. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I'M KYRA PHILLIPS RIGHT NOW ON ABC LIVE TESTIMONY CONCLUDING FOR THE DAY IN THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S CRIMINAL HUSH MONEY. MICHAEL COHEN WAS ON THE STAND ALL DAY FACING A TOUGH CROSS-EXAMINATION AND TRYING TO PUSH BACK AGAINST SUGGESTIONS HE WAS OBSESSED WITH TRUMP. TODAY'S TESTIMONY, A FAR CRY FROM THE CALM AND HUSHED COHEN THAT JURORS SEEN ON THE STAND BUT NOT SO QUIET. THE GROWING POSSE OF LAWMAKERS SHOWING UP TO SUPPORT TRUMP TODAY. MEMBERS OF CONGRESS JOINING IN COURT, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE GOP FREEDOM CAUCUS. YOU SAW REPRESENTATIVES GAETZ, LAUREN BOEBERT, EVEN BOB GOOD. LET'S BRING IN OUR DESIGNATED REPORTER, OLIVIA RUBIN. SHE IS OUTSIDE COURT. SHE'S ALSO JOINED BY JERRY GOLDFEDER, SENIOR COUNSEL AT KOSAN O'CONNER. SO OLIVIA, TRUMP'S ATTORNEY, FINALLY GETTING INTO THE WEEDS OF THAT $130,000 HUSH MONEY PAYMENT TO STORMY DANIELS. OF COURSE, THIS IS THE CENTER OF THIS CASE BEFORE COURT. >> WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT? HE DID. IT ONLY TOOK ABOUT 8 HOURS OF CROSS-EXAMINATION BEFORE GETTING TO THAT PAYMENT. AND I SUSPECT THAT THERE WILL BE MUCH MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. BUT REALLY KICKING OFF BY GETTING COHEN TO ADMIT THAT ON ITS FACE, THERE WAS NOTHING ILLEGAL ABOUT THE $130,000 PAYMENT TO STORMY. THEY LOOKED AT THE CONTRACT. TRUMP'S ATTORNEY TODD BLANCHE SAID ON ITS FACE, YOU DID FEEL AND STILL FEEL THAT THIS IS A PERFECTLY LEGAL CONTRACT. AND MICHAEL COHEN SAID, YES, HE AGREED WITH THAT STATEMENT. TODD FOLLOWED UP AND SAID, AND THERE IS NOTHING ILLEGAL ABOUT AN NDA OF THIS SORT. AND COHEN SAID, THAT IS CORRECT. BUT I DO SUSPECT THAT MUCH, LIKE WE HAVE SEEN WITH THE PHONE CALLS THAT MICHAEL COHEN TESTIFIED TO AND OTHER PAYMENTS THAT TODD IS GOING TO TRY TO DISTANCE TRUMP FROM THEM AGAIN, TRY TO MAKE IT SEEM AS IF MICHAEL COHEN WAS A ROGUE ACTOR THERE AND THAT MUCH OF WHAT HE DID, HE DID ON OWN WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH DONALD TRUMP. SO, JERRY, IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT WAS THE MOST TESTIMONY DURING. >> THEY DEMONSTRATED THAT HE'S A LIAR, BUT THE JURY KNEW. AND SO I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH THEY SUCCEEDED IN MOVING THEIR CASE ALONG. THEY DON'T HAVE A COUNTER NARRATIVE. BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING HERE IS THAT AFTER THE JURY LEFT, THEY SPOKE TO THE JUDGE AND THE DEFENSE LAWYER SPOKE TO THE JUDGE ABOUT BRINGING ANOTHER WITNESS, SOMEONE NAMED BRADLEY SMITH, WHO IS AN ELECTION LAW EXPERT. AND I THINK WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO PROVE IS THAT TRUMP WAS NOT INTENDING TO INFLUENCE THE ELECTION, THAT THE MONEY PAID TO STORMY DANIELS WAS NOT AN IN-KIND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION. AND IF THEY SUCCEED AT DOING THAT, THEY'LL BLOW A HOLE IN THE PROSECUTION'S WIDE OPEN. >> ALL RIGHT. WELL, OLIVIA TRUMP APPEARED PROBABLY THE MOST ENGAGED IN COHEN'S TESTIMONY AFTER RETURNING FROM LUNCH, OPENED UP HIS EYES. WHAT DID YOU THINK HAPPENED THAT CAUSED HIM TO OF SIT UP AND PAY ATTENTION THIS TIME AROUND? WELL, WE KNOW THAT DONALD TRUMP LIKES WHEN HIS ATTORNEYS AGGRESSIVE. HE NO, HE LIKES HE LIKES A LAWYER THAT IS AGGRESSIVE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT TODD BLANCHE STARTED GIVING HIM. AGGRESSIVE, AGGRESSIVE QUESTIONING OF MICHAEL COHEN ABOUT SPECIFICALLY DEALINGS WITH DONALD TRUMP, TRYING TO POKE HOLES AND POSSIBLY HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH DONALD TRUMP SPECIFICALLY. BUT WE HAVE SEEN TRUMP'S ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TRIAL SORT OF WEIGHING IN AND OUT. HE HAS CERTAINLY BEEN KEEPING HIS EYES CLOSED MUCH MORE DURING MICHAEL COHEN'S THAN HE HAS DURING OTHER TESTIMONY. PERHAPS IT IS SOME SORT OF TACTIC HE WANTS TO APPEAR TO COHEN THAT HE IS UNENGAGED, UNINTERESTED WITH WHAT HE HAS TO SAY TO THE JURY. AND I WOULD POINT OUT THAT MUCH OF HIS ENTOURAGE IS NO LONGER IN THE COURTROOM, IN AND OUT WITH HIM AS WELL. SO WHO'S TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT REALLY GOES ON IN THE BREAK ROOM THAT TRUMP AND HIS TEAM RETREATS TO DURING THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON BREAK DURING THE LUNCH? WHAT SORT OF STRATEGY SESSIONS THEY'RE HAVING IN THERE? ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY JUST ON TUESDAY, WE DID GET A PEEK IN THERE. HIS CAMPAIGN SURROGATES RECORDED A VIDEO IN THERE AND RELEASED IT FOR FUNDRAISING. >> YES. YOU KNOW, LET ME FOLLOW UP ON THAT, BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT WHAT WAS NOT YESTERDAY, BECAUSE IT WASN'T CAUGHT BUT THE DAY BEFORE, THE FACT THAT TRUMP IS NOT NOT ONLY HAVING ALL THESE LAWMAKERS COME AND SHOW SUPPORT AND OLIVIA AND JERRY, I'LL HAVE YOU BOTH WEIGH IN ON THIS . BUT THAT NUMBER OF LAWMAKERS CONTINUES TO GROW. AND ALREADY IT WAS A BIT OF A DISTRACTION TODAY. THE JUDGE EVEN COMMENTED THAT THIS MIGHT HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, SLOW DOWN A BIT HERE . IT WAS BECOMING A LITTLE BIT OF A DISTRACTION. BUT, OLIVIA, HOW WAS IT THAT, YOU KNOW, A VIDEO WAS ALLOWED TO BE MADE. HOW WAS THAT DONE? WHO WAS SHOOTING THE VIDEO? AND HOW WAS THAT ALLOWED? HOW IS THAT NOT A DISTRACTION? >> WELL, THAT APPEARED TO HAVE OCCURRED DURING THEIR PRIVATE IN THEIR PRIVATE HOLDING AREA. DURING ONE OF THE BREAKS, YOU COULD SEE HIS DAUGHTER IN LAW, LARA TRUMP. BYRON DONALD WAS IN THAT VIDEO A NUMBER INDIVIDUALS SHOWING THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT WHO WAS IN THE BACK OF IT AND TODD BLANCHE HIS ATTORNEY WAS ALSO IN THE BACK OF THAT VIDEO. I THINK THAT COULD BE THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SEEN ONE OF HIS CURRENT LAWYERS IN A VIDEO THAT WAS THEN SENT OUT FOR FUNDRAISING PURPOSES. SO THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE DISTRACTION HERE. BUT WHAT HAS BEEN QUITE STUNNING AT TIMES IS THE WAY THAT HIS, YOU KNOW, CAMPAIGN ATTENDEES, POLITICAL ALLIES HAVE BEEN COMING INTO COURT IN, THE MIDDLE OF TESTIMONY. IT'S ONE THING TO BRING THEM INTO THE ROOM THE MORNING WITH DONALD TRUMP AND HAVE THEM SIT THERE AND WATCH. BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE IN AND OUT AND DOING TELEVISION HERE, IT'S HIS ALLIES THAT ARE WITH HIM. THEY'RE ENDING UP COMING IN WHILE THERE IS A WITNESS ON THE STAND IN THE MIDDLE OF TESTIMONY. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT PROSECUTORS RAISED WITH THE JUDGE OUTSIDE OF THE EARSHOT OF THE JURY SAYING WE CAN'T HAVE THAT. WE CAN'T HAVE. BYRON DONALDS AND MATT GAETZ STROLLING INTO THE COURTROOM WHILE THERE, A WITNESS ON THE STAND. AND IT WAS QUITE STUNNING WHEN IT HAPPENED ON TUESDAY MICHAEL COHEN WAS QUITE LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF TELLING THE JURY HIS DECISION TO FLIP ON PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. IT A QUITE EMOTIONAL MOMENT FOR HIM. YOU COULD SORT OF FEEL THAT TENSION IN THE ROOM. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DOOR OPENS AND HIS ALLIES RETURN FROM THEIR TELEVISION HEAD. SO WHAT PROSECUTORS HAVE ASKED EARLIER THIS MORNING WAS FOR THAT TO NOT BE ALLOWED, THAT THEY CAN'T COME AND GO FOR THE WITNESS, A JURY SEE. BUT AGAIN, JUST HOURS LATER, MAC AIDES DOING THE SAME THING ,KYRA. I MEAN, TALK ABOUT A POLITICAL CIRCUS. AND JERRY, I JUST TO ASK YOU, FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, AND AS A LAWYER, OKAY, SO TRUMP IS ONE THING USING THE COURTROOM AS BASICALLY CAMPAIGN FORUM AND USING IT TO FUNDRAISE AND AND NOW MAKING A VIDEO. BUT NOW YOU HAVE ALL THESE OTHER LAWMAKERS SAYING THAT THEY'RE COMING TO SUPPORT THE FORMER PRESIDENT, WHICH OKAY, THAT COULD BE TRUE. BUT THEY ARE ALSO NOW JUMPING ON THE CAMPAIGN BAN ON FAGAN AND USING THIS AS A FORUM TO DO INTERVIEWS AND PROMOTE THEMSELVES AND SORT OF RIDE THE MEDIA TRADE HERE BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE BECOMING A PART OF A STORY WHEN THESE LAWMAKERS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS TO WELL THAT WE KNOW OF TO STORMY DANIELS. SO I GUESS WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS WHOLE CHARADE GOING ON AND THESE POLITICIANS KIND OF JUMPING ON? BUT ALSO, JERRY, I WANT TO KNOW, WILL THERE COME A POINT WHERE THE SAYS, OKAY, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH? LET'S GET BACK TO WHAT THIS CASE IS ABOUT AND JUST MAKE SOME SORT OF DECISION, JUST, YOU KNOW, CUT THE CIRCUS REALLY WELL, I THINK YOU CHARACTERIZE IT PERFECTLY. IT IS A CIRCUS. AND LOOK, THE PURPOSE IS A VARIETY OF PURPOSES HERE. FIRST OF ALL, AS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FROM WHAT'S ACTUALLY ON IN THE COURTROOM, AND IT'S ALSO TO SUPPORT FOR HIM AND PERHAPS CALM HIM DOWN. BUT IF I WERE THE JUDGE, AT A CERTAIN POINT, I WOULD SAY I STOP HIM FROM BEING THERE. BUT I COULD CERTAINLY SAY THAT PEOPLE CANNOT GO WALKING IN AND OUT DURING TESTIMONY. THAT'S NOT ONLY A DISTRACTION OF THE PROCEEDINGS, BUT IT HAS A SUBTLE OR MAYBE NOT SO SUBTLE INFLUENCE ON THE JEWELRY ON THE JURY. AND I THINK THAT'S PURPOSE. AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THE JURY WILL RESPOND POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY TO THIS ALL THESE GOINGS ON. BUT IF I WERE A JUROR AND I SAW THIS GOING ON, I MIGHT REACT NEGATIVELY AND MIGHT CHALK IT UP TO JUST ANOTHER FACET OF TRUMP BEING. TRUMP AND I THINK THAT I WOULD IN SOME SOME LEVEL HOLD IT AGAINST HIM. SO I'M NOT SURE THAT HIS INTENT IS GOING TO BE FULFILLED. AND I THINK IT'S INAPPROPRIATE . IF I WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE AS THE PROSECUTORS HAVE ALREADY DONE, IS TO RAISE THE ISSUE WITH THE JUDGE TO STOP THIS, BECAUSE AT THE VERY LEAST, IT IS JUST YOU SAY IT IS A DISTRACTION AND REALLY SHOULD SHOULD NOT WITH THE TRIAL. >> HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU THINK JURY IS GOING TO. WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO GO ON FOR, WHAT, SIX WEEKS? 6 TO 8 WEEKS. NOW WE'RE HEARING IT MAY WRAP UP WAY SOON. WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE, OBVIOUSLY GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE CROSS-EXAMINATION OF COHN ON MONDAY. THEY'RE FINISHED WITH TODAY. THERE'S NO A TRIAL TOMORROW OF TRUMP'S SON, HIS GRADUATION . SO ON MONDAY, THEY PROBABLY WILL FINISH WITH CROSS-EXAMINATION OF COHN . AND THEY'VE ALREADY INDICATED THAT THEY'RE BRINGING AN ELECTION LAW EXPERT TO TESTIFY AS TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION, THE MEANING OF A CONTRIBUTION, WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY IS INTENDING TO INFLUENCE AN ELECTION UNDER THE UNDER THE LAW. >> SO HE BE HE WILL BE A WITNESS R US AT A CERTAIN POINT . BUT I SKIPPED OVER THE FACT THAT AFTER CROSS-EXAMINATION, THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE PROSECUTION WILL REST OR WHETHER THE PROSECUTION HAVE ADDITIONAL WITNESSES. WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET. AND