trump is involved. a leap we have to take, that trump would have been involved in knowing this was going to be recorded as legal services here. also, it's important to know that mcconney was instructed to make sure you're getting the best deal for the company. mcconney wouldn't have just overpaid cohen for legal services unless he knew it was not for legal services, it was for hush money. this helped. there's still a logical leap you have to take to get trump involved in this. at some point they have to tie him directly to this falsification scheme. >> michael, how would something like that be tying trump in? we're seeing, as a matter of fact, it's invoice after invoice that the jurors are seeing about retainer agreements, pay backs, giving this and that. it's almost like -- to use something that david used in the past, granular. it's almost breaking it down to the smallest denominator. what are the things that need to be proven or shown that would prove that trump was directly involved in this? >> well

trump told me to do this, can they establish trump's motivation or trump's personal role in the payoffs already know the mechanics, she can tell us the why and the who. >> vaughn hillyard, outside the courthouse, take us inside. >> reporter: right, i think it is important to set up here, when david in "the washington post" published the access hollywood story on october 7th, that led to text messages being sent between the "national enquirer" editor dylan howard and keith davidson, who is the attorney representing stormy daniels. less than 36 hours later, this evidence has already been provided to the jury, these text messages, less than 36 hours after david's story, the "access hollywood" story dropped, the message was sent by dylan howard, the "national enquirer" editor, directly to keith davidson, making it clear that it would, quote, her talking be the final nail in the coffin. that is what led then a day after that to keith davidson and dylan howard being connected to michael cohen on october 10th, 2016, and in those weeks that followed, that is what led to the negotiations of the

if you remember from trump's periphery to trump's, go refer to trump's.everything fixer. >> and that included the alleged hush money deal designed to silence stormy daniels idea that cohen testified trump ordered him to make the jury learned how cohen called trump. >> well, mr. trump or more simply the boss, his demeanor was measured throughout as he told the court how trump avoided email to many people. he said have gone down because of a paper trail. cohen recall trump's saying, and he also painted a picture of trump as the micromanager doling out tasks and demanding updates, or becoming frustrated when he wasn't appraised of the up to the minute progress on various issues, cohen told the jury everything that happened around trump required his sign-off tonight. we're going to take you actually inside the courtroom. we're going to page through word for word, the most tense, the most revealing and weight, the most crippling testimony for the former president. and then we're going to analyze where the prosecution one today, where the government missed some

donald trump and because of the people who worked for donald trump's campaign to get him there.get monsters like donald trump thanks to people like hope hicks. people who white house reporters social kiss in the white house press briefing room, reporters whose acceptance of donald trump is warmed by the charms of hope hicks. witness hope hicks get off the witness stand today without being asked the most important question of her life. she wasn't asked that question, because it wasn't an important question in this trial. and that question is, why didn't you quit? why didn't you quit that presidential campaign in 2016 when it was so obvious to all of us that you were working for a pathological liar and a dangerous person? why didn't you quit is a much more important question than why did she cry. we'll review today's trial evidence for the rest of the hour with people who were in the courthouse with me this week and saw it all. they'll join us. all they'll join us. deep down, i knew something was wrong. since my fatigue and light-headedness would come and go, i figured it wasn't a

they want to be with trump.he has a coalition that he has up after the white house. ~ ., ., ., , house. we that govern outside the courthouse _ house. we that govern outside the courthouse today. - house. we that govern outside the courthouse today. what i the courthouse today. what about the voters themselves? it seems throughout the campaign, you know where you stand if you are a photocopy or other support donald trump or you don't. above this project have any kind of impact on voters, could it change anyone's mind, could it change anyone's mind, could it change anyone's mind, could it drive folks to the polls or maybe turn them to stay home on election day? for so many voters, _ stay home on election day? er?" so many voters, whether republican or democrat or independent, whenever i encounter them in the campaign trail, it is evident to me as a correspondent their views on trump's characters already baked into their calculus of this campaign. it's not that they are surprised about hearing about another scanda

donald trump's respect, donald trump's admiration, donald trump's love. by then michael cohen probably knew that donald trump is incapable of love and luckily for michael cohen his family was capable of love, even after the horror they experienced of an fbi raid that michael cohen brought into their family home. michael cohen's wife and daughter, then in college, and his son, then in high school, did something of an intervention on michael cohen. michael cohen testified that it was conversation with his family that made him decide that it was time to escape the trump colt. by that time, what if anything had you decided about whether you would continue to lie for president trump? answer, i made a decision based on the conversation with my family. i would not lie for president trump any longer. question, if not for the campaign, would you have paid that money to stormy daniels? answer, no ma'am. michael cohen said that the day he pleaded guilty was, quote, the worst day of my life. donald trump issued a tweet that day aimed at michael cohen. michael cohen t

