Page 6 - Florida Sentinel 12-14-18

White House And Political News
Michael Cohen Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For Crimes Committed While Working For Trump
A federal judge on Wednes- day sentenced President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen to three years in prison for financial crimes and lying to Congress, as the disgraced former “fixer” apologized for his conduct but also said he felt it was his duty to cover up the “dirty deeds” of his former boss.
Cohen made an emo- tional, teary apology to U. S. District Judge William H. Pauley III, taking responsi- bility for crimes that included tax violations, lying to a bank, and buying the silence during the 2016 campaign of women who alleged affairs with the future president.
“My weakness could be characterized as a blind loy- alty to Donald Trump,” Cohen told the packed court- room. He stood at a podium, sniffling and fighting back tears as he spoke, and paused occasionally to regain his composure.
The judge also ordered Cohen to pay nearly $2 mil- lion in financial penalties.
Pauley said Cohen’s sen-
Michael Cohen, right, President Trump's former lawyer and “fixer,” is accompanied Wednesday by his wife and children as he ar- rives at the federal courthouse in New York for his sentencing hear- ing.
tence should reflect the com- peting interests of his case — punishing those who repeat- edly break the law, and re- warding those who cooperate and provide truthful testi- mony.
“Our democratic institu- tions depend upon the hon- esty of our citizenry in dealing with the government,” Pauley said, calling Cohen’s crimes serious, particularly given his profession.
“As a lawyer, Mr. Cohen should have known better. Tax evasion undercuts the government’s ability to pro- vide essential services upon
which we all depend,” the judge said. “While Mr. Cohen is taking steps to mit- igate his criminal conduct by pleading guilty and volunteer- ing useful information to prosecutors, that does not wipe the slate clean.
“Mr. Cohen selected the information he disclosed to the government. This court cannot agree with the defen- dant’s assertion that no jail time is warranted. In fact this court firmly believes that a significant term of imprison- ment is fully justified in this highly publicized case to send a message,” the judge said.
Donald Trump 'Stormed Out’ Of Oval Office After Heated Meeting With Democratic Leaders
A frustrated President Donald Trump reportedly “stormed out” of an Oval Of- fice meeting with Represen- tative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer and hurled his briefing pa- pers across the room.
Trump met with the con- gressional Democratic lead- ers Tuesday to hash out a budget deal and prevent a partial government shut- down before the holiday pe- riod. During their verbal sparring match in front of the cameras, the president said he would gladly accept re- sponsibility for any shutdown if Congress did not approve his requested funding to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico.
"I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck," Trump said, undercutting the message of his own Re- publicans in Congress.
A reporter told MSNBC,
President Donald Trump debates with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., left, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., right, as Vice President Mike Pence listens during a meeting in the Oval Office of White House on Dec. 11, 2018 in Wash- ington, D.C
however, that Trump seemed angry and frustrated after the meeting.
“When the president left after Pelosi and Schumer left—a number of people saw him—he stormed out of the Oval, walked into an ante- room just off the Oval Office, and had in his hand a folder of briefing papers. And he
just scattered them out of frustration, threw them across the room, and ex- pressed frustration to the people who were present, mainly with Chuck Schumer," Los Angeles Times White House reporter Eli Stokols said on MSNBC’s Hardball Tuesday night.
PAGE 6-A FLORIDA SENTINEL-BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2018