Michael Cohen, former lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, appeared before a Manhattan grand jury on Monday about a hush money payment he allegedly orchestrated to porn star Stormy Daniels on behalf of the former president. The grand jury is investigating the payment of $130,000 made to Daniels before the 2016 presidential election, which she received in exchange for not discussing a sexual liaison with Trump, who denies it happened. The renewed interest in the payment comes at a crucial time for Trump, seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
Cohen testified until 5 p.m. on Monday, after starting at 2 p.m. He is set to return to answer more questions on Wednesday afternoon. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office declined to comment on the grand jury proceedings as they are not public. However, Trump has been allowed to testify before the grand jury as a person subject to an investigation, according to his attorney, Susan Necheles.
On Friday, Necheles released a statement that the Manhattan District Attorney “now threatens to indict former President Trump for payments made to Stormy Daniels seven years ago.” She argued that it would be unprecedented and outrageous selective prosecution for the DA’s office to charge Trump, a victim of extortion, with a crime because his then-lawyer, Cohen, a convicted liar, paid the extortionist.
Cohen was sentenced to prison in 2018 in federal court in Manhattan for campaign finance violations tied to his arranging hush payments to Daniels and another woman during Trump’s 2016 presidential run, among other crimes. Cohen, who has become a Trump foe, told reporters on Monday, “This is not revenge. My goal is to tell the truth.”
Meanwhile, Trump has called the investigation a witch hunt and denies wrongdoing. “I did absolutely nothing wrong. I never had an affair with Stormy Daniels,” he said on his Truth Social platform last week. Joseph Tacopina, another lawyer for Trump, said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday that there were no plans to participate in the grand jury. However, a decision had not been made. Necheles declined to comment on whether Trump would testify.
Lanny Davis, Cohen’s attorney, declined to comment on the details of Cohen’s testimony before the grand jury on Monday. However, he said, “I can generally say that Mr. Cohen sticks to the facts and documents and materials that back up the facts. Any lawyer who deflects and engages in personal attacks must not have the facts on her side.”
The grand jury’s renewed interest in the Stormy Daniels payment could significantly affect Trump’s political future. If he were to be indicted, it would be a significant blow to his aspirations for the 2024 presidential nomination. However, the decision to bring criminal charges against him ultimately rests with the grand jury. For now, Cohen and Trump await further developments in the ongoing investigation.