on April 30 to issue charges, at which point they must ask jurors who’ve already done this for six months to continue hearing evidence—or call the whole thing off and awkwardly make the entire presentation all over again in front of another 23 jurors.

If this grand jury is let go, Cohen won’t play ball. Asked if he’d be willing to sit down again with investigators or testify at a future trial against Trump, Cohen responded with utter exasperation.

“No. I spent countless hours, over 15 sessions—including three while incarcerated. I provided thousands of documents, which coupled with my testimony, would have been a valid basis for an indictment and charge,” he said.

“The fact that they have not done so despite all of this… I’m not interested in any further investment of my time,” he said.

more...

https://www.thedailybeast.com/manhattan-das-star-witness-michael-cohen-indict-trump-now-or-im-out?ref=home

[2naSalit]

1. Call them out.

It's shit or get off the pot time.

[babylonsister]

3. I hope. Why the hell is

everyone tiptoeing around this? Infuriating.

[jaxexpat]

39. The DOJ and the American justice system is criminality and corruption.

Plenty to go around. Wealth is the ONLY law.

Go to jail poor and you're up for a lifetime of disappointment. The prosecution has been delayed to the point of full stop BECAUSE Cohen can and is willing to testify. Same with the 1/6 prosecution, there is a plethora of testimony to support the prosecution. It's open and shut. But the system is under new management every couple of years and people want their jobs to last into retirement.

[KPN]

53. Given what we've watched the last 4 or 5 years, it's hard to argue against

that view.

It’s no wonder I hear young people say the whole system is rigged and needs to be essentially “blown up”. In their lives, many of them have not seen with any consistency the virtues of our system outweigh its negatives. If the good can’t outweigh the bad, why support it? Understandable to me.

[jaxexpat]

69. There was a time when the answer to every complaint was, " vote".

That's not a reliable answer any more. Ever since the gop started complaining about voter fraud, it's been not only harder to vote but more likely that your vote won't count.

[smirkymonkey]

74. +1000

And I think we are going to see that in action come this November.

I'm so fucking exasperated with it all. I will vote a straight Democratic ticket this year as usual (not too worried here in MA), but nationally, I think we are going to see a lot of cheating and BS tactics at the ballot box.

[BigmanPigman]

95. Hear, hear!!!!!!!

[Magoo48]

35. Is their some kind of virus loose which attacks the backbones of entire justice departments?

[MiHale]

2. Can't say I blame him...gotta be frustrating

No action is frustrating to us can’t imagine how he feels.

[Kid Berwyn]

5. Cohen went to jail for doing what Drumpf ordered him to do.

I’m with Cohen on this.

[onetexan]

8. +1 -K&R

[PatSeg]

38. I agree

Cohen has paid the price for his loyalty to Trump and now to see an obvious criminal get off yet again, must be infuriating.

[FoxNewsSucks]

4. I guess Cohen isn't aware of the need for patience.

Perhaps some here could explain it to him.

[doc03]

6. You are right we have to be patient

[MiHale]

16. If I get anymore patience...

I’ll turn into a doctor. AND DON’T WANNA BE ONE!

[Scrivener7]

13. He just doesn't understand how these things work. It isn't a Law and Order episode, Michael!!1!

[hamsterjill]

65. LOL. How many times have we heard that??

Or that we are simply ignorant because we don’t understand that things take time. I replied to a post stating as such earlier this week explaining that Joaquin Castro was pushing for action. I asked if he was ignorant, too.

Castro finished high school a year early, graduated with honors from Stanford, and has a law degree from Harvard.

The response was that he was “prosthelytizing”.

Okay…

[Scrivener7]

70. "Prosthelytizing!" Does that mean preaching with a fake limb?

And this Law and Order episode is in it's 6th year. On this episode alone.

That's a long-ass Law and Order episode.

[Pepsidog]

7. The DA returned his original documents he supplied so I'm not expecting an indictment.

[JohnSJ]

34. Yup. and Mark Pomerantz said those documents are the evidence of the felonies that trump committed

in his resignation letter

[Tomconroy]

9. If Cohen is the star witness the investigation is in a lot of trouble.

[Mister Ed]

14. Why? Cohen was there, and actively involved.

Seems to me he'd be the one who knows where all the bodies are buried, so to speak.

[doc03]

20. There is no doubt in my mind that when it comes to Trump there are real bodies nt

[former9thward]

62. Cohen was sentenced to prison for lying to Congress.

Among other things. He would be worthless as a witness in court. If he is their case Trump would not be worried.

[Escurumbele]

17. Sorry but, your argument has not weight, unless you can expand and not leave it as a one-liner

If you have any proof or a concise argument to support your one-liner then please explain, otherwise it is a mute statement.

[Tomconroy]

21. Felons who did time for tax evasion and fraud are not

a very good evidentiary building block. The cross examination would be 'interesting'.

