Northeast
Michael Cohen says NY prosecutors ‘pressured and coerced’ him into anti-Trump testimony
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President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, said Friday that prosecutors in both the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the New York Attorney General’s Office “pressured and coerced” him into delivering testimony tailored to securing convictions against Trump.
Cohen, who was a key prosecution witness in two New York cases against Trump, accused New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of pursuing evidence aimed at Trump, saying prosecutors were uninterested in testimony that didn’t fit their narrative.
“I felt pressured and coerced to only provide information and testimony that would satisfy the government’s desire to build the cases against and secure a judgment and convictions against President Trump,” Cohen wrote in a post on Substack.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Office of the New York State Attorney General and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for comment.
APPEALS COURT HANDS TRUMP LEGAL WIN, ORDERS REVIEW OF HUSH MONEY CASE OVER PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY
Michael Cohen, former personal attorney to President Donald Trump, claims New York prosecutors pressured him to deliver testimony aimed at securing convictions against Trump. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
Cohen, who was Trump’s personal lawyer for many years, said he was writing as a federal appeals court considers the president’s request to move his hush money case to federal court for further review.
The former Trump fixer testified in a civil case brought by James’ office in 2023, where Trump was found liable for fraudulently inflating his assets to obtain favorable loan terms. He also took the stand in Bragg’s case in 2024, where Trump was ultimately found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Cohen accused both James and Bragg of using their high-profile cases to elevate their careers, claiming they sought credit as officials who “took down Trump.”
TRUMP FILES ‘POWERHOUSE’ APPEAL IN ‘POLITICALLY CHARGED’ MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY CASE
Michael Cohen, former personal attorney to President Donald Trump, alleges New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office pressured him while he testified in cases against Trump. (Getty Images)
“They blurred the line between justice and politics; and in that blur, the credibility of both suffered,” he wrote.
Cohen said that both before and during the trials, prosecutors made it clear they were only interested in testimony from him that would convict Trump.
“When my testimony was insufficient for a point the prosecution sought to make, prosecutors frequently asked inappropriate leading questions to elicit answers that supported their narrative,” he said.
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 30: District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., and his legal team, hold a press conference following the Trump verdict on May 30, 2024 in New York, N.Y. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to several crimes, including tax evasion, campaign finance violations and lying to Congress. He described cooperating with authorities while incarcerated, saying he sought sentence relief and felt compelled to provide testimony fitting prosecutors’ narratives with the hope that his sentence would be reduced.
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“You may reasonably ask why I am speaking out now. The answer is simple. I have witnessed firsthand the damage done when prosecutors pick their target first and then seek evidence to fit a predetermined narrative,” Cohen said, while noting that he was not writing in defense of Trump.
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New Jersey
New Jersey swim team left without pool after Wayne Community Center abruptly ends agreement
WAYNE, New Jersey (WABC) — A swim team in New Jersey says it’s getting kicked out of its pool.
The Rebels Aquatic Team says the Wayne Community Center told them the team can no longer use the facility, leaving more than 100 youth swimmers without a pool in the middle of the season.
The team has been using the pool for practices and meets.
The organizers thought they had a five-year commitment based on the contract but found out this week it was not enough to save them a space to use the pool.
The swim club was told this week that they have to shut down on June 24, but their swim season does not conclude until August 5.
The organizers began this effort to get kids into swimming at the height of the COVID lockdowns, and it has grown ever since.
Parents went online after getting word about being booted from the community pool and expressed a lot of frustration.
They have a practice Thursday afternoon and feel their kids are not getting a fair shake from the town.
Eyewitness News reached out to the mayor’s office and the Wayne Department of Recreation, who said they had no comment about this pool controversy.
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Pennsylvania
Man arrested for allegedly posting hit list, threatening more than a dozen Pennsylvania lawmakers
LEBANON, Pa. — A Lebanon County, Pennsylvania man is charged with making terroristic threats and accused of creating a hit list of 20 Democrats, many from the Philadelphia region.
Adam Berryhill’s X handle goes by Pennsylvania Militia.
On it, state police say he posted, “I can’t wait for Memorial Day Operation.”
His thread also displayed guns, and he called local politicians gun-grabbing communists. His alleged hit list included state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta of North Philadelphia.