trump? >> reporter: and, david, pollsters have been asking this question hypothetically saying, if donald trump were to be convicted of a crime, if he were to be convicted of a felony, would that change your support for him? the overwhelming majority of trump supporters have said no, but there have been on average in polls, including an abc news poll just a month ago, 20% of voters who say they would support donald trump, who would say at least they would reconsider their support for donald trump if he were to be convicted for a felony. if that holds, that could be devastating to his presidential campaign, again, given how close this is. but will it hold? i mean, we just don't know, david. it's important to remember trump is now -- he was indicted on four different venues, two federal, one state. now this one this new york. and each of those indictments actually only helped his campaign. he actually only improved after being indicted. so we'll see what happens now that an indictment has led

trump. allegedly over the cover-up of a hush-money payments to adult onstar stormy daniels in the final months of the 2016 election. our correspondent has been following all the twists and turns over the last six weeks of this trial. i think we can go toer. just bring us up-to-date on this flurry of activity the last 10 or 20 minutes. correspondent: absolutely. we have just heard that the judge has announced that he will call the jury in. we are just moments away from the jury. -- moments away from the jury reading out whether they have found donald trump guilty or not guilty on the 34 counts that he faces of falsifying business records in the first degree, felony then the other jurors will have to agree on the findings of those counts. so, if donald trump is found guilty on just one of those, he will be a convicted felon. so a lot at stake, clearly, for donald trump. he is clearly hoping that this swift decision, not too swift, 11 hours of deliberations, but nevertheless that this decision

trump."se, mr. trump is blasphemy to the man who demands that his lawyers and everyone around him call him by his former official title. good morning mr. trump. it was not a good morning for mr. trump when michael cohen took the witness stand to testify against him. witness michael cohen delivered all of the essential elements of the criminal charges against donald trump in his testimony. district attorney alvin bragg was watching after being publicly called that alvin by donald trump at his rally in new jersey. at the same rally in new jersey, donald trump said he could not call former new jersey governor chris christie a "fat big ." could not call him that. said it out loud, of course. the deep perversion of trump that is on display in moments like that is that extremely overweight people at trump rallies, and i mean even more overweight than don trump, laughed at that use of the word fat, as if they are living on some other planet where harsh adjectives only apply to people they don't like

michael cohen called trump "boss," or mr. trump. he said his ten years at the trump organization were fantastic. and i think this is one of the keys, as well. he also said he confirmed he did bully people because the only thing on his mind was to accomplish the task and to keep trump happy. it kind of reminds you of a mob trial, where prosecutors are trying to paint donald trump as, ironically, the don, and michael cohen is kind of a sympathetic lackey he was just following orders. so you have to wonder what's going on in the minds of these jurors have listened to three weeks of testimony that michael cohen is this terrible guy, a bully, a jerk, and he's trying to paint himself as some kitten is also appearing to be nervous on the stand. >> kayleigh: yes. we'll keep you updated with each and every detail coming from the stand. minute-by-minute updates. we will bring them to you as michael cohen testifies in former president donald trump's criminal trial in new york city. we are watching those doors for the former president, but also

trump? i don't think so. >> the thing is michael cohen and donald trump. >> what's remarkable about this is they have not spoken since the summer of 2018 after michael cohen's home and office were rated and that was really the last conversation. there was a brief chunk called him to check in after that happened. but really since then that is when the complete deterioration of this relationship began. but another interesting thing that michael cohen may testify about and that i imagine prosecutors will ask him about is something that he testified about that people seem to forget from that 2019 testimony on capitol hill, which is that denial that he put out in 2018 of trump's knowledge and reimbursement of the 130,000 dollar. michael cohen testified that he coordinated that false statement with donald trump and with allen weisselberg. and a lot of members of congress didn't really delve into, we'll tell us about that conversation. what was said, who, whose idea was it? that is an area where mi

trump.m trump also suggested that stormy daniels opposed trump politically and wanted to take him down. a line of questioning that comes with a lot of risks for the ex-president's team. as nbc news reports the defense spent considerable time trying to prove that daniels had a political motive for wanting to out trump's story, trying to hurt his election bid. wouldn't that bolster the prosecution's arguments trump had -- for wanting to silence her. the d.a.'s office reminded everyone donald trump is the only person on trial, not stormy daniels, bringing up a devastating piece of evidence. they asked stormy daniels about an admission by michael cohen and trump in a lawsuit that donald trump had reimbursed cohen the $130,000 for the nda with stormy daniels. the prosecution in this line of argument points out even if she has made money from her association with trump her fame has come at a steep price. stormy daniels said she has had to deal with an avalanche of threats, deal with legal fees, pr

