Probably just doing what the Orange Menace demands, Trump's legal defense seems to have flubbed it.
Reading updates from folks inside the courtroom, it sounds like Trump's defense team is handling the closing arguments with the same lack of an actual defense and stupendous neglect of detail that colored their entire performance. Trump's team has affirmed that David Pecker, who corroborated everything Cohen had to say, was a truth-teller while investing a lot of effort in discrediting convicted liar Michael Cohen.
"Todd Blanche just painted David Pecker as a truth teller in marked contrast to his portrayal of Michael Cohen," Rubin posted on X. "If I am prosecutor Josh Steinglass, I just did a happy dance."
Pecker told the jury that he purchased damaging stories about Trump in the lead-up to the 2016 election as part of an agreement with his campaign, which prosecutors say amounted to an illegal in-kind contribution that forms the basis of the felony charged against the former president and corroborated much of Cohen's testimony.
RawStory
At one point Blanche really ticked off Judge Merchan:
During his closing arguments, Blanche talked about Cohen's credibility and told the jury: "Then he came in here, he raised his right hand and he lied to each of you repeatedly. You cannot send someone to prison you cannot convict somebody based upon the words of Michael Cohen."
Merchan said Blanche's comment was "outrageous."
"You know that making a comment like that is highly inappropriate. It simply not allowed. Period. It's hard for me to imagine that was accidental in any way," the judge said, referencing Blanche's experienced career as a prosecutor and a defense attorney.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass had raised the issue and asked for curative instruction for the "ridiculous comment."
CNN
Blanche also seemed to throw away Trump's best chance of escaping conviction and told the jury to forget the personality and politics involved, and just consider the evidence. The evidence overwhelmingly says Trump is a felon.
As he wrapped up his closing argument, Trump attorney Todd Blanche told the jury this isn't a referendum on Donald Trump.
"This isn't a referendum on your views on President Trump. This is not a referendum on the ballot box," Blanche says.
CNN
If the jury is just looking at the facts and what people have said, the defense is gonna need something else.
Previously:
• Trump's lawyers appear to have really screwed up in his fraud trial
• Trump lawyer Todd Blanche blows a fuse — shouts at Michael Cohen in courtroom: 'That's a lie!'
• Attempting to buy Donald Trump seems to have put Don Hankey in jeopardy
