'Whole thing is a giant farce': Michael Cohen sparks debate as he labels Trump’s defense attorney 'stupidest lawyer of all time'

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow interviewed Michael Cohen who shared his first comments since Trump was convicted on 34 felony charges
PUBLISHED MAY 31, 2024
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow interviewed Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen (MSNBC)
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow interviewed Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen (MSNBC)

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: During MSNBC's primetime coverage on the evening of May 30, Rachel Maddow interviewed Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former lawyer and fixer who shared his first comments since Trump was convicted on 34 felony charges.

Cohen expressed feeling "relieved" by the verdict, though he noted that he wasn't surprised by it, saying, "The facts are the facts, and the facts are what prevailed here."



 

Maddow began May 30 primetime coverage by highlighting the historic significance of Trump's guilty verdict, detailing the events as the jurors announced the 34 felony charges against the former president.

Michael Cohen reflects on plea deal to protect his family

During the interview, Maddow pointed out that Cohen was previously the only person to face legal consequences over the Stormy Daniels hush money scheme, serving more than a year in prison.

Cohen then drew comparisons between Trump's conviction and his own experience of being sentenced.

“You don’t feel good. Sentencing is terrible,” Cohen said, adding that he took a plea deal to protect his family.

Racheal Maddow noted that Michael Cohen himself is the only person who had previously gotten in trouble with the law over the Stormy Daniels hush money scheme (MSNBC)
Racheal Maddow noted that Michael Cohen himself is the only person who had previously gotten in trouble with the law over the Stormy Daniels hush money scheme (MSNBC)

However, he added, “Donald didn’t let it go in order to protect his family. He took it all the way.”

Michael Cohen appeared on MSNBC alongside his lawyer, Danya Perry, who recounted advising Cohen to stay composed during the trial and expressed her frustration with Trump's defense attorney, Todd Blanche, repeatedly calling Cohen a liar.

“Nobody’s a liar. No one’s a truth teller,” Perry said. “He has told lies and he admitted to it. And the jury believed him and they returned the swift and just verdict. And so I think all the preparation was put to good use.”

Michael Cohen mocks Trump’s lawyer as 'Stupidest Lawyer of All Time'

Cohen shared his low opinion of Blanche with Maddow, saying he planned to give him a nickname: "SLOAT" which stands for "Stupidest Lawyer of All Time."

Meanwhile, in a Fox News interview the evening of May 30, Blanche mentioned that Trump had been involved in every decision made by the defense legal team.

“You cannot listen to your client when you are trying to create a defense, a defense that is as important as this one is,” Cohen said, adding, “Now, on 34 counts, he was definitively the stupidest lawyer of all time, worse than some of the other ones that [Trump] has in his orbit. It just made no sense at all.”

Attorney Alina Habba (L) looks on as former U.S. President Donald Trump walks to speak to the media after being found guilty following his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City. The former president was found guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial. Trump has now become the first former U.S. president to be convicted of felony crimes. (Photo by Steven Hirsch-Pool/Getty Images)
Attorney Alina Habba (L) looks on as former U.S. President Donald Trump walks to speak to the media after being found guilty following his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City (Steven Hirsch-Pool/Getty Images)

Cohen criticized Trump's legal strategy, suggesting that a competent lawyer would not have let Trump dictate the case out of a desire for revenge or control. "That’s not how you run a good defense. I would never have allowed it if I was still with him," he asserted.

Cohen added that he is unconcerned with Blanche’s remarks about him, prioritizing the opinions of his family and close friends instead.

“I don’t care what Don, Ivanka, Eric, Don Jr — it doesn’t matter to me what any of them say about me,” Cohen said. “I know who I am and I knew what I needed to do.”  

Michael Cohen recieves divided reactions on social media after MSNBC interview

Michael Cohen's thoughts on the trial and the 34 guilty verdicts against Trump was met with divided reactions from the online community with some supporting his views while others condemning him of admitting a felony that is worse

In 2018, Cohen was sentenced to prison after admitting to campaign finance violations related to the payment to Daniels and for providing false statements to Congress in 2017 about a Trump Organization real estate project in Russia.

A particular viewer expressed, "Thank you, Michael Cohen! I can only imagine how emotional, gratifying, and validating this historic day is for him. Donald Trump is the reason why he went to jail. And now accountability is here. The long arm of the law has finally caught the white whale, and not just a minnow."

Following suit, another observer added, "Cohen is absolutely right. Buy his book now. With the verdict guilty on 34 counts his book is going to fly off the shelves. Cohen after all was instrumental in bringing DJT down. It was Cohen pleaded guilty that started the Domino effect."

A follower contributed, "Cohen knew all along the physical evidence spoke for itself."

A comment underscored, "I respect Cohen more and more as time goes by - obviously a very intelligent guy."

An individual elaborated further, saying, "Michael cohen admitted on the stand to a felony that is worse than the felony they nailed Trump for. This whole thing is a giant farce." 

One viewer expressed, "Remember, Congress is full of lawyers just like this one."

Another viewer shared, "How much did Michael make off this interview?"



 



 



 



 



 



 



 

This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online. 

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