MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell Defends Michael Cohen Amid Theft Confession

MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell dismissed the significance of Michael Cohen's admission of stealing from the Trump Organization, suggesting it was irrelevant and overshadowed by the payment to Stormy Daniels. Critics have questioned O'Donnell's bias and the credibility of Cohen as a star witness in the New York trial against former President Trump.

MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell raised eyebrows during the New York trial against former President Trump by downplaying the stunning admission of Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, that he stole money from the Trump Organization.

During a brutal cross-examination, Cohen acknowledged pocketing $30,000 that was intended for the tech company Red Finch, leaving only $20,000 to be paid. However, O'Donnell dismissed the revelation as "irrelevant" and criticized the defense attorney for not focusing on the payment to Stormy Daniels, which is at the heart of the trial.

"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."

O'Donnell's defense of Cohen has drawn criticism, especially given his past comments during the trial. Earlier this month, he described Stormy Daniels' appearance as "suggesting the modesty of a nun."

Critics have questioned the credibility of Michael Cohen, who has been accused of lying about his communications with Trump's former bodyguard, Keith Schiller. Cohen's testimony has been under intense scrutiny, as he has been characterized as a "proven liar" and openly hostile towards his former boss.

Another major revelation during Cohen's testimony came when he admitted lying about a phone call he made to Schiller to reach Trump about the hush money payment. Text messages presented by the defense revealed that Cohen's call was actually to discuss harassing prank calls he had been receiving.

The implications of Cohen's confession of theft and the questioning of his credibility have cast doubt on the reliability of the prosecution's case against Trump. Cohen was initially billed as a star witness, but his vulnerabilities and questionable actions have raised concerns about the strength of the charges.

Critics have expressed alarm at the damage Cohen's testimony has done to the prosecution's case, arguing that his lack of honesty and bias towards Trump have undermined the credibility of the charges. The outcome of the trial remains uncertain, but the admission of theft and the questioning of Cohen's past actions have significantly altered the narrative and raised doubts about the validity of the accusations against former President Trump.