House Speaker Mike Johnson joined former President Donald Trump at the New York courthouse as Michael Cohen resumed testifying for the second day in Trump’s criminal trial related to hush money payments. Johnson stated that Trump is not the bookkeeper for his company and highlighted the political nature of the trial, as reported by CNN.
Johnson emphasized that the trial is politically motivated, especially given the upcoming presidential election. He mentioned that Trump is being accused of falsifying business records, a role that he is not directly responsible for within his company.
Outside the courtroom, Johnson expressed his view that the trial is more about politics than justice, pointing out that Cohen’s testimony seems driven by personal vendetta. Johnson’s alignment with Trump has been increasingly apparent, particularly in challenging the criminal charges faced by the former president.
The prosecution’s case centers around allegations of Trump falsifying business records regarding hush-money payments made prior to the 2016 election. This includes a payment of $130,000 to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, aimed at keeping her from publicly discussing a supposed 2006 encounter with Trump.
During Cohen’s testimony, he described his role as a “fixer” for Trump, handling various tasks as directed. He disclosed that he received significant income from consulting work for other clients, although he clarified that this did not involve legal services.
Cohen’s testimony has included details about invoices and reimbursements related to the hush-money payment, with Trump’s defence team expected to challenge his credibility in the coming days.
Cohen previously pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the hush-money payments and for lying to Congress in 2018, resulting in a three-year prison sentence.