my mother likes trump. so, the thing is common sense will tell you if somebody like me and my mother likes him that means there must be something about him. and we look at how were things when he was president. i had like to think they were pretty good. it seemed to be pretty quiet all over the world. i personally think that mike rodgers i think i have seen on the fuse he was talking to mike rodgers anden doorsing him or something. he seemed pretty cool. trump laked his ideas. he might be his running mate. i don't know. >> we -- were you saying you don't know a lot about mike rodgers? >> i don't but i saw him endorsing him. but whoever he picks i'm sure nobody will like it. everybody seems to help republicans for whatever reason. but it is like going to a doctor. a doctor, a good guy, speaks well, offered coffee and everybody likes him. but you go home and you still in pain or you want to be the injuring doctor quiet but go homeer feeling great. >> we will leave it there. your thoughts on meek rodgers runni

starting in 2017 it was trump. a man regardless of what his moral value is, or how annoying he is or how bullying he was to you and me on the phone from time to time and other reporters, he confessed to crimes and went to prison for a series of events that involved this, this transfer of funds from trump and there is no way there is not a crime being committed on the other side of the ledger. >> trump had another entourage of high profile defenders at the trial today, it was extraordinary, the first few days, nobody. not a family member, friend or spouse, now the gop all-stars, today the speaker of the house had nothing better to do and went and sat in the courtroom with trump, one of the primary opponents was there, is this a strategy to get closer to trump or is this part of a strategy to get around the gag order on trump? he cannot go after the judge wore jurors or the judges family but maybe they can? >> in fact the senator made a comment that was similar, he said he was going because he wanted to stand against

and trump knows it. joining me is lisa reuben, and andrew weissmann, msnbc legal analyst and former federal prosecutor. thank you both for being here. lisa, did i properly summarize what happened in court today? >> you did. it was a not very eventful day. and yet, a consequential one at the same time. summary witnesses, as andrew probably knows better than just about anyone, are really effective vehicle for helping the jury understand lots of data that otherwise they would have to synthesize and compile themselves. summary witnesses is what allows you to connect the dots, sometimes in a helpful visual format. that's what happened today. that one exhibit that shows the 34 different documents that are alleged to have been falsified and which count of the felonies allege they correspondent to and whether they're a ledger or a check or an invoice, count on the jury to rely upon that and look at it again and again as they deliberate. that's the sort of thing that will be an immensely helpful tool for them, ev

he has a very even tone in greece, donald trump with a good morning, mr. trump. every single day that he watson the courtroom, and he certainly every time trump's attorney objects, he brings them up there. he hears their concerns. but there was this moment and i've been watching the judge very closely the times that i've been privileged to be inside the courtroom and his demeanor as the questioning is going on, and we saw him looking visibly uncomfortable during the story game and heels testimony when that was initially going on. and there was this moment where when there's a break everyone gets ten to 15 minutes to go out to the hallway, go to the restroom. trump in his whole entourage leaves prosecutors and their whole team leaves. and they both returned to the courtroom. trump returned without multiple of those lawmakers and doug burgum, the governor or north dakota, in tow with him. and we just thought they weren't coming back in the room because the court began the questioning, started and it was basically silent inside the courtroom. and then a little while

trump, donald trump, jr., ivanka trump and eric trump. >> in your sentencing statement back in december in front of the judge, you said this, mr. cohen, my weakness can be characterized as a blind loyalty to donald trump a blind loyalty that led me to choose a path of darkness, is that right? >> i wrote that. >> you wrote and said that in front of the judge. >> that's correct. >> let me read a few other things and ask you why you did some of these things. when you filed a false tax return in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, was all that out of blind loyalty to the president? >> no, it was not. >> when you failed to report $4 million in income to the internal revenue service, did you do that to protect donald trump? >> no, i did not. >> and when you failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes, i got constituents that don't make that in a lifetime, when you failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes to the u.s. treasury, was that out of some blind littlety to the president of the united states? >> it was not. but the number was $1.38 million and change and i have paid that money back to the irs at this

trump lived the playboy life but is that what's really going to do him in now trump hush money trial gavel to gavel coverage this is unprecedented to have a candidate for the white house as a criminal defendant. we've never been here. >> the weight only see it and then can bring it to you. >> as he never reporters are covering every angle of this prowl legal insight, expert analysis. let's go through some key takeaways and real-time updates live from the court this is riveting testimony that we are getting follow the facts, follow the testimony, follows cnn let's take a look at so here guys were everything down to its done from design and products to removal and installation rebound this with you through every step of your remodel color visit rebirth.com for your free and home design consultation it's good to get some fresh air that's their hi guys bill, you look great now that i have inspire, i'm free from struggling with the mask and the hose is fire inspires of sleep apnea treatment that works inside my body with a click of this button no mask? >> no. you just sleep where are you

