Northeast
Michael Cohen TikTok videos, fundraising stun legal observers: May have 'torpedoed case against Trump'
Michael Cohen, who is supposed to be a star witness in NY v. Trump, might have “torpedoed” the case before taking the stand by ranting about it on TikTok while fundraising, according to legal observers.
“It is a major problem for prosecutors. It is not a problem for Cohen’s credibility because he has none — he is a convicted perjurer and fraudster whose current ‘defense’ of his fraud convictions is that he wasn’t telling the truth when he pled guilty,” former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew McCarthy told Fox News Digital.
ABC News published an article Sunday declaring Cohen’s actions “could be a problem,” pointing out that Cohen has chimed in on former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker’s testimony, has regularly “railed against Trump,” has insisted the jury isn’t “bored” and can profit when followers shower him with gifts.
TikTok allows viewers to donate “gifts” as they watch users’ livestreams, which can then be converted into money or virtual items, ABC News reported, citing the social media platform’s website.
MICHAEL AVENATTI DEFENDS TRUMP AS ‘VICTIM OF THE SYSTEM’ IN HUSH MONEY CASE, SAYS HE’S BEING TARGETED
Michael Cohen, inset, who is supposed to be a star witness in NY v. Trump, might have “torpedoed” the case before taking the stand by ranting about it on TikTok, according to legal observers. (Getty Images | Michael Cohen TikTok)
“It’s a problem for prosecutors because they chose to build a case on a witness with a track record of bad conduct and deep bias and, not surprisingly, he can’t help himself but continue to act in character,” McCarthy said.
Michael Avenatti, the one-time “most dangerous enemy” of Trump who liberals hoped would bring down his presidency, believes Cohen might botch the whole case.
“Michael Cohen through his narcissism and his ego may have just torpedoed the case against Trump,” Avenatti told Fox News Digital from federal prison.
“Never underestimate this guy’s ability to screw something up due to his ignorance and arrogance. He’s dumber than a box of rocks. The state can’t win the case without him and because of his conduct in reviewing trial testimony in violation of the court’s order, which just admitted to when speaking with ABC, the court must strike him as a witness, declare a mistrial, or both,” Avenatti continued. “He had no business commenting on other witnesses’ testimony.”
Avenatti said Cohen is “not even supposed to be hearing or learning of that testimony before he testifies” himself.
“Alvin Bragg and his team have a lot of explaining to do, in my view,” Avenatti said.
Michael Avenatti spoke with Fox News Digital from his prison in California. (Screenshot/FNC)
Cornell Law School professor William A. Jacobson said Cohen’s TikTok antics add to a laundry list of pre-existing conflicts.
“Michael Cohen has many pre-existing conflicts of interest when it comes to Donald Trump, calling into question his objectivity and veracity. Profiting off the trial adds another conflict to that pile. Whether it’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back when it comes to the jury remains to be seen, but it certainly is fodder for cross-examination,” Jacobson told Fox News Digital.
Former Georgia prosecutor Chris Timmons said he would be “furious” with Cohen.
“As a prosecutor, the last thing you want your witness to do is to be talking about the case in a forum other than the courtroom,” Timmons told ABC News.
Defense attorney Jeremy Saland, who used to work in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, told ABC News that Trump’s legal team can use Cohen’s actions to “tear down his credibility.”
“If I’m the prosecution, I’m on the phone right now saying, ‘Stop what you are doing — right now,’” Saland told ABC News.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for contact.
Cohen told the Disney-owned outlet he would knock it off.
“I am not the defendant in this criminal matter and am not the subject of Judge Merchan’s gag order. Donald is. Nevertheless, I elected, out of respect to the court and the prosecutors, to cease commenting on Trump and this matter; which I have done,” Cohen told ABC News.
ABC News noted that Cohen “fired up his TikTok account, went live with thousands of viewers, and briefly talked about Trump and the trial” shortly after saying he wouldn’t discuss it.
Cohen slammed ABC News on X, labeling the report a “non-story” and calling for executives to step in. “BoycottABC,” he wrote.
