As Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and so-called “fixer,” testified to a congressional committee on Wednesday, in a nationally televised hearing that lasted for about seven hours, Twitter users found themselves fascinated by a blonde woman seated directly behind Cohen and visible on camera through large segments of the proceedings, taking note of her animated facial expressions which, in the words of one Twitter user, were “super perfect to what we’re all thinking.”
But who was the mysterious blonde woman whose expressive face seemed to offer a non-verbal commentary on Cohen’s testimony to the House Oversight Committee, as he described Donald Trump as a racist, as CNN reported, and a “con man,” among many other accusations?
Her name, as she herself acknowledged on Twitter , is Dena Grayson. She is a 48-year-old physician, activist, and former congressional candidate who is married to Alan Grayson, himself a former United States member of Congress. Dena Grayson, formerly Dena Minning, and Alan Grayson were married in May of 2016, as the former House rep posted on Twitter .
Dena Grayson is also a popular Twitter personality herself, best known for her posts criticizing and ridiculing Trump, allowing her to amass 130,000 followers on the social media platform. She live-tweeted the Cohen hearing, from her seat just a few yards behind the witness table where Cohen sat.
I’m sitting RIGHT BEHIND Cohen (over his left shoulder), just behind his family/lawyer/entourage.? #CohenHearing pic.twitter.com/1Me2D1BHiU
— Dena Grayson, MD, PhD (@DrDenaGrayson) February 27, 2019
But it was her facial expressions, reacting in real time to Cohen’s many bombshell allegations, that captured the imagination of the Twitterverse, as seen in the below video posted to the platform.
I don’t know who this woman is but her facial expressions are hilarious! #CohenHearing #CohenTestimony #Cohen pic.twitter.com/PnFkQ8Hadc
— CyanSkies (@NandoPrudhomme) February 27, 2019
The blonde lady behind Michael Cohen is stealing the show. #CohenTestimony
— Kevin Zuercher (@kzerker_or) February 27, 2019
I’m in love with the eye-rolling blonde behind Cohen at the #CohenCongressionalTestimony
— Peter Shankman (@petershankman) February 27, 2019
Wait for it… ?? #Cohen #CohenHearings #AOC pic.twitter.com/Vgib0qrpBD
— Jackie Pepper ?????? (@Jackie_Pepper) February 27, 2019
After the hearing, Grayson greeted House Oversight Committee Chair Elijah Cummings.
Thank you, Chairman @RepCummings . Our democracy feels a bit better today, thanks to you and your fellow @OversightDems .?? #CohenHearing pic.twitter.com/Tg7PgQYa3R
— Dena Grayson, MD, PhD (@DrDenaGrayson) February 27, 2019
She also posted her own reaction when Cohen, in response to a question from New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, said that Trump had manipulated the value of his assets for tax and insurance purposes.
EXPLOSIVE disclosure by Cohen that @realDonaldTrump committed insurance and tax #fraud , aided and abetted by @Trump Org CFO Allen Weisselberg, who got an #immunity deal.? #CohenHearing pic.twitter.com/UrxVNCxyeh
— Dena Grayson, MD, PhD (@DrDenaGrayson) February 28, 2019
Cohen also dropped several other bombshells in Wednesday’s testimony, as The Washington Post enumerated. He revealed that federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York are currently investigating other illegal acts and wrongdoing by Trump that may not have previously been revealed to the public.
He also stated, in response to questioning by Ocasio-Cortez, that three other members of the Trump Organization — Allen Weisselberg, Ron Lieberman, and Matthew Calamari — were aware that Trump inflated the value of his assets “to an insurance company.” Those three Trump associates “would seem likely candidates for subpoenas,” The Post reported, as the congressional investigation into Trump’s financial activities continues.