Former prosecutor slams Michael Cohen testimony as 'abysmal,' says verdict would be overturned

Former federal prosecutor David X. Sullivan on Monday slammed former Trump attorney Michael Cohen's testimony as "abysmal," after Cohen admitted to lying under oath, and stealing thousands of dollars from the Trump Organization.

Prosecutors in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial rested their case on Monday afternoon, turning the attention now to the defense team, who is introducing its witnesses and evidence. Cohen, who arranged and made the alleged hush money payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels, has now admitted under oath that he previously lied under oath, including to Congress, and stole from the Trump Organization, bringing up questions about his credibility. 

Sullivan, who served as the former Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, said he does not trust the jury in Trump's Manhattan courtroom, and that the case never should have been brought if Cohen is the star witness.

"I hope that they recognize the important duties they have as jurors to be fair and impartial during this process," Sullivan said of the jury, on "Just The News, No Noise." "[Cohen's] testimony has been abysmal. He is a tax felon, he is a liar to Congress. He has made false statements to financial institutions. And now we know he's a thief. If this is your star witness, you really don't have a case this case should not have been brought. That's why the FEC passed on this case. The Southern District of New York, the U.S. Attorney's office again, declined. And of course, the Department of Justice said 'no thanks.' But Bragg who campaigned for his job as Manhattan DA said he would get Trump."

Sullivan encouraged the defense to request a directed verdict, which would come from the judge, which claims the prosecution did not provide enough evidence in its case to go to a jury. Trump attorney Todd Blanche did move for dismissal on Monday, but New York Judge Juan Merchan has not issued a ruling so far.

"I think Judge Merchan should should strongly consider such a motion," Sullivan said. "I think this case has been problematic since opening statements when the state said that Donald Trump had committed violations of federal election laws and he's never been charged for any such thing. I think this case was damaged immediately, before they started evidence."

If the case does go to a jury and they return a guilty verdict, Sullivan said he believes the case will be overturned on appeal. But it would have already hurt Trump in the 2024 election.

"If this jury doesn't do its job, and return a not guilty verdict, I think the Court of Appeals will have to fix it," Sullivan said. "The problem is politically, detractors and opponents of Donald Trump so desperately want him to be a convicted felon going into the fall elections. They have intertwined politics with the prosecution and enforcement of the law. And it's a sad irony when you consider how many cases Alvin Bragg is not prosecuting ... on the streets of Manhattan right now, and people have a turnstile, going in and being processed and going out and committing crimes." 

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to allegedly hide the hush money payments.