TRUMP CALLS HUSH MONEY TRIAL ‘ASSAULT ON AMERICA’ AS CASE OFFICIALLY KICKS OFF
Meanwhile, Judge Juan Merchan fined Trump $9,000 on Tuesday morning for violating a gag order that bans him from speaking publicly about witnesses and family members of court officials.
Fox News contributor and constitutional law expert Jonathan Turley said the judge preventing Trump from responding to Cohen’s comments through the gag order is “absurd,” and he doesn’t believe Cohen is a trustworthy witness.
“You have someone who is making money, campaigning against Trump and attacking him on this trial, and the judge is letting him speak but not for the president to respond,” Turley said Tuesday on “America’s Newsroom.”
“This is an individual that was just recently hit by a judge saying that he is a serial perjurer, that he is gaming the system. This has been the long story of Michael Cohen, which is a story of a legal trainwreck,” Turley continued. “I was a critic of his when he was still representing Trump. And his practice has always been thuggish, and he has often had a serious problem with telling the truth … how could you put that individual on the stand and take the oath is going to be really something to watch. If lightning doesn’t strike the courthouse, I will be very surprised.”
Cohen’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
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Connecticut
A Character-Rich Family Home in Connecticut That Bridges Past and Present
When a house has been loved for generations, its walls tend to hold stories. In the case of one family residence in Darien, Connecticut, that sentiment was taken quite literally. On the casement between the living room and kitchen are ticks that denote decades of growth, a quiet record of childhoods unfolding in real time. Several of those measurements belong to the home’s newest steward—the original owners’ daughter—who was ready to put her own mark on the property.
Eager to see what she could make of the 1930s structure, she and her husband tapped British-born designer Becca Casey of Connecticut-based Becca Interiors to breathe new life—and old soul—into the interior. For Casey, being entrusted with that kind of emotional patina was a privilege she didn’t take lightly. “The greatest challenge was ensuring that the new extension had synergy with the original house while bringing together the couple’s different tastes and honoring the home’s history,” Casey says of the 2,400-square-foot space.
That delicate balance shows up everywhere, from tailored silhouettes and clean lines for him to pattern and color for her. Nowhere is that nuance more evident than in the property’s oldest room, a long, beam-lined living space that once sat largely unused. Casey swathed it in an atmospheric mural, transforming it into a multi-zone haven centered on the fireplace, with moments of repose throughout where the family can gather to play a game or enjoy a book.
Around the home, Casey’s eye for nuance is unmistakable. She wields color, pattern, and shape with equal aplomb, expertly marrying form with function in a way that’s both timeless and fresh. A hidden television disappears behind drapery-lined cabinetry, the inner skeleton of an armchair is displayed like a work of art, a vintage dining table reveals a plaque from the husband’s hometown (a serendipitous discovery that made the piece instantly meaningful). In the end, reviving the dwelling wasn’t about reinvention for Casey—it was about the possibility that a new chapter can bring. The result is a space that, according to Casey, feels “quietly refined and effortlessly lived-in”—an elegant meeting point between memory and modern family life.
FAST FACTS:
Designer: Becca Casey, Becca Interiors
Location: Darien, Connecticut
The Space: A 1930s colonial with six bedrooms, across 2,400 square feet.
LIVING ROOM
Bare windows and a transportive wallpaper nod to the pastoral landscape.
The living room is the oldest space in the house, so Casey wanted to honor its bones while streamlining the layout for modern functionality. Custom Dmitriy & Co. sofas—linen on the top, patterned French mattress tufting at the base—typify the union between “his” and “her” tastes.
A traditional English roll armchair was tucked into a corner at the request of the husband, whose wish list included a spot to read. Aiming for a “layered floor plan,” with distinct areas for the family’s many needs, Casey added a game table as a visual anchor with a direct sight line to the main entryway of the home.
DEN
An original stone fireplace anchors the family-ready space.
Drenched in French Gray paint by Farrow & Ball and grounded by the original stone fireplace, the den is carefully choreographed to support togetherness, with a custom sectional and hidden TV.
DINING ROOM
The sun-drenched space looks out to the backyard pond.