“I’ll tell you to a certain degree, not that much shock. You know this is not the first time I’ve been the victim of threats,” Kenyatta told ABC Philadelphia affiliate WPVI.
He says the threats have no impact on his governing.
State police say among the other local Democrats named by Berryhill are congressional candidates Sharif Street, Chris Raab and others, like state Rep. Morgan Cephas.
A routine investigation by the state police detail assigned to state House Speaker Joanna McClinton led to the discovery of the alleged terroristic threats.
Berryhill was arrested and charged last week.
SEE ALSO: ISIS-inspired teens considered other targets before Gracie Mansion protest: sources
“It’s not about being a Democrat or Republican or an independent. This is about American belief, that in America, Philadelphia, where it all started, that you get to say you believe without any threat of violence,” Kenyatta said.
Court records say Berryhill also criticized Republicans. In another post, he said they need to stop whining and claimed the only solution is war.
Charging documents say Berryhill has been involuntarily committed in the past and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
“It’s deeply uncomfortable for anybody to be doing a job just serving your neighbors. You did not sign up to be in the crosshairs of someone who is unhinged and violent,” Kenyatta said from his North Philadelphia district offices.
Court records say Berryhill was unable to make bail.
Calls to his public defender have not been returned.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro issued the following statement on the arrest:
“Today, I spoke with Speaker McClinton and Leader Costa about the terroristic threats made against members of their caucuses in the State Legislature. I told them that while these threats of political violence seek to intimidate and silence, my administration will continue to do everything in our power to keep them safe and ensure their members can continue to make their voices heard as the people’s elected representatives.
We are experiencing a dangerous rise in threats of political violence across the Commonwealth and I appreciate the quick action of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Lebanon County District Attorney to charge and arrest the perpetrator. It is also clear a better process is necessary to notify elected officials directly when these threats are made. Lt. Colonel Bivens has spoken extensively with House and Senate leadership and their teams, and the Pennsylvania State Police have instituted a new process to notify members of the General Assembly immediately and directly of any and all threats of violence against them.
It is on all of us to combat hate speech and political violence, and I call on all of my fellow Pennsylvanians and fellow leaders to stand up against this dangerous rising tide of violence we are seeing across our country.”
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Rhode Island
Star-studded cast of ‘My Boyfriend is a Demon,’ filming in RI, released
RI’s Verdi Productions films ‘Bad News On The Doorstep’ in Providence
Verdi Productions wrapped filming of Tom DeNucci’s “Bad News On The Doorstep” early on May 23 in Providence.
Verdi Productions’ secret horror movie, “My Boyfriend is a Demon,” now filming in Rhode Island, is no longer a secret as Chad A. Verdi, the East Greenwich production company’s president, has announced the cast and given an outline of the movie’s plot.
The ensemble cast comprises veteran actors and rising young talents. The story follows Mary, a lonely, small-town girl who creates a fake Instagram account that pretends to be boyfriend, a guy too perfect to be real. Mary puts so much effort into making him “real” that he shows up at her door one day.
The cast includes:
- Mattias Ferrell, son of comic actor Will Ferrell and known for “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie” and “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.”
- Coco Arquette, daughter of Courteney Cox and David Arquette and known for “Cougar Town.”
- David Arquette, known for his work in the “Scream” film franchise.
- Rosanna Arquette, David’s sister and Coco’s aunt, known for “The Moment.”
- Bailey Sloan, known for “Ragamuffin.”
- Jack Champion, known for “Avatar.”
- Ever Anderson, known for “Peter Pan & Wendy.”
- Vinnie Hacker, known for “Euphoria.”
- Josephine Reitman, known for “Juno.”
- Savannah Lee Smith, kown for “Tunsel Town.”
- Lisa Yamada, known for “Elle.”
- Ty Law, known for “Friday Night Lights.”
“My Boyfriend is a Demon” is written and directed by first-time director mishka.
“My Boyfriend is a Demon” is filming in Providence
The movie began filming in Rhode Island in April and has rented Providence’s Cranston Street Armory for the month of May to use as a studio.
The producing team for Verdi Productions includes Chad A. Verdi, Chad Verdi Jr., Paul Luba, Michelle Verdi and Sera Verdi. Executive producers include Ketchup Entertainment and Kinolime.
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