msnbc trump trial. and i'm here with my panel, big night you guys. today's proceedings unexpectedly to me. were like that helpful moment in the old agatha christie style. you have been following along, you flow who the characters are. at least you can remember most of their names. you know the basic plot of the mystery but then there's this kindness. this great helpful moment in the story where the detective sits down under some stupid pretense with some other character and in their conversation, they give you all the answers. it's okay you haven't been paying close attention all along. they in this conversation are going to recap the whole story and not only will they get to the big answer, the big who done it. they will also give you the solutions to all the other little mysteries and red herrings that popped up over the course of the story. that was michael agatha christie cohen today. so, for example. why did michael cohen make the hush money payments to stormy daniels from his home equity line of c

donald trump.o adentro, con el rostro desencajado, Él y su equipo legal escucharon el veredicto sin poder ocultar la derrota y al salir en los pasillos del tribunal, trump hablÓ man and it's okay, i'm fighting for our country. >> i'm fighting for our constitution. >> los miembros del jurado, conformado por siete hombres y cinco mujeres, no titubearon a leer su decisiÓn. despuÉs de dos dÍas de deliberaciones y de seis semanas de juicio. >> donald trump is guilty of thirty four accounts of falsifying business records in the first degree to cancel a scam to corrupt the election. en el estrado se escucharon 22 testimonios. >> entre las pruebas que presentÓ la fiscalÍa estÁn grabaciones de audio, cheques, facturas, correos electrÓnicos y mensajes de texto. el caso se centrÓ en gran medida en si los jurados creerÍan la palabra de michael cohen. el ex abogado de trump, a quien la defensa llamÓ el rey de las mentiras y mentiroso convicto, y el Único testigo que vinculÓ directamente a trump con el delito de

then you have laura trump, trump's daughter-in-law, a family member at the rnc.annot have ballots counted, maria, after elections are over. and right now that is one of the many lawsuits we have out across this country to ensure that just that happens, that we have a free, fair, and transparent election. so in nevada, as you pointed out, we are saying we want, on election day, that to be the last day that mail-in ballots can be counted. >> lara trump just making up new rules. senator cotton lying about who was there, echoing the hallway that we've had josh hawley and others pushing what we know went down on the 6th. it's all of a similar piece. we try to be very precise about who is doing what here, but this is part of undermining elections. other right wing figures are blatantly invoking nazi rhetoric. they're talking about other individuals or citizens or people in america being subhuman. we have one donor retreat here where vp hopefuls and other top republicans were there. this isn't just some random meeting we found. and the biden administration was falsely l

how much this could hurt trump, whether this will heard trump, or just before, while you think about that, and i'm just going to give our viewers a little bit of a, a recap of what's happened, cuz we're about 25 minutes into this. now, the jury has now rendered its verdict in the so called hush money trial. against the 45th president of the united states, donald trump, and the verdict is that they found him guilty. they convicted him. he was found guilty of falsifying business records on 34 accounts, all accounts. in fact, donald trump, just a few moments after the verdict was read out, walked out of the court room towards the microphones and said that this had been a read trial by a conflict the judge. ah, there you go. a film just a few moments ago saying i'm an innocent man. um, let's see if we can listen to what he said. we'll go, we'll come back to that little later. so this, this is where we are, john, you're, you're telling us moments ago. this is a historic 1st obviously, the 1st president, a former president or current president, 1st president to be to face a criminal trial

trump.re hearing from inside the courtroom when it comes to his demeanor he's asking and answering these questions pretty -- pretty quickly, in that he's sticking with the points, he's not veering off of subjects. he is staying with kind of the answers that he is being asked. that is some color from inside the courtroom when it comes to lisa rubin. they talked about the history between michael cohen and donald j. trump, how it was he came to work for the trump organization. he was introduced to the trump organization through don jr. back in 2007 also with investment properties in trump international tower. he was asked to work on some contracts for donald trump in which the bill would amount up to $100,000. he was asked if, in fact, he was paid $100,000. he said, no, but he was subsequently then offered a job for $375,000 plus bonuses as well. so they're kind of walking through the history here between both michael cohen and donald j. trump. let me just read one interaction as well, if i can

new york versus donald trump. we are joined by joyce vance and professor jason johnson, both analysts for us. i went through some of what we got out of this opening weekend i think it is fair to say if you are on the jury it feels like the d.a. is up, in the lead. i was careful to say it doesn't mean we know the outcome. what do you think they achieved in this first weekend what do you think they have to worry about? >> it is a great question. if you are the prosecution and you are not up after your first witness, you are in big trouble. the prosecution really did start off with an unexpected bang. no one knew what to expect out of david pecker. we learned he had been cooperating with prosecutors and brought trump straight into the essential conspiracy, the election fraud conspiracy, which is necessary to turn the misdemeanor that is charged here into a felony. important testimony. he stood up well on testimony and cross-examination. they did not seem to come after him with a lot. they tried to pick away at his cr

