Michael Cohen, the once-loyal lawyer of former President Donald Trump, had been cashing in on the ex-president’s hush money trial by discussing the case on nightly TikTok livestreams — something legal experts warn may spoil his credibility as a key witness.
Ahead of taking the witness stand, Cohen has earned money through donations made by viewers of his nightly livestreams, during which he has discussed Trump, the ongoing trial, and the testimony, according to hours of streams viewed by ABC News.
“Trump 2024?” Cohen told his more than 291,000 followers during a livestream last Tuesday. “More like Trump 20-40 years.”
While Cohen’s actions don’t go against any court order, experts told ABC it would likely hurt his credibility as an essential witness in the case.
“I’d be furious,” said ABC News contributor and former Georgia prosecutor Chris Timmons. “As a prosecutor, the last thing you want your witness to do is to be talking about the case in a forum other than the courtroom.”
Jeremy Saland, a defense attorney who used to work in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which is now bringing the case, said Cohen’s bizarre behavior will likely only benefit Trump.
“I have no doubt that Team Trump is scrutinizing and listening and watching whatever they can, and they are rightfully going to weaponize it in a court of law to tear down his credibility,” Saland said.
“If I’m the prosecution, I’m on the phone right now saying, ‘Stop what you are doing — right now,'” Saland added. “‘I can’t make you, but you need to stop for your own sake because it’s going to get worse for you in that courtroom. And you are compromising the case.'”
Cohen told ABC on Monday that he would cease commenting on Trump until he takes the stand in the ongoing trial.
“I am not the defendant in this criminal matter and am not the subject of Judge Merchan’s gag order. Donald is,” Cohen said. “Nevertheless, I elected, out of respect to the court and the prosecutors, to cease commenting on Trump and this matter; which I have done.”
Last Wednesday, Cohen wrote on social media that he would “cease posting anything” about Trump until after he takes the stand.
“See you in a month (or more),” Cohen wrote on X.
Cohen, the ex-attorney for Trump who previously declared his willingness to “take a bullet” for the former president and dubbed himself Trump’s “pit bull,” is set to take the stand as the crucial witness for prosecutors who allege Trump fudged his business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Cohen was sentenced in federal district court to three years in prison and directed to pay a $50,000 fine for criminal tax evasion, making false statements to a bank and campaign finance violations — all of which likely contributed to his deteriorated relationship with Trump.
In his 2019 memoir, Cohen attributed his incarceration to his connection with Trump.
In 2020, during the final year of his sentence, he was subjected to home confinement at his condo for about a year before his official release in late 2021.
