Michael Cohen says Trump’s guilty verdict has been ‘a long time coming’

(NEW YORK) — Michael Cohen says he is “not surprised” that former President Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony charges as the 45th president became the first commander-in-chief to be criminally convicted on Thursday.

In an interview with George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning America” on Friday morning, Cohen said that his 21 hours on the stand during the trial was incredibly tough.

“Whether it was on direct or on cross-examination, the whole thing was very tough,” Cohen said. “It was emotionally draining. You have to be perfect. I knew that any mistake that I made would … become the topic of conversation that would just explode. And so I really just needed to stay focused. It wasn’t easy with Todd Blanche. He’s a meanderer as it goes to questioning.”

Cohen also told Stephanopoulos that he was done lying and takes full responsibility for his role in the case.

“I want people to also remember, I take responsibility for what I did … I shouldn’t have done it,” Cohen said. “I don’t ignore my responsibility. I accepted it and in part went to prison for it.”

The former president pleaded not guilty and denied all wrongdoing. After the verdict was read, Trump railed against the judge, and called the trial “rigged [and] disgraceful.”

It took the jury 10 hours to come to their decision on Thursday and sentencing is scheduled for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention.

“The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5, by the people, and they know what happened here and everybody knows what happened here,” Trump said after exiting the courtroom following his conviction.

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