trump. >> big day in the criminal trial of former president donald trump. >> the star witness takes the stand against donald j. trump. >> form fixer michael cohen now the star witness in the new york versus trump trial. cohen on the stand. >> an extraordinary showdown today in court. >> the man at the center of the hush money payments scandal is testifying. >> the ex-president coming face to face with the man who used to do his dirty work who now has turned into the key witness. >> our own nicole wallace there putting it succinctly, from dirty work to key witness. prosecutors began today with questions about the deals made more what they call the catch and kill plot, including model karen mcdougal's story, of her time with trump. and that would have been a significant event having a significant impact on the campaign if exposed. if exposed, it would hurt donald trump, i should say. mr. cohen said that on the stand under oath. that matters a lot. and it matters for the jury to hear it for the

you look in 2020 you had biden 55% trump 43% trump has stayed the same but biden dropped 7%. >> a couple of thanks. if former president donald trump carried all the states he carried while losing in 2020 and added the states he is ahead in the polls today he would be at 302 electoral votes. those 7 points are better he would be 283 which is well above 270. but you are right he is doing well today and is ahead if the election were today he would win. you put you're finger though on the 1 thing he is got to worry about, so far is more about joe biden dropping from where he was rather than donald trump rising above where he was in 2020. but i would rather have trump's numbers if the election were today he would win a smashing victory. >> trace: and by the way we note that is not live but the court is in a break for another 10 minutes and we will get back there in the meantime. jerry baker to you. carl made a good point,'s numbers and not really increasing. you have joe biden's numbers going down, is it beneficial or detrimental to trump? should his numbers be increasing if the f

trump. the testimony that says these payments at the heart of the case were made because of trump's campaign. he made the payment to daniels to ensure the story could not come out. they asked if not for the campaign, would you pay the money? in cohen trump said no. prosecutors said at who's direction an on whose behalf did you commit the crime? notice the crime. they are getting this in front of the jury. the idea that cohen was a key part and now admitting this crime with his then client donald trump. and he said on behalf of mr. eh trump. that's the heart of the case. cohen bolstering the theory it was done for the campaign. meaning there was a business fraud crime of lying about it. then the second campaign crime. that's the theory. i mentioned the cross and we will get to that later in the hour because there is interesting stuff in the cross. but much probably the most e important thing we have seen is what happened yesterday and the morning beginning of today which is how cohen is walki

trump. senior legal correspondent laura jarrett has the latest. >> reporter: tonight, nbc news learning from multiple sources prosecutors will call their star witness, michael cohen, on monday. he called himself donald trump's fixer. now a vocal trump critic. cohen unleashing on his old boss in his book and on social media spotted online this week wearing a t-shirt depicting mr. trump behind bars. the judge today directing prosecutors to inform cohen that the judge is asking him to refrain from making any statements about the case or mr. trump, but not placing a gag order on cohen. mr. trump remains under one barring him from attacking witnesses and the jury. >> it's a disgrace. it's not a case. there's no crime. there is no crime, and they've failed to show a crime. >> reporter: cohen, a critical witness for the prosecution, as the jury has now read his text messages, heard his voice, and seen evidence that he paid stormy daniels $130,000 just days before the 2016 election so she couldn't d

as trump — eric trump, his second eldest son.ight by eric, who is— as trump got up, he passed right by eric, who is sitting in the front row, _ eric, who is sitting in the front row, and — eric, who is sitting in the front row, and he _ eric, who is sitting in the front row, and he seemed to grab his upper arm row, and he seemed to grab his upper arnl or— row, and he seemed to grab his upper arnl or his _ row, and he seemed to grab his upper arm or his chest in a moment of a fatherly— arm or his chest in a moment of a fatherly gesture, while i don't know who was— fatherly gesture, while i don't know who was comforting who, he did reach out for— who was comforting who, he did reach out for the _ who was comforting who, he did reach out for the closest family he had at the moment before he walked out without _ the moment before he walked out without saying a word. it�*s the moment before he walked out without saying a word.— without saying a word. it's so interesting — without saying a word. it's so interesting to _ without saying

trump, mr. trump. he is former president trump. give him some respect.at that place is in there. it is no respect. here is what i'm seeing, too. it is depressing. this is new york city. the icon of our country and we have a courtroom that is the most depressing thing i've ever been in. mental anguish is trying to be pushed on republican candidate for the president of the united states. that's all this is. he has been here a month. a month. i am disappointed in looking at the supposedly american citizens in that courtroom that the d.a. comes in and he acts like it is his super bowl. i guess it is, to be noticed. but that's what is happening in this country. republican candidate for president of the united states is going through mental anguish in a courtroom that's very depressing, very depressing. i'm glad to stand by president trump. i'm a friend of his and here more as a friend than a backing him as candidate as president. i'm sitting there listening to a guy on the stand that they had to get out of house arrest because he lied in another court to test

