Legal Eagle’s Insight: Ex-Prosecutor Unveils Trump Attorney’s Potential 'Rookie Mistakes' with High Stakes

Former Prosecutor Identifies Trump Attorney's Legal Missteps in Hush Money Trial

Over the weekend, former U.S. attorney Barbara McQuade raised concerns about the defense strategy employed by Donald Trump's lawyer, Todd Blanche, in the ongoing hush money trial. MSNBC's Katie Phang pointed out that Blanche's lengthy cross-examination of Trump's former attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, spanning over seven hours, failed to deliver any significant legal blows.

McQuade, a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan now serving as a law professor at the University of Michigan, characterized Blanche's approach as riddled with "rookie mistakes." These errors included excessive length, lack of a specific plan, and an overabundance of questions.

According to McQuade, an effective cross-examination strategy involves focusing sharply on key areas of impeachment, contradiction, or eliciting agreement on helpful points to ensure jury comprehension. The case revolves around allegations that Trump falsified business records to conceal a payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence about an alleged 2006 sexual encounter. Trump denies the allegations, while Cohen, who served time for his involvement in the scheme, has become a vocal critic of his former employer.

McQuade conceded that Blanche might have aimed to exhaust Cohen but doubted this tactic would alter Cohen's testimony significantly. Blanche attempted to portray Cohen as a dishonest individual seeking revenge against Trump. However, McQuade suggested that highlighting contradictions in Cohen's testimony would be more effective than attempting to extract admissions of falsehood.

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