LET'S ASSUME THEY REST. LET'S ASSUME THERE'S NO OTHER WITNESSES FOR THE PROSECUTION. THEN AT THE VERY LEAST, THEY'RE GOING TO BRING IN THIS LAW EXPERT. >> THE DEFENSE WILL, AS THEIR FIRST PERHAPS ONLY WITNESS, IT'S NOT CLEAR. I STILL HAVE THIS NAGGING FEELING, AS EVERYBODY DOES, THAT TRUMP REALLY WANTS TO TESTIFY. I THINK THERE'S ZERO CHANCE THAT WILL HAPPEN. I THINK HE WOULD BE CRAZY TO DO SO. >> BUT HE I HAVE A FEELING AS A LOT OF PEOPLE DO THAT HE PROBABLY WANTS TO. AND SO THERE'S THERE'S PROBABLY A BATTLE GOING ON BETWEEN THE LAWYERS AND HIM AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HE DOES IT. >> WE'LL SEE. YEAH BUT HE ALWAYS DOES WHAT HE WANTS TO DO. SO SO WHAT YOU REALLY THINK IS COULD KEEP HIM FROM DOING IT? >> WELL, I DON'T REALLY KNOW. ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THE HISTORY IS SUCH THAT HE REALLY DOES WHATEVER HE WANTS AND HE DOESN'T REALLY CARE WHAT LAWYERS HIM WHAT ACCOUNTANTS TELL HIM WHAT ANYBODY TELLS THEM. RIGHT AND BUT THIS IS THIS IS ABOUT A CONVICTION. THIS IS ABOUT HIS FREEDOM. AND I HOPE, FOR HIS SAKE THAT HE HAS A LITTLE VOICE IN HIS HEAD TELLING HIM, I KNOW YOU WANT TO TESTIFY, I KNOW YOU WANT TO TELL YOUR STORY, BUT DON'T DO IT. WELL, OLIVIA, HE DID SAY THERE WAS A BACK AND FORTH. I'M NOT GOING TO DEBATE. I'LL DEBATE. I'M NOT GOING TO DEBATE NOW. APPARENTLY HE'S GOING TO DEBATE PRESIDENT BIDEN. SO HE SAYS I'LL TESTIFY. MAYBE I WON'T TESTIFY. I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK, OLIVIA, YOU'RE THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY AND YOU'RE LISTENING TO ALL THE CONVERSATIONS GOING ON? WELL, I THINK WHAT YOU SAID IS EXACTLY RIGHT, THAT ULTIMATELY DONALD TRUMP DOES THINK THAT HE IS HIS OWN BEST DEFENDER. IF YOU WATCH HIM IN COURT, YOU CAN SEE HIM EVEN TRYING TO SORT OF MICROMANAGE THE LAWYERING THAT'S BEING DONE. WE TALKED ABOUT HIM HITTING HIS ATTORNEY WHEN WANTED HER TO STEP FORWARD AND MAKE AN OBJECTION. AND SO THAT WILL LIKELY OVER. AND HE HAS INDICATED HE WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY. I ASKED HIM ABOUT IT WEEKS AGO AND HE SAID HE DID WANT TO. SO THERE IS THAT ALSO. BUT JUST THINKING ABOUT HIS OTHER CASES THAT HE HAS BEEN A PART OF THE CIVIL TRIAL, THE E. JEAN CARROLL CASE THAT HE ATTENDED. I COVERED BOTH OF THOSE AS WELL. BOTH TIMES. DONALD TRUMP TOOK THE STAND IN OWN DEFENSE. GRANTED, THOSE WERE NOT CRIMINAL CASES. THEY WERE CIVIL CASES. SO THE STAKES WERE MUCH LOWER. BUT IT EXEMPLIFIES JUST HOW MUCH DONALD TRUMP WANTS TO SPEAK TO HIS OWN DEFENSE IN THAT E. JEAN CARROLL TRIAL. SPECIFICALLY, IT WAS LIMITED WHAT HE COULD SAY. HE LITERALLY GOT ON THE STAND JUST TO ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS AND THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY YES OR NO QUESTIONS, WAS ON THE STAND FOR LESS THAN 5 MINUTES, BUT STILL MAKING APPEARANCE THERE. SO YOU'D HAVE TO THINK THAT HE WOULD WANT TO DO THAT AS HERE AND WANT TO SPEAK FOR HIMSELF SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT. MICHAEL COHEN IS TESTIFYING THAT HE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN REBUT. HE COULD GET UP THERE AND SAY THE CONVERSATION HE'S TALKING ABOUT THAT NEVER HAPPENED. BUT YOU HAVE TO WEIGH THE RISK THAT HE IS ALSO GOING TO FACE FIERCE CROSS-EXAMINATION. PROSECUTORS WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT FROM JUDGE MERCHAN QUESTION HIM ABOUT OTHER LEGAL ISSUES THAT HE HAS. DOES HE REALLY TO BRING THOSE IN FRONT OF THE JURY GUYS AND NOW, OLIVIA, APPARENTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN COURT, THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY IN FAVOR OF