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MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell went to bat for disgraced ex-Trump attorney Michael Cohen after the star witness in the ongoing New York trial admitted to stealing money from former President Trump‘s business.
During another brutal day of cross-examination, Cohen was pressed by Trump defense lawyer Todd Blanche on an alleged $50,000 that was supposed to be paid to tech company Red Finch but ended up paying just $20,000 of that money in a brown paper bag, pocketing the remaining $30,000 for himself.
“You stole from the Trump Org, right?” Blanche asked Cohen on Monday.
“Yes, sir,” Cohen responded.
MICHAEL COHEN STEALING FROM TRUMP ORG ‘MORE SERIOUS’ THAN ALLEGED TRUMP CRIME: CNN LEGAL ANALYST
Michael Cohen, ex-lawyer for former President Donald Trump, admitted on Monday that he stole money from the Trump Organization. (Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
During MSNBC’s coverage of the trial, O’Donnell shrugged off the stunning revelation, calling the payment to Red Finch “irrelevant” and admonishing Blanche for not pressing Cohen on the $130,000 that was paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels that is at the center of the trial despite the “effective” exchange.
“Later when Cohen was asked about that on redirect by the prosecution, it didn’t really sound like stealing $30,000,” O’Donnell said. “It sounded a lot like Michael Cohen doing the little that could within that calculation to rebalance the bonus he thought he deserved.”
“And it still came out as less than the bonus he thought he deserved and the bonus he had gotten the year before,” O’Donnell added.
NY V TRUMP: MICHAEL COHEN ADMITS TO STEALING TENS OF THOUSANDS FROM FORMER PRESIDENT’S BUSINESS
MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell defends Michael Cohen after he admitted to stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the Trump Organization. (Screenshot/MSNBC)
This isn’t the first time the “Last Word” host has raised eyebrows during the Trump trial. Earlier this month, O’Donnell, a repeat trial attendee, went viral for his over-the-top description of Daniels’ appearance as she gave her testimony.
“She entered wearing all black as if on her way to a funeral. The loose-fitting, plain black clothing draping from her shoulders to her toes suggested the modesty of a nun,” O’Donnell said about the porn star.
Critics have sounded the alarm about the damage ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen has done to the prosecution’s case against former President Trump. (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg )
Cohen was billed as the prosecution’s star witness in the New York v. Trump trial but has widely been panned as a proven liar and has had his credibility scrutinized over his open animus towards his ex-boss.
Another major moment in Cohen’s testimony came last week when Blanche accused him of lying about his communications with Trump’s former bodyguard Keith Schiller.
Cohen had alleged earlier in his testimony that he made a phone call to Schiller in order to reach Trump about the hush money payment. But an unearthed text exchange showed Cohen asking Schiller who he could speak with about harassing phone calls he had been receiving from an alleged 14-year-old prankster, to which Schiller responded, “Call me.”
“That was a lie, you did not talk to President Trump,” Blanche said.
“I’m not certain that’s accurate,” Cohen responded.
Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to joseph.wulfsohn@fox.com and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.