trump. in fact, using the word obsessed and quoting it from one of trump's up, from one of cohen's books blanche showed the jury a photo of cohen wearing this t-shirt of trump in an orange jumpsuit and a mug like this that cohen cells online which reads, send them to the big house, not the white house. the questions were fast and furious. cohen's answers were generally extremely short many times just saying something like sounds like something i would say. now, cohen recently told me he was ready for trump's team to hit him hard, especially after seeing he said how they went after fulton county da fani willis, whom the trump team is still trying to get kicked off the light section interference case in georgia nobody wants to do this. >> this isn't fun. likud. well, for example, with fani willis today, they get personal, they get nasty and i expect mine to be as nasty if not nastier than the questions that were thrown at fani willis he is going to get even nastier is the cross continues blanc

donald trump committed a misdemeanor— that donald trump committed a misdemeanor in— that donald trumpmitted a misdemeanor in cooking - that donald trump committed a misdemeanor in cooking the - that donald trump committed a - misdemeanor in cooking the books, the question— misdemeanor in cooking the books, the question is— misdemeanor in cooking the books, the question is can _ misdemeanor in cooking the books, the question is can they— misdemeanor in cooking the books, the question is can they also - misdemeanor in cooking the books, the question is can they also show. the question is can they also show that this _ the question is can they also show that this was — the question is can they also show that this was a _ the question is can they also show that this was a felony, _ the question is can they also show that this was a felony, that - the question is can they also show| that this was a felony, that donald trump _ that this was a felony, that donald trump falsified _ that this was a felony, that donald trump falsified business _ that this was a felony, that donald trump falsifi

trump.night, star prosecution witness michael cohen facing a scathing second day of cross-examination as former president trump's defense team tries to paint him as a spurned former employee desperate for payback. the jury, hearing cohen on his podcast appearing in search of vengeance. >> revenge is a dish best served cold and you better believe i want this man to go down and rot inside for what he did to me and my family. >> reporter: tension in the room building to a dramatic moment, trump attorney todd blanche accusing trump of lying -- cohen of lying about his testimony, saying mr. trump's bodyguard passed the phone to mr. trump on october 24th, 2016 at 8:0 2 pm. cohen said he informed trump at the time the deal the path stormy daniels would be done, blanche today raising his voice, saying that was a lie, showing the jury never before seen text messages suggesting the call was for another purpose entirely. cohen had earlier reached out to schiller for help dealing with a 14-year-old prin

trump organization paid for the attorney, it was very much important trump was paying -- trump organization was paying for that attorney. how did you feel about the power of the president behind you? cohen, i needed it, i thought it was very important. hoffinger, did you lie? cohen, i did. again, this is preparing for what the defense is going to go after. >> they have to own it. this is something that prosecutors do every single day, because here's the reality, michael cohen has some problems. but he's not even close to the worst when in that giant spectrum of cooperating witnesses that prosecutors use. cooperating witnesses can really run the gamut. they can be awful people. i've had them brought in, in shackles and prison garb to testify. these are people that are drug dealers, sometimes they're killers, sometimes they're people who use guns, and prosecutors use them all the time. you know why? because they work. they work devastatingly well. and for that reason, i think juries are willing to see someone that this is somebody who has flaws, he's owning up to it, but he apparently was an

i predicting it for mr trump or mr biden?— predicting it for mr trump or mr biden?t made a final prediction. _ mr biden? i have not made a final prediction. but - mr biden? i have not made a final prediction. but i - mr biden? i have not made a final prediction. but i have i final prediction. but i have said a lot would have to go wrong for biden to lose this election. a lot would have to go wrong for biden to lose this election. it could happen, but right now, biden, forget the polls, forget the pundits, biden is looking good. and by the way, forget every bit of commentary about the political imprecations of this verdict. nobody knows. it's way too soon, take all of that and due to it with the great british philosopher david hughes said, you should do it to works of superstition, consigned them to the flames. superstition, consigned them to the flame— the flames. that's my final word. the flames. that's my final word- you _ the flames. that's my final word. you got _ the flames. that's my final word. you got it _ the flames. that's my final word. you got it right -

trump, yes. michael cohen testified today for the first time that just before leaving to be inaugurated as president of the united states donald trump reviewed the smoking gun document that laid out the crime. he then talked in detail about the crime with his cfo and with michael cohen and he said do it. quote, he approved it. so, if there's anything in this case that isn't just plainly black letter proven by the documents and records, if there's anything else we have been waiting for in testimony from witnesses this is probably it, right? it certainly wasn't all, there's a lot to say about what happened today. let's start there. lawrence o'donnell, you were there. >> one other bit we got that is sequential here an important is donald trump, at the time in october of 2016, the final days of the presidential campaign directing michael cohen to make the payment to stormy daniels. he said he directed me to do it, we remember weikel collins federal indictment that everything he did was at the directi

