George Conway, a lawyer, legal analyst and Donald Trump critic, applauded the former president's courtroom behavior in his criminal hush money trial on Tuesday as Conway took aim at the defense's cross-examination of a witness.
Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, became the first former president to stand trial in a criminal case this month. Following an investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office, Trump was indicted in March 2023 on charges of falsifying business records relating to hush-money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Daniels had alleged she had an affair with Trump in 2006, which he has denied. The former president has pleaded not guilty to all charges and said the case against him is politically motivated.
On Tuesday, the third week of Trump's hush money trial resumed in New York City with witness testimony from Gary Farro, Michael Cohen's former banker. On Friday, Farro testified that he helped Cohen set up the account used to make the $130,000 payment to Daniels.
Conway took to X, formerly Twitter, to share his thoughts on Tuesday's proceedings in court, taking aim at the defense's cross-examination of Farro, adding that he commends Trump for his "napping" behavior.
"We should all be napping during this useless cross-examination. I commend the defendant," Conway wrote on X.
Newsweek has reached out to Trump's spokesperson via email for comment.
In a separate post on X Conway added: "This morning's proceedings provide a reminder that even important trials have hours (and days) that are extremely boring."
On Tuesday, Farro testified about documents and records related to Cohen's 2016 wire transfers. The defense then cross-examined Farro as Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, questioned Farro about the LLC account that he said was used to make the payment.
However, Farro explained that if he thought Cohen was trying to open an account for a shell corporation, it would not have been opened.
Conway's comments follow reports that Trump appeared to be sleeping during last week's proceedings.
Maggie Haberman, a journalist for The New York Times, wrote in the publication's live blog of the trial last week that "Trump appears to be sleeping. His head keeps dropping down and his mouth goes slack."
The Washington Post also reported that Trump appeared to fall asleep "several times" throughout the first week of the trial.
The reports sparked a wave of ridicule toward the former president on social media.
However, Trump addressed his body language in the courtroom last week speaking to reporters as he took aim at President Joe Biden.
"They're keeping me in a courtroom, that's freezing by the way, in a courtroom all day long while he's out there campaigning. That's probably an advantage because he can't campaign. Nobody knows what he's doing. He can't put two sentences together," he said.
"He's out campaigning, and I'm here in a courtroom sitting here...sitting up as straight as I can all day long because you know what, it's a very unfair situation."
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Natalie Venegas is a Weekend Reporter at Newsweek based in New York. Her focus is reporting on education, social justice ... Read more