Part of the new addition, the serene dining room is flooded with light, thanks to expansive floor to (almost) ceiling windows. Layered textiles keep the antique table—a happy find, originally made in the husband’s hometown—geared toward casual meals.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Salvaged beams mimic the look of the originals in the living room.
Inspired by Belgian interiors, the elevated placement of the fireplace isn’t just a design flex—it’s an experiential choice that puts the flames right at eye level when lounging in bed. Beside it, two vintage English armchairs stun with their exposed interior, a Becca Interiors signature touch.
PRIMARY BATH
Natural materials were chosen for their ability to patina over time.
In the primary bathroom, wellness comes through atmosphere rather than gadgets. A Drummonds soaking tub is positioned for prime pond views, with a gray-green base (Drop Cloth, Farrow & Ball) that reinforces the room’s soothing palette.
WORKSTATION
Smart features make family management a cinch.
To make the most of a hall nook, Casey crafted a compact desk where the wife, a teacher, can grade papers. Labeled drawers store art supplies, while a floor-to-ceiling cabinet (at side) acts as a hub for deliveries.
About the Designer
Becca Casey is the Principal Director and founder of Becca Interiors. Raised in the countryside of Southwest England, her earliest influences were rooted in history, nature, and the quiet beauty of rural life. These foundations continue to shape her design philosophy today, one that blends heritage with modern sensibility while honoring craftsmanship and the beauty of daily life at home.
Maine
This Classic New England-Style Cottage in Maine Has 200 Feet of Atlantic Ocean Frontage
A waterfront home with open ocean views on the coast of Maine came to market Tuesday asking $4 million.
Built in 1978, the three-bedroom cottage is at the southern point of Cape Elizabeth, less than 10 miles from downtown Portland. The 1.1-acre property on Sunny Bank Road features 200 feet of south-facing water frontage on the wide open Atlantic.
It is bordered by a rocky sea wall that’s about 28 feet high, according to listing agent Sam Michaud Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty
“The views are like a Monet painting,” he said via email. “The water sparkles and the waves are endless.”
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The 3,364-square-foot home was built in classic New England style, with shingle siding, a single sloped roofline and large windows—complemented by white-washed walls, exposed-beam ceilings and wide-plank flooring on the interiors.
The main common area features cathedral ceilings with a step-down between the living and dining room, and a partial wall divides the dining room from the kitchen. There is also a wood-paneled family room off the kitchen, a gym and a covered porch.
The sellers purchased the property in 2010 for $1.562 million, according to property records accessed through PropertyShark. They could not immediately be reached for comment.
“I have received quite a few inquiries since hitting the market two days ago,” Michaud said. “Buyers understand that this is a golden opportunity to own over an acre with 200 feet of bold oceanfront in Cape Elizabeth.”
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There are currently just seven three-bedroom homes available for sale in Cape Elizabeth and fewer than five waterfront properties, according to Sotheby’s and Zillow data. It is also the most expensive listing in the town, with another waterfront property on a tiny lot just south of Portland coming in a close second, according to Zillow.
Michaud sold the former Cape Elizabeth home of Bette Davis this past summer for $13.4 million, the priciest sale on the cape in at least a decade—and even those views can’t compare. They’re “just magical,” he said.
Massachusetts
Body part found in Shirley, Massachusetts pond, police suspect foul play
A body part was found in a pond in Shirley, Massachusetts and investigators said foul play is suspected.
It was discovered around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday as a group of people were walking along Veterans Memorial Bridge on Shaker Road.
Police said the group noticed something suspicious in the water of Phoenix Pond. The Middlesex District Attorney confirmed that the item was a body part, but would not elaborate.
Police shut down the road and divers could be seen exploring the pond late Wednesday. Authorities were back at the scene Thursday morning.
No other information is available at this point in the investigation.
Phoenix Pond connects to the Catacoonamug Brook, which flows into the Nashua River. It’s also connected to Lake Shirley.
Shirley, Massachusetts is about 44 miles northwest of Boston and around 13 miles from the New Hampshire border.
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