[Doc Sportello]

24. The testimony of felons is routinely used to convict

In everything from Mafia trials to drug dealer trials. When it comes to conspiracies innocent people are hard to find. And juries routinely believe those who have sinned and convict their fellow wrong-doers, usually higher-ups like dump.

[Tomconroy]

41. This is an accounting case.

[FoxNewsSucks]

43. Yes. And he has the receipts

We don't need to rely solely on Cohen's honesty in this case, there is actual evidence provided which proves he's told the truth in this instance regardless of his previous character and behavior.

When someone says MF45 paid a $130,000 bribe to keep quiet during an election and provides a check signed by MF45 himself, it's pretty clear.

[Tomconroy]

48. As far as I can tell he just did some minor legal work for tfg.

[FoxNewsSucks]

49. He was MF45's "fixer".

His only other client was Sean Hannity, for whom he also did real estate work.

He knew what was done, when and how. Because he did it. Provided proof and was convicted for his part. I wouldn't trust him for anything, but that's not relevant. As the prosecutors who resigned in disgust said, there is more than enough physical evidence to prosecute.

[Kingofalldems]

83. Wait, did you just change the subject?

[Tomconroy]

84. Not recently.

[Doc Sportello]

67. Doesn't matter

Plenty of those who have been convicted in accounting cases went on to testify against higher ups. Sheesh.

[Tomconroy]

72. In an accounting case you need the accountant.

[Doc Sportello]

77. When you can't address the issue you've lost

the point is ... that felons are used all the time to convict other felons. ALL THE TIME. One line, flip responses do not absolve you from recognizing that fact. Address that and quit with the irrelevancies.

[Tomconroy]

78. They're used when they have something relevant to say.

[Doc Sportello]

79. Didn't say they were irrelelevant

Said your posts are. Read before posting. Read before posting.

[Tomconroy]

81. Comprehend when reading. None of this is difficult.

They tried to roll the accountant. He didn't roll. End of case.

[Doc Sportello]

88. Follow your own advice

That doesn't tell the whole story. It's really not that difficult - if you try.

[Tomconroy]

89. Actually it is. If there isn't a body that says tfg told me to

Screw with the books, there is no case.
But believe what you want.

[Kingofalldems]

85. Looks like it from here.

First you posted he was a felon and not believable and then he was just a minor player.

[Scrivener7]

71. But what has he got left to lose? He's pretty much admitted to everything publicly.

He has no reason to lie anymore.

[Piasladic]

73. moot statement? -nt

[sop]

19. And if the prosecutor does go forward, Trump's lawyer will use Cohen's statement to attack him

as an obviously biased witness with an agenda. Not a good look for the "DA's star witness."

[JohnSJ]

32. So what. According to the reisgnation from one of the lead prosecutors before Brag put the brakes

on their two year investigation, Mark Pomerantz said there was more than enough evidence in a paper trail.

[stopdiggin]

23. +1. A man with zero ethics and credibility

Last edited Thu Apr 21, 2022, 04:07 PM - Edit history (1)

who only started to weasel after his own feet were getting toasted rosy red ... Cohen loved the game - until he was the game. And if you get this clown up in front of a jury ... The gag reflex goes into overdrive.

[Joinfortmill]

29. That's my take, too.

[KPN]

56. OFFS! What are you talking about?

I think I’d take Michael Cohen’s word over yours on this one. …. There’s no big mystery here. Geesh. The DA is either corrupted, blackmailed, or needs to grow some cajones and pursue what’s right .

[Emile]

10. Time for the DA to shit or get off the pot!

[KPN]

59. He already did.

[The Wizard]

11. The question is"

Was the new prosecutor bribed or threatened by Don Cheato or one of his stooges? Something really stinks about the prosecutor's decision to drop the case until the clock runs out.

[sir pball]

18. It's less TFG himself and more the Real Estate Machine

My understanding of all this is that the crimes they can pin on TFG, e.g. overvaluing buildings for loans and then undervaluing them for taxation, are hardly unique to him - they're endemic amongst Manhattan developers…

…so Tishman Speyer & co. had a little chat with this new DA.

[stopdiggin]

25. not only Manhattan, sir.

Even under Vance there was a certain amount of hesitation (within the office) that what they had was 'enough' ... Despite what "Cohen' says - there remains reasonable question. And Cohen is the kind of 'star witness' - that makes you want to crawl back into bed, pull the covers up ...

[KPN]

58. So what? Just give up? Ignore the corruption?

[stopdiggin]

75. Nope. I'll be absolutely delighted

when I see the Manhattan DA taking multiple real estate developers (and companies) down for fraud and tax evasion! Easy-peasy! Don't know why we hadn't thought of it until now.

yep, that would be ------ -----

[FoxNewsSucks]

45. That's how it seems.

Like republicons, I'd imagine real estate people despise MF45 as much as the rest of us.

