(CTN News) – The former president’s sixth week of trial focused on Michael Cohen, his former attorney and adviser. Cohen’s testimony is key to the allegations that Trump orchestrated a plot to hide hush money payments to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election and forged corporate paperwork to hide campaign finance breaches.

Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti said, “He is the only one for the prosecution capable of connecting those dots and constructing the tapestry of evidence.” Cohen is a celebrity witness, but not the ideal witness.

Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to eight charges in 2018,

Including lying to congressional investigators and federal investigators. In addition to nearly a year in prison, he was sent home for the remaining three years.  His credibility issues are evident, according to Professor Anna Cominsky of the New York Law School.

The Trump lawyers spent the majority of the week attacking Cohen. Todd Blanche characterized Michael Cohen during cross-examination as resentful and untrustworthy, emphasizing his past deception and social media attacks on President Trump.

The president informed Cohen that he had referred to Trump as a “dictator douchebag” who should not be in a cage. According to Blanche, Cohen may have been biased toward Trump’s downfall due to the $3.4 million from two books and the sale of “Send Trump to the big house, not the White House.” t-shirts and coffee mugs.

In his response, President Trump seeks to portray Michael Cohen as a dissatisfied former employee whose testimony is unreliable. The associate of Trump further states, “It is imperative to recognize the lack of credibility of this individual.”

Everything he claims is false. There was no natural tendency for him to lie. The deceptions he perpetrated before Congress were not isolated incidents. Detectives, his wife, as well as the court were lied to by him.

According to Trump’s legal team, Cohen recorded a covert recording of Trump before the election, which was obtained by the National Enquirer. “As a form of blackmail, he secretly recorded a telephone conversation between Donald Trump and that individual.”

In order to convict Cohen, prosecutors must prove that he bribed Daniels to testify about a sexual encounter in 2006.A retainer of $420,000 was promised by Trump to Cohen (Trump denies infidelity.).Invoices and payments were designated for legal fees.

Michael Cohen is the only reason for such payments.

Cohen claimed in court that he and Trump discussed keeping Daniels silent after Trump spoke about grabbing women by the genitalia in the Access Hollywood video.

Cohen claims Trump told him to “just do it.” He said Trump focused on his election prospects rather than his personal life. Michael Cohen testified that Trump predicted “women will despise me.” While some men may find this funny, it will ruin the campaign.

Some former prosecutors believed Cohen’s testimony was necessary to convict Trump of 34 offenses. Barbara McQuade testified that he provided the prosecution with the testimony it needed during direct examination. A number of vital components of the prosecution’s case can be established through these conversations, according to Mariotti.

There will be a 12-person jury that will decide Trump’s fate. In the event that even one of them finds the prosecution’s evidence insufficient, Trump may be released.

The cross-examination of Michael Cohen will be conducted by Blanche on Monday; it is uncertain whether Trump will testify. As far as one source is concerned, no decision has been made.

Cohen’s conviction depends on the jury’s decision to find him guilty despite his problematic record. There is a common practice among prosecutors to use unreliable witnesses. It is even more challenging to prosecute a former and possibly future president on criminal charges for the first time. According to Cominsky, jury verdicts are unpredictable.

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