Judge Directs Cohen to Keep Quiet About Trump, In Advance of Trial Testimony

NEW YORK (NEWSnet/AP) — With Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe Michael Cohen expected to take the witness stand May 13, the judge in the hush money case issued a warning to prosecutors: Get Cohen to stop his taunts.
Judge Juan M. Merchan’s comments came Friday at the conclusion of the trial's third week.
Defense attorneys will argue the disbarred lawyer is out to get the former president and is unreliable.
Prosecutors have been building their case prior to crucial testimony from Cohen, who arranged a $130,000 payout to actor Stormy Daniels to keep her from going public in advance of the 2016 election, regarding an alleged sexual encounter with Trump.
Trump’s lawyers have argued it’s unfair Trump is under a gag order, while Cohen continues to post about Trump on social media.
Merchan told prosecutors they should inform Cohen “that the judge is asking him to refrain from making any more statements” about the case or about Donald Trump. Prosecutors told the judge they already requested that Cohen and other witnesses not talk about the case, but have no direct means of controlling their behavior.
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