Amid Donald Trump's hush money criminal trial, South Dakota's Republican Governor Kristi Noem confronted her on CNN. union status On Sunday, he gave a signed check to his former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen.
Trump, who is considered the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, on Monday became the first former president in U.S. history to go on trial in a criminal case. Under investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office, Trump was charged in March 2023 with falsifying business records related to hush money he paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. He was indicted. Daniels claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006, which Trump denies. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and said the case against him is politically motivated.
Meanwhile, Cohen will be one of the key witnesses in Trump's trial, as prosecutors allege that the former president used a series of checks to repay the “hush money” payments he made to Daniels. It is expected that this will happen.
Noem, a close ally of President Trump, was asked Sunday by host Dana Bash about the reimbursement check for Cohen and his position on the former president's criminal trial.
Tom Brenner, Washington Post/Getty Images
“Prosecutors allege that Donald Trump falsified business records to hide hush money payments in the weeks before the 2016 election. He violated both state, tax and federal campaign finance laws. Even if that's true, does that mean he shouldn't be prosecuted and is beyond the legal limit? ” Bash asked.
“What I'm saying is that prosecutors are using someone whose testimony has been proven to be a liar. Michael Cohen has lied to Congress many times,” Noem said. That's their key witness. I say he's certainly not the person who could do that. Trust me he'll do the right thing during this trial. ”
Cohen, a close Trump ally turned critic, was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to eight criminal charges, including campaign finance violations related to the hush-money scandal. Additionally, in November 2018, Mr. Cohen testified in federal court that he lied to Congress in connection with false statements he made to members of Congress about President Trump's business dealings with Russia that were reported during the 2016 presidential campaign. Pleaded guilty for stating.
Meanwhile, Bash continued to press the governor about the refunded checks, showing him a photo of the check he received from Trump and asking if he was “satisfied with this.”
Noem said the check was for Mr. Trump to pay Mr. Cohen's “legal fees,” adding that she would continue to support Mr. Cohen in this year's presidential election.
“Michael Cohen worked for President Trump, and President Trump paid his legal fees, Michael Cohen's legal fees and bills. That's what this trial will show, and hopefully the truth. What a ridiculous incident this is and it comes from a guy like this who has been proven to be a liar… Yes, I support Donald Trump and have been since the beginning. I think so,” Noem said.
In response to Noem's comments, Cohen said in a statement: newsweek “Kristi Noem just spits out one pro-Trump talking point all at once, and then another one, and another, and another, and the only accurate thing that comes out of her mouth,” he said in an email Sunday. The statement is that the judge and jury, not Donald, will make the final decision on innocence or guilt. ”
newsweek emailed President Trump's press secretary and Noem's office for comment.
Trump has frequently used his social media platform Truth Social to harshly criticize Cohen, recently calling him a “disgraced lawyer and felon.”
In March, Judge Juan Machan, who is presiding over the case, imposed a gag order on President Trump, prohibiting him from making any public statements about witnesses, including Cohen and Daniels, as well as his lawyers and staff in the case and their families. was prohibited. The order excluded Marchand and Bragg, but later expanded to include Marchand's and Bragg's families after President Trump's harsh attacks on the judge's daughter, Lauren Marchand. It was done.
Mr. Cohen also testified against Mr. Trump in the civil fraud trial. In that case, New York Judge Arthur Engoron found the former president liable for financial fraud in a lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. In February, Engoron ordered Trump to pay $355 million plus interest and banned him from doing business in New York for three years. The former president appealed the verdict, insisting he had committed no wrongdoing.
Opening statements in Trump's hush money trial are scheduled to begin on Monday, with jury selection finalized on Friday.
rare knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, finding common ground and finding connections.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, finding common ground and finding connections.