Also like republicons, there doesn't seem to be anything that can be pinned ONLY on the pussygrabber. Everything anyone has on him, whether the corruption is business or political, would also take down too many of them.

It was his insurance policy, and it seems to have worked.

[Calista241]

80. Especially when it would be nearly impossible to prove.

They're going to have to prove real estate values from years ago, when those values fluctuated widely, often on a daily basis. They'd have comparable properties sold around the same time, but there's a lot more that goes into valuation than just comps. They can just barely prove real estate values today, much less 5 or 10 or 25 years ago. And I doubt his embellishments were so egregious that it would be obvious to somebody if they only bothered to look at the paperwork.

And Trump's fingerprints aren't on anything. No emails, no text messages, no audio recordings, just hearsay evidence if they managed to flip someone. Everything that would have been submitted to Deutsch Bank or the IRS would have been through all the proper accounting teams and real estate attorney processes.

It's not like Trump just called up the President of Deutsch Bank, said a bunch of Trump mumbo jumbo, and then they just took his word for it and gave him a loan.

And their prime witness is a man who was convicted of perjury. It would be one thing if they caught him in a fraud scheme, or if he murdered someone, but Cohen lied under oath to Congress. He's 100% worthless as a witness.

[Scrivener7]

12. This is done. The fix is in. This isn't going to happen. It's Manhattan. Trump never

pays for his crimes in Manhattan. Not ever. Not for 35 years.

[KPN]

60. And hilariously, this Manhattan DA investigation was

what everyone had bugled would take him down. Two impeachments couldn’t, but just wait, the State of New York and the Manhattan DA will! Famous last words.

[Efilroft Sul]

87. Forget it, Jake. It's Magatown.

[BlueJac]

15. Trump walks again!

This is total bullshit, I get it things are happening that we all don't understand! Unreal!

[Mr. Ected]

22. Wouldn't it be something if millions of Americans took to the streets to protest this shit?

If the criminal justice system doesn't prosecute the top level criminals committing top level crimes in broad daylight in full view of every single human being on the planet, then why the fuck is my kid going to jail tomorrow on a trumped up charge?

I am so through with this fucking country.

[keopeli]

52. You have my sincere condolensces. I don't blame you. I'm very sorry for what has happened to

your kid, whatever it is. I have no doubt in his/her innocence. Our system is so messed up, the system itself is criminal.

Just want to let you know that I feel deeply for you.

[Mr. Ected]

86. Thank you for your kindness.

I would prefer to think more people in the world are like us and not like them.

[KPN]

61. Sorry to hear about your kid's situation. It happens

far too often. Our Justice system definitely favors the wealthy; whether intentionally or unintentionally, doesn’t matter. It isn’t working as it should and will only be fixed when the influence of money and leverage is removed.

Yes, it really would be something to see. I sometimes think that we will one day see that. At some point, if and when things became obviously bad enough that maybe will happen. I also sometimes think though that “incrementalism” stands in the way of that by doing just enough to pacify the masses. That’s my three college educated kids’ theory anyway, and their okay with seeing the whole system just blow up. They don’t really believe their votes matter beyond the local level.

[spanone]

26. Grrrrrrrr

[Joinfortmill]

27. Not defending Bragg, but maybe this DA thought they needed more than Cohen. After all...

he was part of the entire mess.

[JohnSJ]

31. Then it countradicts what Mark Pomerantz's resignation letter said, which was to the effect that

they found was guilty of numerous felonies

"A prosecutor who had been leading a criminal investigation into Donald Trump before quitting last month said in his resignation letter that he believes the former president is “guilty of numerous felony violations” and he disagreed with the Manhattan district attorney’s decision not to seek an indictment.

In the letter, published Wednesday by The New York Times, Mark Pomerantz told District Attorney Alvin Bragg there was “evidence sufficient to establish Mr. Trump’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt” of allegations he falsified financial statements to secure loans and burnish his image as a wealthy businessman."

https://time.com/6160173/donald-trump-committed-numerous-felony-violations-n-y-prosecutor-says-in-resignation-letter/


Frankly, I don't believe Brag

[Joinfortmill]

33. That's quite possible, too.

[JohnSJ]

36. I don't think we will find out in the near term because I don't believe the DA has any intent to

indict

[msfiddlestix]

44. And of course there was never anything else other Cohen's testimony, which of course was always

simply and obviously completely worthless.

So, fellow Du'rs, get with the effin program! Justice in the good old U.S.A. is and was only designed to favor anyone with a boatload of cash. period. and will always be.

[Justice matters.]

91. Problem is, the orange mob boss just "says" he's rich.

All he does is just "brag" about how much wealthy he is, but when asked to "prove" it, he changes the subject.

Besides, he also bragged about being the "KING OF DEBT" so if he's "rich" because he owes more than he has, that's not "weathy" in my book.

