Cohen's Larceny Admission More Serious Than Trump's Alleged Crime, Analyst Says

Legal analysts criticize Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's case against Donald Trump, citing witness credibility issues and questionable prosecution strategy. CNN's Elie Honig believes Michael Cohen's admission to stealing from Trump is more serious than the former president's alleged actions.

CNN legal analyst Elie Honig has asserted that Michael Cohen's admission to stealing $60,000 from the Trump Organization is a more serious offense than the charges currently being leveled against former President Donald Trump.

"The fact that he was never charged with larceny is important because stealing $60,000 through fraud, which would be larceny in New York State, is more serious of a crime than falsifying business records," Honig stated.

Cohen's revelation came during cross-examination, leaving CNN political commentator Tim Parlatore to suggest that the prosecution deliberately downplayed its significance: "The fact that it was minimized in that way by the prosecution, I think it presents a very good opportunity and closing for — they knew about this. They minimized it, the prosecutor misled this jury."

Cohen's credibility has come under fire, with defense attorney Randy Zelin describing him as "a fixer" who may not have full knowledge of the inner workings of the Trump Organization.

Honig also raised concerns about the credibility of adult film star Stormy Daniels, another key witness for the prosecution. "Her responses were disastrous," Honig said, referring to Daniels' admission that she hates Trump. "That’s a big deal."

Other legal experts have echoed these sentiments, suggesting that Daniels' testimony could be used to undermine the prosecution's case on appeal. MSNBC legal analyst Danny Cevallos said her testimony turned the trial "into a quasi-sex assault case," giving Trump's legal team grounds for questioning her credibility.

Comedian and "Real Time" host Bill Maher has also criticized Daniels' testimony, describing her as "not a good witness."

Meanwhile, DA Bragg's office has been accused of sloppy handling of evidence, particularly in relation to Cohen's communications with Trump's former bodyguard Keith Schiller. MSNBC legal correspondent Lisa Rubin said Cohen's uncertainty about the details of their conversation and his admission that he had never seen a text message from Schiller before the trial raised doubts about the veracity of his testimony.

Legal professionals and media pundits have widely criticized Bragg's case, with Boston University law professor Jed Handelsman Shugerman calling it "weak" and "likely overreaching." Former chief counsel to Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee Julian Epstein has labeled the case an "outrageous" and "embarrassing" misuse of the legal system.

In summary, legal analysts have expressed skepticism about the Manhattan DA's case against Donald Trump, raising questions about witness credibility and prosecution strategy. Cohen's admission to stealing from Trump has emerged as a potentially damaging revelation for the prosecution, while the credibility of other key witnesses, including Stormy Daniels, has also been called into question.