A break in the Cohen hearing

I wasn't prepared to believe Michael Cohen has actually gotten a conscience, and maybe I still don't believe it, but unlike Manafort and Stone, he's doing a very good job of being believable, so maybe I'm not giving him enough credit.  The Republicans are all about complaining that he's not believable, and they're beating him up pretty good.  Or at least they're trying.  The blows are mainly not landing.  Cohen started out deflecting them, and by the time they are taking their break, he's actually turning them back on the Republicans by claiming (correctly) that they're doing what he used to do: protecting the president to their own detriment.

His attorney - Lanny Davis - is working pro bono.  The Republicans keep trying to suggest somebody - most likely they mean the Clintons - is paying the man.  Cohen says he's going to pay Davis when he gets out of prison and has an income again.  When doubt was cast that an attorney would agree to wait three years to get paid, Cohen looked over at Davis, and Davis gave a shrug and a nod, indicating that's exactly what he would do.  Cohen then answered, "I guess he thinks it's worth it."



Well, Cohen did say in his written opening statement that Trump Sr said Junior has lousy judgment.



That was in response to Cohen saying that Trump feels he can do whatever he wants and that when he said he could shoot somebody on 5th Ave without repercussion, he wasn't joking.  He's sure of it.



Several of the Republicans who seem to be especially poor at questioning yield some of their time to Jim Jordan, the Republican ranking member, whereupon he lays into Cohen.



They're back.


Oh, good one:  Cohen answers a question by saying the American people don't care about he's dealt with his taxes; what they care about is Trump's.

UPDATE:

The full hearing (video from USA Today)