Former President Donald Trump's attorneys have used his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen's own words against him while in court.
Trump, the presumed 2024 GOP presidential nominee, is facing 34 counts of allegedly falsifying business records relating to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, to keep her quiet about her rumored affair with Trump before the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump denies all charges, as well as an affair with Daniels.
As the hush money case continues into its third week, another hearing on whether Trump broke his gag order is being held Thursday mid-morning.
Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the hush money case, has barred Trump from making public comments about certain actors in the case, including potential witnesses like Cohen. Merchan and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the case against Trump, are excluded from the gag order's protection.
The former president has already been fined $9,000 for breaking the gag order nine separate times and Thursday's hearing will consider four more potential violations. Most of the violations and potential violations target Cohen. Merchan warned Trump that he could face jail time if he continues to ignore the gag order.
Cohen, who is set to be a star witness for the prosecution in the hush money case, has emerged as a fierce critic of his former boss, often bashing Trump and talking about the case on mainstream media and social media. The ex-Trump lawyer spent time in prison after pleading guilty to eight criminal charges, including campaign finance violations related to the alleged hush money scheme involving Daniels.
During Thursday's hearing, Trump's attorney Todd Blanche showed multiple exhibits of Cohen "taunting Trump in tweets and retweets through April," Adam Klasfeld, an MSNBC contributor and court journalist, wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
"Cohen's nickname for him, 'Von ShitzInPantz,' has entered the public record," Klasfeld said.
Cohen wrote on X last week: "Hey Von ShitzInPantz...your attacks of me stink of desperation. We are all hoping that you take the stand in your defense."
Todd Blanche displays a string of exhibits of Michael Cohen taunting Trump in tweets and retweets throughout April.
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 2, 2024
Cohen's nickname for him, "Von ShitzInPantz," has entered the public record.
Meanwhile, Newsweek's Katherine Fung who is also inside the courtroom, posted on X: "After showing various posts that Cohen made on X, comments Cohen made on TikTok and interviews Cohen has given about Trump, Blanche argues, 'This is not a man that needs protection from the gag order.'"
While Trump is barred from criticizing Cohen because of the gag order, Cohen is allowed to scrutinize his former boss, which has been a point of contention.
After showing various posts that Cohen made on X, comments Cohen made on TikTok and interviews Cohen has given about Trump, Blanche argues, "This is not a man that needs protection from the gag order."
— Katherine Fung (@katherinekfung) May 2, 2024
On Thursday morning, Trump, who has been critical of the gag order, Judge Merchan and Bragg, called for the gag order to be lifted.
He wrote on his social media site Truth Social: "WE CANNOT LET THIS RADICAL LEFT, CORRUPT AND HIGHLY CONFLICTED NEW YORK DEMOCRAT JUDGE INTERFERE WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2024—THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. THE USA IS TRULY A NATION IN DECLINE! REMOVE THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL GAG ORDER."
Newsweek reached out to Trump's spokesperson and Cohen's lawyer via email for comment.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Rachel Dobkin is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting on politics. Rachel joined Newsweek in ... Read more