trump l _ trump team people close to president trump i haven't got hold of someone serrior— trump i someone senior irr— trump i haven't got hold of someone senior in the — trump i haven't got hold of someone senior in the trump campaign but what _ senior in the trump campaign but what i _ senior in the trump campaign but what i am— senior in the trump campaign but what i am speaking to people who are close to _ what i am speaking to people who are close to president trump in one of them _ close to president trump in one of them has — close to president trump in one of them hasjust texted me, it's a gop civil war _ them hasjust texted me, it's a gop civilwar it's— them hasjust texted me, it's a gop civil war. it's a republican party civil— civil war. it's a republican party civil war and what he was referring to is the _ civil war and what he was referring to is the fact that this is a moment in which _ to is the fact that this is a moment in which team trump is watching to see which— in which team trump is watching to see which republicans defend the president and which republicans

trump's trial. judge, aileen cannon, who was appointed by trump himself.nd has issued a number of controversial rulings in his favor, saying it would be called imprudent and quote inconsistent, set a trial date. now the case was supposed to go to trial this month. that decision all but guarantees that that is now not going to happen for the election in front now, former trump white house attorney ty cobb, tie, you been clear with your feelings of how judge can and has handled this case, but this is this is direct. this isn't just she's, you know, by by having an unrealistic trial date on the calendar, we know she's not really putting one on. this is direct like it's it's over, it's not happening. what's your reaction to it? >> well i think. you're absolutely right, erin. >> this is dirac, this is clear. >> all she's really done today though is make official what everybody including jack smith already knew, which was she had no intention of getting this case to trial, and she wasn't competent to get this case to trial. she talks about her duty to fully and

trump? cohen said trump said wow, that's great. he was happy. this is circumstantial evidence about another hush money payment but it's not the heart of the case here. it's not what donald trump is accused of wrong doing here. it's not michael cohen paying his own money to keep daniels quiet. it's not donald trump paying repaying cohen and calling it legal services when it was not. danny was saying the defense might have an argument that this is, they're going too far into these circumstances. but don't they need to set this up given that trump doesn't have a paper trail? don't they need to set the behavior up time and time again to tie donald trump to this even though there isn't a paper trail? >> exactly. what they say in new york, this was necessary background information and this is interwove with the crime. that's why the judge allowed this evidence to come in because it leads to daniels. >> and it shows the micro management. i want to bring in andrew weissman, former senior member of the mueller probe and who has been in the court's overfl

trump. thank you so very much. that wraps up the hour for me. thank you for the privilege of your time. andrea mitchell picks up with more news right now. ♪♪ >>> good day, everyone. i'm andrea mitchell in new york. the trump trial is underway. right now, the former president's close aide, trusted advisor and former white house communications director, hope hicks is on the stand. she no longer has an official role in trump world. has testified to the january 6th house select committee. but hicks was by trump's side throughout his 2016 campaign and for a time when he was serving as president. she potentially has a firsthand account of the alleged crimes her former boss is now charged with. we begin with peter alexander who covered the trump white house and covered hope hicks and know her well, former manhattan district attorney catherine christian on set with me, former prosecutor david henderson and former doj official, mary mccord. peter, explain why hope hicks is so critical to the time lin

signed not by donald trump as president but signed by those still working for the trump organization. they could view home differently for example than the nine counts where donald trump himself was signing from the white house for goodness sakes and where they've heard evidence that those invoices were sent personally to keith schiller to be brought over for him to sign. you could see some break down for some counts finding not guilty, or hanging on. not having all 12 agree. because an acquittal means all 12 have to agree. i find that heart. you could have some break downs. >> all things to watch. nobody set their time, we don't know. we don't know. we have to stick in a quick break. we'll have our conversation going on at the other end. >>> a little reminder that donald trump's hush money trial isn't the only legal battle the former president is facing right now. we're following a significant order in another case. they're seeking a gag order against trump, we'll discuss that, next. only purple's gel flex grid passes the raw egg test. no other mattress cradles your body and simultan

trump. >> cohen has made his hatred for trump quite public in recent years, including by going live on tiktok just earlier this week and he happened to be wearing a shirt with an image and artistic rendering of trump behind bars. >> that of course, lead prosecutors to add, judge juan merchan to place cohen under a gag order this afternoon. we're sean requested that rejected that request, but he did tell prosecutors to themselves order cohen to stop talking about this case and donald trump. let's get straight to cnn's kara scannell outside the courthouse care. what can we expect when michael dean cohen finally takes the stand on monday? >> well jake we expect michael cohen and be under cross-examination and direct examination for several days, and that's because cohen is at the center of this. he is the person that facilitated this $130,000 payment to stormy daniel's. he also according to prosecutors, hatched out the reimbursement deal with donald trump in the oval office in february of 2017.