ALLOWING DEFENSE EXPERT TESTIMONY ABOUT FEDERAL LAWS. THIS HAS BEEN A CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING ON HOW CAMPAIGN FINANCE HOW CAMPAIGN LAWS AND FUNDS PLAY INTO ALL OF THIS. SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN NOW? WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW? WELL, THEY WANT TO BRING FORWARD THIS EXPERT TO BE ABLE TO WALK THE JURY THROUGH, YOU KNOW, CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS. AND REMEMBER, DONALD TRUMP IS NOT FACING ANY OF THOSE CRIMES HERE. MICHAEL COHEN, OF COURSE, PLED GUILTY TO THE EXCESSIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION. BUT REMEMBER WHY THESE ARE UNDERLYING, YOU KNOW, STATE LAWS ARE SO IMPORTANT. AND WHAT THE CRIME IS, IS BECAUSE PROSECUTORS NEED TO PROVE THE CRIME IN ORDER TO BUMP UP THE MISDEMEANORS. A FELONY FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS IS A MISDEMEANOR UNLESS IT IS DONE IN FURTHERANCE OF ANOTHER CRIME. BUT WHAT IS SO FASCINATING HERE IS THAT PROSECUTORS HAVEN'T BEEN ENTIRELY OPEN ABOUT WHAT THE UNDERLYING CRIME HERE IS. THEY HAVE PUT FORWARD A FEW DIFFERENT THEORIES IN THEIR PAPERS, BUT IT HAS NOT YET BEEN SPELLED OUT. SO YOU'D HAVE TO THINK THAT WHAT DONALD TRUMP'S TEAM IS TRYING DO IS GET AHEAD OF SORT OF THE THE UNDERLYING CRIMES THE ELECTION CRIMES CRIMES THAT YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO, CONSPIRING TO FURTHER ELECTION EFFORTS. THOSE ARE WHAT THEY WANT TO TRY EXPLAIN TO THE JURY IN THEIR OWN WORDS. BUT PROSECUTORS, OF COURSE, ARE PUSHING AND SAYING THAT IT IS UP TO THE JUDGE TO CHARGE THE JURYOURT. SHE JOINS US ONCE AGAIN. ALSO, JERRY GOLDFEDER, SENIOR COUNSEL AT KOSAN O'CONNER. ALL RIGHT. SO, OLIVIA, IT LOOKS THE JUDGE JUST SAID BE PREPARED FOR CLOSING ARGUMENTS ON TUESDAY. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THIS COULD WRAP UP EARLY NEXT WEEK. IT WILL INDEED. GETTING TO THE END OF THE CASE THERE. TODD BLANCHE SAYING THAT HE WILL BE DONE CROSS-EXAMINING COHEN, WHICH WILL BE HIS FOURTH DAY ON THE WITNESS STAND BEFORE MORNING BREAK ON MONDAY. THAT'S USUALLY AT ABOUT 1115. AND THEN PROSECUTOR SUSAN ARBITER SAID SHE HAS UNDER AN HOUR LEFT OF REDIRECT WITH MICHAEL COHEN TO TRY TO REEL BACK IN SOME OF THE LIES THAT TODD BLANCHE TRIED TO EXPOSE ON CROSS-EXAMINATION. AND THEN THEY'RE SAYING THEY HAVE NO OTHER WITNESSES. SO IT TURNS OVER TO THE DEFENSE. AND, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE THIS ELECTION EXPERT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PUT FORWARD. STILL NO WORD YET, THOUGH, ON DONALD TRUMP, WILL HE OR WON'T TAKE THE STAND? BLANCH LEAVING THE DOOR OPEN AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WONDERING IF HE WILL END UP GETTING ON THAT WITNESS STAND. BUT BECAUSE THAT TESTIMONY IS LIKELY TO WRAP UP ON MONDAY . THAT'S WHY NOW CLOSINGS HAVE BEEN SET FOR TUESDAY. SO ALL EYES TUESDAY, WHICH WILL BE THEIR FINAL PITCH FOR BOTH SIDES TO THE JURY BEFORE, OF COURSE, THE JURY IS CHARGED. AND THEN THEY GO TO DO THEIR DELIBERATIONS. SO TRUMP IS HAS COME OUT OF THE COURTROOM NOW. AND, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY USUALLY WE HAVE BEEN TAKING HIS COMMENTS, BUT HE JUST SAYS THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. HE'S READING FROM ARTICLES THAT HE COLLECTS NOW ON ALL THE COVERAGE OF THIS TRIAL. NEXT TO HIM, TODD BLANCHE TERRY, I'M CURIOUS, AS A AS A LAWYER, IF WERE REPRESENTING TRUMP, WOULD YOU BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS THAT? HE COMES OUT EVERY DAY AFTER COURT AND JUST KIND OF RAMBLES ON ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HE SAYS THE SAME THING. IT'S A WITCH