Michael Cohen, former attorney to Donald Trump, has been leveraging TikTok livestreams to discuss the ongoing hush money trial against the former President, attracting thousands of viewers and reportedly earning financial benefits from viewer donations.
What Happened: Cohen has been using the social media platform to discuss the trial and his former client, despite being a central figure in the case. His nightly livestreams have raised eyebrows among legal experts who argue that his actions could undermine his credibility as a witness, reported ABC News.
Former Georgia prosecutor Chris Timmons expressed his concern, stating, “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, suggested that Cohen’s actions could potentially benefit Trump’s defense team.
Despite the criticism, Cohen has continued his livestreams, even after announcing on social media that he would “cease commenting on Trump and this matter.” His decision to continue discussing the trial has been met with approval from his viewers, who have made monetary donations during his streams.
However, the financial aspect of Cohen’s livestreams has been flagged as problematic. Timmons noted, “Anytime there’s money involved with a witness it’s a bad thing, because the jury is going to think this person is saying these things in court because they have a financial motive, not a motive of the truth.”
Despite the controversy, Cohen remains unapologetic about his actions, stating, “I am not the defendant in this criminal matter and am not the subject of Judge Merchan’s gag order. Donald is.”
Why It Matters: Despite pledging to cease public commentary about Trump until after the trial, Cohen has continued his TikTok livestreams. His actions have raised concerns among legal experts, who worry that his public commentary could provide additional material for Trump’s defense team during cross-examination.
Cohen’s role in the hush money trial has been a focal point, with his testimony potentially playing a pivotal role in the case’s outcome.
Photo by a katz on Shutterstock
Engineered by Benzinga Neuro, Edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal
The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to create comprehensive and timely stories for you. Learn more.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
