Judge Gives Alvin Bragg's Office a Message for Michael Cohen

Judge Juan Merchan asked Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office to deliver a message for Michael Cohen ahead of his testimony in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial.

Cohen, who previously served as Trump's attorney, is set to testify next week in the trial. Bragg's office charged the former president with falsifying business documents related to a hush money payment allegedly made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Bragg's office alleges the payment was intended to block her from speaking publicly about her claims of having an affair with Trump.

Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has denied having an affair with Daniels and pleaded not guilty to all 34 criminal charges. He maintains his innocence and has accused Bragg and other prosecutors of targeting him for political purposes, criticizing the trial as a form of election interference.

Cohen is expected to begin his testimony on Monday. He allegedly made the $130,000 payment to Daniels and is a key witness in the case. His testimony could last for several days as he answers questions from prosecutors and the former president's defense lawyers.

Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, asked Merchan on Friday to instruct Cohen to refrain from communicating about the case, according to Newsweek reporter Katherine Fung, who has reported on the trial from inside the courtroom.

He raised concerns about Trump being under a gag order restricting his ability to make public statements about the trial witnesses but that Cohen, a Trump critic, has been allowed to make public comments about the former president.

Cohen has indicated he would not make public comments about the case because he is a witness, but this week, went viral over a livestream on TikTok this week in which he appeared to be wearing a shirt showing a cartoon of Trump in prison.

Merchan told Bragg's office to inform Cohen that he is asking him not to make any more public comments about the case.

"I will direct the People to communicate to Mr. Cohen that the judge is asking him to refrain from making any more statements about this case. That comes from the bench and you are communicating that on behalf of the bench," Merchan said, according to Politico.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass says the People have "repeatedly, repeatedly" asked all their witnesses not to do so.

Newsweek reached out to Cohen via MeidasTouch, the media company that publishes his Mea Culpa podcast, for comment.

Trump has been critical of the gag order against him, which prevents him from attacking the witnesses, jury or family of prosecutors or judge. He has argued it amounts to an unjust limit of his freedom of speech amid his presidential bid. Proponents of the gag order, however, say it is necessary to protect the safety of those involved in the trial.