HUNT. IT'S ALL ABOUT BIDEN, IT'S ALL POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. AND THEN HE READS A BUNCH OF. >> WELL, IF I WERE REPRESENTING ,I'M SURE I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CONTROL HIM LIKE BLATCH IS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL HIM. LOOK TRUMP HAS SEVERAL, SEVERAL ISSUES. HE WANTS TO BE ACQUITTED OR AT LEAST HAVE A HUNG JURY. BUT HE ALSO WANTS TO GET ELECTED PRESIDENT. AND SO THIS POLITICAL THEATER OF THIS POLITICAL CIRCUS OF COMING OUT EVERY DAY MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAVING THESE PEOPLE ELECTED OFFICIALS SUPPORTING HIM AND BEING ON INSIDE, THAT'S JUST ALL PART OF HIS NARRATIVE THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THIS TRIAL, EVEN IF HE GETS CONVICTED, THAT IT WAS RIGGED, THAT IT WAS UNFAIR, AND THAT THE PEOPLE SHOULD IGNORE IT. IT'S JUST IT'S VERY SIMILAR WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT THE ELECTION. HE LOST IT, BUT HE REFUSES TO AGREE THAT HE LOST IT. AND HE'S ALREADY TOLD US THAT IF HE LOSES AGAIN IN 2024, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S RIGGED. >> SO THIS IS PART AND PARCEL OF WHO HE IS. >> AND AS I SAY, IF I WERE A LAWYER, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO IF I WERE HIS LAWYER, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T ABLE TO STOP HIM FROM DOING THIS, BECAUSE AFTER ALL THIS IS PART OF HIS SCHEME, PART OF HIS OF HIS NARRATIVE OF WHO HE IS, WHAT HE BELIEVES HE'S DOING IN TERMS OF DEFENDING HIMSELF IN THE IN THE EYES OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. >> SO IT'S -- IT'S IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT HE'S DOING IT. IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT HE'S SAYING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BUT AFTER ALL, WHEN YOU'RE TELLING THE, QUOTE, BIG LIE, THE REASON PEOPLE BELIEVE IT IS BECAUSE YOU SAY IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. HISTORY TEACHES US THAT. AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH REGARD TO THE 2020 ELECTION. AND IF HE'S CONVICTED HE HAS ALREADY LAID THE TABLE FOR TRYING TO PERSUADE THAT THIS IS MEANING THIS IS THIS IS A MEANINGLESS SHAM AND THAT IT'S -- IT'S A WITCH HUNT, ETC., ETC.. SO FROM HIS POINT OF VIEW, IT MAKES ALL THE SENSE IN THE WORLD. ERIS OF WHAT IS ADVISED BY HIS LAWYERS. >> SO, JEFFREY, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS LIVE PICTURE, YOU CAN SEE RIGHT IN BETWEEN AND THE FORMER PRESIDENT, MATT GAETZ, KIND OF IN THE CENTER BACK THERE, STANDING TALL, A LITTLE FUZZED OUT. AND I'M JUST LOOKING IN THIS THINKING, OKAY, WITH ALL THESE LAWMAKERS THAT ARE SHOWING UP AND SHOWING SUPPORT FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT, YOU'VE GOT MATT GAETZ, WHO'S YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NUMBER OF LAWMAKERS BY THE WAY, THAT WE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT ARE KIND OF IN EMBROILED IN CONTROVERSY. BUT GATES IS ONCE BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE ETHICS COMMITTEE, ALL TIED TO THESE ALLEGATIONS OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH WITH UNDERAGE . IS THIS SMART FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT TO HAVE THESE TYPES OF LAWMAKER ANCHORS THERE FRONT AND CENTER, EVEN SEEING GAETZ BEHIND HIM AS HE MAKES THESE COMMENTS? DOES THIS HELP OR HURT THE PRESIDENT WHEN HE MAYBE BRINGS IN, YOU KNOW, SHADY WELL, SHADY CHARACTERS WHO HIS HIS CAMPAIGN IS FILLED WITH SHADY CHARACTERS. HIS SUPPORTERS ARE MANY OF HIS SUPPORTERS HAVE THE SAME FOIBLES WE'LL CALL THEM AS HE DOES AS A LAWYER. I WOULD SAY DON'T DO IT. IT'S GOING