Blanche and Cohen are in a back-and-forth exchange over a business opportunity (2024)

Defense attorney Todd Blanche and Michael Cohen are getting into a back-and-forth exchange about a business opportunity Cohen was working on in October 2016, which Blanche says involves taxi medallions but Cohen says is related to a mortgage in Florida.

Blanche then walked through all the other business Cohen had going on during the time that the hush money payment occurred in October 2016.

Donald Trump appears to be tuned out of this part of the cross-examination, sitting with his eyes closed and not looking in Michael Cohen's direction at all.

Trump defense attorney Todd Blanche asks whether Michael Cohen worked with former tabloid executive David Pecker in October 2016 and about another matter, litigation involving attorney Marc Kasowitz.

"Correct," Cohen says.

Blanche also asked Cohen if he remembered right around October 26 whether Cohen was also helping Tiffany Trumpwith a potential extortion issue over photographs.

Cohen confirms.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche is now focusing on October 2016.

"You agree with me that you had a lot going on both in your personal life and with President Trump in those first few weeks of October," Blanche asks.

"Yes, sir," Cohen said.

Cohen also agreed that he was dealing with a potential restructuring of his taxi medallion business, a sale of an investment with his brother, working on the national diversity coalition for Trump, and obtaining an endorsem*nt from the Martin Luther King Jr. family.

More context: October 2016 is a critical month in the hush money case. On October 7, the Washington Postreleased an "Access Hollywood" videofrom 2005. Fallout from the tapeprompted Trump’s inner circle to do damage controlof any more potentially bad press like an alleged affair story from adult film star Stormy Daniels, according to prosecutors.

According to prosecutors, on October 27, Cohenpaid Daniels $130,000 to her attorneythrough a shell company in exchange for her silence about an affair she allegedly had with Trump in 2006.The payment is at the center of the hush money case.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche now asks about other prep Michael Cohen has done for congressional testimony, including with Dan Goldman, the former prosecutor-turned-investigator for the House during the 2019 impeachment of Trump who is now a New York congressman.

Cohen confirms he met with Goldman ahead of his 2019 congressional testimony.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche asked Michael Cohen how many times he's met with prosecutors this year.

Cohen puts the number at more than a dozen, most recently last weekend before he took the stand.

When pressed by Blanche, Cohen said it was closer to 20 times.

Trump had a smirk on his face as he watched Cohen say this.

Cohen said he heard several questions fromprosecutor Susan Hoffinger for the first time during the direct examination last Monday and Tuesday.

Attorney Todd Blanche starts off his questions this morning and asks Michael Cohen, "Since that time until right now how many reporters have you talked to about what happened last week?"

Cohen says, "I didn’t speak to reporters about what happened last week."

Blanche follows up. Cohen says, "I’ve spoken to reporters who just called to say, 'hello,' to see how I’m doing, to check in, but I did not talk about this case."

Blanche pushesthe issue further, asking Cohen to confirm the reporters"just greeted you and asked how you're doing, didn't ask at all about this case?"

"Correct," Cohen says.

Judge Juan Merchan has called for witness Michael Cohen.

As Cohen walked past Trump's table, Trump's head turned to look at him. It didn't look like they made eye contact.

Cohen is currently under cross-examination in the historic criminal trial against Trump.

What is expected in court today: The defense said they expect to finish cross-examination of Cohen before the mid-morning break. The prosecution would then have a chance to conduct more questioning.

Prosecutors have said Cohen is their last witness. The defense would then be given an opportunity to present their case.