trump and mr. biden will headline their party's ballots but will be accompanied by candidates like nikki haley and dean phillips and author marion williamson on the democratic ballots. there is more on the states holding ballots. republican line in indiana on this open forum. this is michael. hello. caller: i think it is about time the country gives a chance to the private citizen to have a say in things. host: what you mean by that? caller: i think you should pick a private citizen to run this country. host: what you think the appeal would be if he decided to go that route? caller: i think it would have the people's best interest in mind. the planet. i think it would finally do some good for this country. host: michael in indiana. you can keep adding to this idea if you want when it comes to vice president nominees. tim in baltimore, democrats line, go ahead. caller: in reference to the vice president, a lot of people are calling in in reference to what they think should be the vice president. tru

trump campaign warns gop candidates not to fundraise off trump's conviction. list and we aren't in the spirit of christmas. why so? >> i think the fact right now is everybody will be talking about this trial. we want to make sure that the support for the president goes to the president and all of the tide will be lifted here when the president wins. right now we're focused on the fundamentals. we go back to the basics. how will we win this election? we'll win it by turning out the vote and by protecting the ballot. all of our operations at the rnc and with the trump campaign are ready to continue our work. we're not going to change strategies. we won't change tactics. we'll make sure we're doing the blocking and tackling we need. when the american people look at the difference between four years under president trump versus the four years we're living under joe biden right now, they know that america is in a stronger place under president trump. that's why we're going to have them reelected come this fall. >> bret: mr. chairman, there are some people who say w

, jack trump. and you of course, are also a very familiar to many. now, as we've talked over the years here, both of you tonight, it comes donald trump found guilty on 34 counts, a criminal criminal conviction, 34 felonies 18 years of working with him, barbara, what's your reaction no, i wasn't sitting in the courtroom button. >> i always thought he was guilty with the saf forgotten even outside the court but one was with salt so obvious. i was surprised though, to be honest with you, i thought it might be home. i just thought that maybe they find a way to draw something on that i was glad to see. i was watching on some share of that number in midtown that they men once you're drain and went all the way up to 34 are so i think it's a very good result for the country and none of it's surprised me. none of it surprised me. i should jack is going to agree based on knowing him and jack, you did know him for so many years, you worked at the one financial issues you've dealt with them on on on checks and

, defendant trump. and the prosecution will say i agree or i want more, less. the defence will say i think he should get, i don't know, an ankle bracelet. he could be the probation president maybe if he ends up, so he could be that. in the end the judge will make the ultimate decision on what the sentence will be for donald trump. >> this is a big question, we don't have that much time before break, but the other question here is the appeals process or what that looks like. it's not -- all of it's not knowable, but give us a sense on the timeline when we learn something, how it's considered. >> it takes a while. and one rule of thumb to think about is we've seen this in the civil trial, the fraud case, where they somewhat expedited that, but that meant they'd hear it in september. to give you some sense, this should take a little while. again, if donald trump thinks he has a good appeal, maybe he'll move to expedite it hoping that he gets some favorable ruling, because it's hard for it to get worse than

we are live in trump tower where donald trump is going to be holding a press conference at 11:00 a.m.. we say press conference, it could just be remarks. we don't know if he's going to be taking questions from the assembled reporters. it's notable and i'm here with vaughn hillyard our nbc correspondent who's been covering the trump campaign. i said at the top of the show, it's notable that he's doing this news conference here at trump tower because it is the literal scene of the crime. it's where the prosecution alleged michael cohen and david pecker both testified that donald trump and the men hatched the scheme to interfere corruptly with the 2016 election. what are you expecting for today? >> right, the 26th floor. we just watched todd blanche go into the elevator and go up. when we were covering the transition after his election in 2016, we watched a great number of people go into that elevator, michael cohen perhaps most often among all of them here. i think the question is, number one, is donald trump actually going to take questions over the course of the last two years, he lar

he wants to talk about trump's economic plan made trump and his rich fence picture at the expense of working -- rich friends richer at the expense of working families, just like he has his entire life. that is what his campaign will talk about of the course of the next month. we will have trump-pence for all of the above and 6 -- trump answer for all of the above and is extremism on the debate said. an ad narrated by mr. de niro looks at trump's unhinged que for power. trump poses a unique and growing threat to our fundamental rights and freedoms, our very democracy, and our economy. the threat is critical clear today, it will remain crystal-clear tomorrow, it will be crystal-clear on the debate stage in atlanta on june 27. so now i'm going to pause and turned it over to robert de niro. robert: thank you. i mean, this is really -- even these people over here are kind of -- it's kind of crazy. it's really crazy in this thing, donald trump has created this. he should be telling them not to do this, but he ise wants to sow total chaos, which he is succeeding in some areas and places to