What to know about Michael Cohen's second day of testimony
- Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former lawyer and recent foe, returned to the stand today for the second day of testimony in the $250 million civil fraud trial brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
- Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump to take the stand, questioned him about remarks he made outside the courtroom and fined him $10,000 for violating his gag order.
- Engoron imposed a partial gag order on Trump this month, banning him from making disparaging remarks about his court staff. It is the second time Trump has been fined for defying the gag order.
- Trump later stormed out of the courtroom, a move that appeared to take even his own lawyers by surprise.
- James is suing the former president, his company and his two adult sons for $250 million.
Trump attorney sends Cohen a subpoena in hush-money case
Cohen was served with a subpoena Sunday to produce documents in the upcoming hush-money case that is expected to go to trial in March.
When he did not respond, another subpoena was served last night, before his second day of testimony in the Trump tax fraud trial.
Cohen’s attorney, Danya Perry, said she will address the subpoena sent by Trump defense attorney Susan Necheles at the appropriate time.
Necheles declined to comment this evening.
Protesters gathered outside the New York courthouse where Trump attended his civil fraud trial chanted “Trump lies all the time.”
'We're being railroaded here,' Trump says
Outside the courtroom, Trump criticized the judge for denying his attorney's request for a directed verdict, after Cohen testified that he could not "recall" if Trump or Weisselberg had asked him to inflate numbers.
"That should be the end of the case. If we had a jury, this case would have never started practically," Trump added. "This is a very unfair thing."
Moments earlier, Cohen had clarified in court that Trump didn’t specifically tell him to inflate the numbers, describing the former president's actions as a mob boss telling you what he wants without directly telling you.
Trump's motorcade has now departed the courthouse.
Cohen tells reporters outside courtroom: Trump will 'be held accountable'
Following his day on the witness stand, Cohen addressed reporters outside the courtroom after Trump stormed out earlier this afternoon.
He addressed the defendants' failed request for a directed verdict.
"They wanted to make a motion to dismiss the case, to which the judge responded: 'Yeah, absolutely not,'" Cohen said. "You know why? Because he will ultimately be held accountable."
"And as I said the other day, that’s what this is all about. It’s accountability."
Court adjourned
Cohen is off the stand. Court has been adjourned for the day, with proceedings set to resume at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
Trump walks back into court after storming out
A short time after the former president stormed out of the court, he walked back in with his lawyer, Alina Habba.
Robert asked the judge again for a directed verdict. “Absolutely not,” Engoron said, “there's enough evidence in this case to fill the courtroom.”
According to Trump spokesperson, Steven Cheung, the former president will head to the airport from the courthouse following today's proceedings.
Trump storms out of the courtroom with Secret Service agents chasing after him
Asked if Trump or Weisselberg directed him to inflate the numbers on his personal statement, Cohen said: "Not that I recall."
Cliff Robert, an attorney for the Trumps, then asked for a directed verdict, arguing that the key witness testified that the defendant didn't tell Cohen to inflate the numbers. The judge denied the request.
Trump immediately got up and stormed out of the courtroom with Secret Service agents chasing after him. The move was not expected and appeared to surprise even his attorneys. Gasps could be heard within the courtroom.
Cohen later added that Trump didn't specifically tell him to inflate the numbers, comparing the former president to a mob boss who tells you what he wants without directly telling you.
Trump takes the stand, gets fined $10,000 by the judge
Trump took the stand for about a minute and was asked about statements he made outside the courtroom, referring to someone as "partisan." Trump said he was referring to Cohen and not to Engoron's law clerk, whom Trump had been previously sanctioned for criticizing.
The judge asked him if he always refers to Michael Cohen by his name.
Trump's lawyers, Kise and Habba, interjected, saying Trump refers to Cohen using words that are much, much worse than his name.
Engoron said he didn't find the former president credible and fined him $10,000.
Judge orders Trump to take the witness stand
Engoron has ordered Trump to take the witness stand over his apparent violation of the judge's gag order this morning.
Trump denies violating judge's gag order
Trump and lawyers from both sides of the case stayed in the judge's courtroom for the beginning of the lunch break, but reporters were directed to leave.
When Trump emerged about 20 minutes later, he refused to say what was discussed. "You mean the conversation? That I can't tell you," he said.
Asked if he violated the gag order and if he was referring to the judge's law clerk when he mentioned the "very partisan" person sitting next to the judge in his comments earlier in the day, Trump said, "No, not at all." He ignored questions about whom he was referring to.
His lawyer said in court that Trump was referring to Cohen. Trump has repeatedly called Cohen a "felon," a "rat" and a "liar," but has no history of calling him "partisan."