TO RUB OFF ON YOU. BUT THIS IS WHO HE IS. >> THIS IS WHO HE HANGS OUT WITH. I WOULD SAY AS A POLITICAL ANALYST THAT A LOT OF THESE REPUBLICAN CONGRESSPEOPLE HAVE NO SHAME AND THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY GET AWAY WITH ALL SORTS OF UNTOWARD CONDUCT. AND IT DOESN'T TOUCH THEM. WE'RE SEEING THAT IN THIS TRIAL . AND GATES IS ANOTHER ONE THAT HAS THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT HE SEEMS NOT CARE ABOUT. AND I THINK THAT THE TRUMP SEEMS NOT TO CARE ABOUT THE CONDUCT OF SOME OF THESE FOLKS WHO THEY ELECT AND SUPPORT. >> SO IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT GATES IS THERE. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT HELPS OR HIM AT ALL. BUT HE BELIEVES IT HELPS HIM, AND THAT'S REALLY WHY THEY'RE THERE. AND OF COURSE FROM GATES, HIS POINT OF VIEW, HE WANTS TO RUB SHOULDERS WITH THE HE BELIEVES IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. >> SO THERE YOU KNOW, IT'S -- IT'S A MUTUAL BENEFIT IN THEIR EYES. IT'S TOTALLY IRRELEVANT TO THE JURY UNLESS, COURSE, THEY CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, MARCH AND MARCH OUT AND THE JURY AND IN A SUBTLE WAY, INFLUENCE THE JURY. >> BUT REALLY, THIS IS FOCUSED UPON AND THIS IS FOCUSED UPON THE PUBLIC. THIS IS PART OF HIS CAMPAIGN FOR ELECTION. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT HIS STATEMENTS ARE ABOUT. AND THAT'S WHY THE CONGRESS PEOPLE ARE THERE IN SUPPORT OF HIM. AND I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MADE UP OF A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE. YEAH, THEY'RE WATCHING IT IN REAL TIME AS THE PRESIDENT THE FORMER PRESIDENT CONTINUES TO HOLD AS HIS DAILY PRESS CONFERENCE, OLIVIA TRUMP IS NOW ASKING NEW YORK'S HIGHEST COURT TO INTERVENE IN HIS FIGHT TO. THROW OUT THIS GAG ORDER IN HIS TRIAL. IT'S FUNNY THAT WE'RE TALKING THIS AND HERE HE IS GOING ON AND ON AND ON IN OF REPORTERS. >> WHERE DO THINGS STAND WITH THAT? >> HE HAS ASKED THE NEW YORK'S HIGHEST TO STEP IN ON THIS GAG ORDER THAT WAS JUST REAFFIRMED BY A LOWER COURT WHO SAID THAT? JUDGE MERCHAN IN PUTTING IT PLACE, HAD APPROPRIATELY WEIGHED IT. DONALD TRUMP'S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, AND THAT, YES, HE HAS A FREEDOM OF SPEECH. BUT THAT CAN BE CURTAILED TO A CERTAIN DEGREE WHEN HE STEPS INTO THE COURTROOM. AND DONALD TRUMP, AS USUAL, NOT GIVING UP IN THE FIGHT, WOULD POINT OUT, THOUGH, KYRA, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO SEE DONALD TRUMP GO INTO THE CAMERAS EVERY DAY AS USUAL, BUT HE HAS NOT VIOLATED THE GAG SINCE JUDGE MERCHAN GAVE HIM THAT STRICT WARNING ABOUT HIM TO PRISON IF HE DOES IT ONE MORE TIME. SO, YES HE IS ATTACKING THE JUDGE. HE IS ATTACKING THE CASE. AND I'M JUST LOOKING AT HIM OVER HERE RIGHT NOW. BUT THAT'S NOT A VIOLATION OF THE GAG ORDER. HE CAN SAY HE WANTS ABOUT MERCHAN. HE CAN SAY WHATEVER HE WANTS ABOUT IVAN. BRAG, BUT HE CANNOT GO AFTER WITNESSES AND HE CANNOT GO AFTER LAWYERS IN THE CASE. AND I'M SURE FOR HIM TO NOT GO AFTER MICHAEL COHEN, WHO HAS SPENT HOURS ON THE STAND AND WILL BE RETURNING FOR A FOURTH DAY IS QUITE CHALLENGING FOR HIM. SO IT'S SORT REMARKABLE THAT HE HAS NOT VIOLATED THE GAG ORDER AGAIN SINCE THAT WARNING. >> SO AS HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S GETTING CLOSE TO WRAPPING THINGS UP, BUT JUST MOVING FORWARD TOMORROW, THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO GO TO HIS SON'S GRADUATION, BUT HE'S ALSO TURNED THAT DAY INTO A CHANCE TO CAMPAIGN. HE'LL BE IN MINNESOTA AS WELL. ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT THE JUDGE GAVE HIM THIS DAY TOMORROW? I DON'T THINK IT WAS THAT SURPRISING THAT THE JUDGE HAS BEEN HANDING OUT DAYS FOR CERTAIN REASONS. HE HAS ENDED EARLY FOR, YOU KNOW, A JUROR WHO HAD AN APPOINTMENT. >> HE HAS GIVEN HOLIDAYS FOR JEWISH HOLIDAYS. SO HE GOING TO GIVE, YOU KNOW, THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND PERHAPS THIS DAY FOR HIS SON'S GRADUATION. THEY HAD ASKED FOR IT EARLY ON. AND THERE WAS ANOTHER REQUEST FROM ANOTHER ATTORNEY FOR A DIFFERENT EVENT OF A FAMILY MEMBER LATER ON. AND JUDGE MERCHAN SAID, WE'LL GET THAT WHEN WE GET THERE. BUT HE EXPECTED THE TO BE DONE BY THEN. SO NOT ALL THAT SURPRISING, BUT JUDGE MERCHAN HAS BEEN RULING SORT OF WITH A HEAVY FITS, BUT, YOU KNOW, QUITE CALM . WE DON'T SEE HIM RAISE HIS VOICE QUITE OFTEN, EVEN WHEN HE ISSUED THAT WARNING DONALD TRUMP ABOUT THE THREAT OF JAIL. IT WAS IT WAS A VERY CALM AND SORT OF COMPASSIONATE MOMENT LOOKING RIGHT AT DONALD TRUMP TO DELIVER MESSAGE. SO THIS IS NOT A JUDGE THAT WE HAVE SEEN LIKE IN EARLIER CASES, SUCH AS THE E. JEAN CARROLL CASE, A VERY JUDGE, ONE WHO WAS PRONE TO YELLING, ONE WHO IS PRONE TO GETTING INTO BACK AND FORTH ARGUMENTS WITH DONALD TRUMP'S ATTORNEYS. THAT IS NOT THE JUDGE MERCHAN THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THIS CASE . HE HAS BEEN ACCOMMODATING TO MANY OF THE PARTIES WHEN THEY HAVE COME TO HIM WITH SOMETHING. OLIVIA WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW THE FORMER OKAY, AND HE'S NOW JUST HE'S WRAPPING UP SO WE WILL FAST FORWARD TO OUR NEXT DAY IN COURT, WHICH WILL BE ON TUESDAY AND THEN OR MONDAY RATHER TUESDAY CLOSING ARGUMENTS AND THIS ACTUALLY COULD ALL THIS COULD WRAP UP BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. AND AS WE SORT OF PUT A BUTTON ON, IT OLIVIA, WHAT COULD BE THE OUTCOME HERE COME LET'S SAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY. WELL ALL ARE GOING TO BE ON THIS JURY AS THEY BEGIN DELIBERATIONS AND. CLEARLY, WHAT DONALD TRUMP'S TEAM NEEDS IS JUST ONE JUROR WHO WILL HOLD OUT THEIR VOTE ON GUILTY VERDICT. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY EXPECTATION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK WITH A NOT GUILTY, ALTHOUGH THEY ABSOLUTELY COULD. BUT A HUNG JURY WOULD DONALD TRUMP EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDS TO GO OUT AND CLAIM VINDICATION FOR MONDAY, THOUGH, KYRA, I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE WHERE ELSE TODD BLANCHE GOES WITH HIS CROSS-EXAMINATION OF HIS MOST EFFECTIVE MOMENTS WAS WHEN HE CAST DOUBT ON THE PHONE CALL THAT MICHAEL COHEN SAID HE HAD WITH DONALD TRUMP ABOUT STORMY DANIELS PAYMENTS. BECAUSE, REMEMBER, IT IS JUST IT IS PLANTING A NUGGET OF DOUBT IN POTENTIALLY ONE JUROR, HIS MIND THAT THEY MEET. SO I DO THINK THAT ARE GOING TO DO A BIT MORE OF THAT ON MONDAY, PERHAPS ABOUT MORE PHONE CALLS THAT THEY HAD WITH DONALD TRUMP, PERHAPS ABOUT THE MEETING IN, THE WHITE HOUSE, WHERE PROSECUTORS SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, DONALD PERSONALLY AFFIRMED THE REPAYMENT PLAN THAT IS AT ISSUE HERE. THEN, OF COURSE, ALSO ALL EYES ON WILL DONALD TRUMP TAKE THE STAND OR NOT? I SAW A REPORT THAT HE IGNORED A SHOUTED QUESTION WHEN HE WAS SPEAKING JUST OUT THERE, IF YOU WILL TESTIFY OR NOT. SO NOT ANSWERING, WHICH IS A PIVOT FROM EARLIER WHEN HE WOULD ANSWER TO SAY THAT HE WAS GOING TO TESTIFY. SO A LOT OF IN THE AIR TO KEEP OUR EYE ON GOING TUESDAY, VERY HIGH STAKES. THE CROSS-EXAMINATION, THE REDIRECT DONALD TRUMP'S POTENTIAL TESTIMONY, CLOSING ARGUMENTS FROM BOTH SIDES, AND OF COURSE, THE JURY DELIBERATING A LOT THE NEXT FEW DAYS. >> OH, YEAH. BUT AT LEAST TOMORROW, OLIVIA JEFFREY, YOU GET A BIT OF A DAY OFF. LIVE YOUR PROGRAM. JERRY GOT