Plus, he LIES about everything about a thousand times a day...

[Scrivener7]

68. This was the one about the finances. Where he valued assets

one way for taxes and another for bank loans. The paper trail is extensive and obvious.

[JohnSJ]

28. Cohen is right. They have been working on this two years, the lead prosecutors resigned when DA

Brag came aboard, because from their letter of resignation they felt Brag had no interest in pursuing this, even though the prosecutors said they had more than enough evidence to indict

[tavernier]

30. Cohen himself might be the problem.

His record of truth telling when he worked for DJT is as bad as Trump’s. But I was hoping that the documents
had more value than Cohen himself. My guess is that there are so many crooks and so much illegal activity, that it’s like trying to solve a monkey puzzle to figure out who did what to whom. In the end it was more cost effective to the tax payer to just dump the whole kettle of rotten fish back into the sewer.

[FoxNewsSucks]

46. Not quite.

I just think there was no way to jail MF45 without exposing others who do the same thing. Whether it's political or business crime, they'd like to get tRump and ONLY tRUmp, but there doesn't seem to be a way.

It doesn't matter how much Cohen lied previously, it only matters that he tells the truth now and has evidence to prove it.

[Rebl2]

37. Can't say

I blame him.

[FBaggins]

40. Not sure you really get a choice Mikey

If the DA wants to bring charges in the future - he already has what you've provided and what you've said. If he needs more for a new grand jury then he can subpoena you.

[Ilsa]

42. Yeah, but sounds like Cohen won't make it easy for them.

All of that evidence against trump and they do nothing? Why would they bother about a subpoena?

[FBaggins]

47. Oh... I don't expect it to happen

But it will have little to nothing to do with his preferences on the matter.

Cohen isn't the victim of some crime here. He was involved. He doesn't get to call the shots.

[SoonerPride]

63. Subpoena? bwahahahahahaha

Those are entirely a thing of history.

Subpoena!?

hahahahahahahahaha

[Martin68]

50. Good for Cohen.

[jalan48]

51. Time to move on to our next fantasy about holding Trump accountable.

[Slammer]

54. Cohen

While I agree that Trump should be charged already, Cohen really doesn't have a way of avoiding testifying if they want him to testify.

They call up another grand jury and subpoena him to testify.

If he refuses, he goes to jail.

If he complies, they ask him the same questions under oath over again. If he doesn't give the same answers, they charge him with perjury and send him to jail.

It really depends on whether the future prosecutors are hardcore enough to lean on Cohen enough to make him testify. Because he's already done enough to thoroughly commit himself to the process, no matter how long it takes.

[Hotler]

55. Not good news. I guess we'll have to rely on the good old DOJ for results.

Yeah right.

[SoonerPride]

64. I'm sure by 2067 they will have decided on whether to bring charges.

We just need to be patient.

[llashram]

57. the former POTUS #45

is a rich white man. He has had years of skirting and breaking laws WITH NO CONSEQUENCE. The serious and probably acrimonious behind the scenes drama that must be going on in this grand jury must be revealed soon or later to say the least. Why do they seem afraid of indicting a known criminal, traitor, or sexual predator? And by extension, it seems the case with Garland's DOJ also. Who in the New York grand jury is holding up the process? Who's bought off? Which we will never know anyway.

[BComplex]

66. This is the perfect way for everyone to blame the whole thing going to hell on Cohen.

They never intended to indict trump on anything. There are two very distinct justice systems in this country; one for you and me, and one for "them". We aren't "them". We get busted, fined and jailed. They get lots of donations, so they're free to go commit more crimes, and in the case of trump, more atrocities.

[smirkymonkey]

76. How can ONE monumentally stupid, worthless man, who isn't even THAT rich have so much

power over so many people in this country (and I am talking about Trump, in case it isn't obvious). I really feel like I've been taking crazy pills for the last five years.

[Meowmee]

90. They are too cowardly

To hold him accountable on any level. That is one of the reasons anyway imo. Others are there are way to many who are co crooks on some level and way too many who are easily corrupted and or are intimidated due to some sort of leverage and or self interests.

[Mr.Bill]

82. Mr. Cohen needs to understand

that you can't control a Grand Jury with ultimatums. He also needs to understand that refusing to testify before a Grand Jury, whether this one or a future one will not go well for him.

[BlueIdaho]

92. The DOJ fish stinks from the head down. nt.

[Duppers]

96. Indeed! +100

[BradBo]

93. He's trying to save the last bit of his sanity. Fuck Trump!

[calimary]

94. I don't understand what's taken them so long.

SURELY by now they have enough to go for prosecution! Sure see a line a whole lot of foot-draging and dicking around.

I hope it’s not that somebody’s intimidated by trump. If you’ve got the goods, what do you care if he gets mad at you in public?