‘Start Writing’: See Cohen Texts To Maggie Haberman From Bombshell Trump Trial Testimony
Former Trump attorney/fixer Michael Cohen’s testimony at ex-President Donald Trump’s trial included texts with New York Times correspondent and CNN analyst Maggie Haberman that raised eyebrows — but the texts and Haberman’s writing paint a fuller picture.
Tuesday saw the continuation of former Trump attorney/fixer Michael Cohen’s testimony — who is the linchpin in the prosecution’s case that Trump’s alleged falsification of business records constitutes a felony plot to interfere in the presidential election.
The testimony included several references to Haberman — including text messages that Cohen sent to Haberman that drew fire from Haberman’s critics.
According to a trial transcript obtained by Mediaite, prosecuting attorney Susan Hoffinger asked Cohen about those texts from February of 2018 — including one in which Cohen told Haberman to “start writing”:
MS. HOFFINGER: Can we blow up the text on February 6th of 2018?
(Displayed.)
Q And, Mr. Cohen, can you read them?
A So, this is from February 6th of 2018, from me Maggie Haberman, stating: Big Boss just approved me responding to complaint and statement. Please start writing and I will call you soon.
Q Who is the, Big Boss, that you were referring to in that text with Maggie Haberman?
A President Donald Trump.
Q What did you mean by this text?
A That he approved the statement and that — and my response to the complaint and asking her to start writing a story in regard to the denial.
Q And were you intending to provide her with the statement about the matter?
A Yes. I was going to give it to her first so she had the scoop.
The exchange drew widespread ire from social media critics who have long accused Haberman of being cozy with Trump — the implication being that Haberman was accustomed to taking orders from Trumpworld sources.
But others defended her, including NYU Professor Jay Rosen and Mother Jones’s Clara Jeffery:
I agree with @ClaraJeffery‘s reading of “start writing.” https://t.co/o4YJ1zjJC0
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) May 15, 2024
The text messages that were entered into evidence show only Cohen’s end of the conversation between Feb. 6 and Feb. 13, 2018:
2/6/2018 2:03:56 PM(UTC5) From: 0114 Michael Cohen (owner) To: 4978 Maggie Haberman To: 4978 Maggie Haberman
Big boss just approved me responding to complaint and statement. Please start writing and I will call you soon
2/6/2018 3:22:55 PM(UTC5) From: 0114 Michael Cohen (owner) To: 4978 Maggie Haberman To: 4978 Maggie Haberman
Embargoed until we talk with Steve Ryan. But you are the only one who will have it
From: 0114 Michael Cohen (owner) To: 4978 Maggie Haberman To: 4978 Maggie Haberman
“In late January 2018, I received a copy of a complaint filed at the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by Common Cause. The complaint alleges that I somehow violated campaign finance laws by facilitating an excess, in-kind contribution. The allegations in the complaint are factually unsupported and without legal merit, and my counsel has submitted a response to the FEC. I am Mr. Trump’s longtime special counsel and I have proudly served in that role for more than a decade. In a private transaction in 2016, I used my own personal funds to facilitate a payment of $130,000 to Ms. Stephanie Clifford. Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly. The payment to Ms. Clifford was lawful, and was not a campaign contribution or a campaign expenditure by anyone.
I do not plan to provide any further comment on the FEC matter or regarding Ms. Clifford.”
2/13/2018 7:37:03 PM(UTC5) From: 0114 Michael Cohen (owner) To: 4978 Maggie Haberman To: 4978 Maggie Haberman
We are good to go on the statement. Release tomorrow at 6:40am
As Rosen pointed out, text messaging like this is common, and a review of Haberman’s resulting story gives some clues about how she handled the scoop.
While Haberman’s responses are not included in the texts, her article makes clear she did not merely transcribe Cohen’s statement. Extraneous portions were omitted, and Haberman noted that she did ask important followup questions.
“He declined to answer several follow-up questions, including whether Mr. Trump had been aware that Mr. Cohen made the payment, why he made the payment or whether he had made similar payments to other people over the years,” Haberman wrote — a prescient line of questions given the revelations since then.
Haberman was also referenced in court Tuesday when attacks by ex-President Donald Trump were read aloud.
