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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 29 January 2019

Cohen agrees to talk to House intelligence committee Feb. 8

By MARY CLARE JALONICK three-year prison sentence
and JIM MUSTIAN in March. Federal prosecu-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- tors have said Trump di-
dent Donald Trump's former rected Cohen to make the
lawyer, Michael Cohen, payments during the cam-
has agreed to talk to the paign.
House Intelligence Com- Schiff, D-Calif., said Cohen
mittee on Feb. 8, opting had relayed "legitimate
for closed-door testimony concerns" about his safety
after pulling out of a sepa- and the safety of his family.
rate public hearing due to "Efforts to intimidate wit-
security issues. nesses, scare their family
House Intelligence Commit- members, or prevent them
tee Chairman Adam Schiff from testifying before Con-
said Monday that Cohen gress are tactics we expect
will be appearing volun- from organized crime, not
tarily and that the panel will the White House," Schiff
work with law enforcement said. "These attacks on Mr.
to make sure he is safe. Co- Cohen's family must stop."
hen last week postponed Cohen is also scheduled
testimony he was supposed to talk to the Senate Intel-
to give the House Over- ligence Committee next
sight and Reform Commit- month, in compliance with
tee, blaming threats from a subpoena. That interview
Trump and the president's is scheduled for Feb. 12,
attorney-spokesman, Rudy according to Lanny Davis,
Giuliani. one of Cohen's lawyers.
Cohen has not detailed Also Monday, Cohen's law-
the threats, nor has his law- yers announced a shake-
yer. But Trump and Giuliani up on his defense team as
have publicly urged the he continues to cooperate
Justice Department to in- with Mueller and prepares
vestigate Cohen's father- for the congressional testi-
in-law, insinuating he was mony.
part of some unspecific Cohen's legal team an-
criminal activity. Trump, for nounced that two attor-
example, told Fox News this neys from Chicago, Mi-
month that Cohen "should chael Monico and his part-
give information maybe on ner Barry Spevack, will rep-
his father-in-law, because resent him, replacing New
that's the one that people York-based attorneys Guy In this Sept. 19, 2017, file photo, Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal attorney, steps
want to look at." Petrillo and Amy Lester. out of a cab during his arrival on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Trump's fixer-turned-foe is Cohen's legal team de- Associated Press
a central figure in special scribed Monico as one
counsel Robert Mueller's of the "premier criminal shake-up "had nothing to authorities in search of the dealing with the city of Chi-
investigation into possible defense attorneys in the do with fees." truth." cago. He also represented
coordination between Rus- country." Cohen did not immediately Monico worked as an as- an owner of Chicago's E2
sia and Trump's campaign. The legal shake-up fol- respond to a text message sistant U.S. attorney in Chi- nightclub, where a stam-
Cohen also played a pivot- lowed what a person fa- seeking for comment. cago before entering pri- pede toward a door in
al role in buying the silence miliar with the matter de- Monico and Spevack is- vate practice. He has since 2003 left 21 people dead.
of a porn actress and a for- scribed as a dispute over sued a joint statement Mon- become one of Chicago's Most recently, Monico and
mer Playboy Playmate who unpaid legal fees. The per- day saying they looked for- highest-profile white-collar Spevack have represented
both alleged they had sex son, who spoke to The As- ward to "helping Mr. Cohen attorneys dating back to a former Lithuanian par-
with Trump. The president sociated Press on the con- fulfill what he has told us is the 1980s, representing liamentarian and judge
has denied their claims. dition of anonymity due to his only mission — to tell the those close to the levers of fighting extradition from
Cohen pleaded guilty last the sensitivity of the matter, truth as he knows it and to power in Illinois, including Chicago to face charges
year to campaign finance said Cohen had not paid turn the corner on his past powerful aldermen, a con- in her homeland stemming
violations and other of- "proper fees" to his legal life and taking ownership fidant of now-imprisoned from her allegations that
fenses connected to the team. for his past mistakes by former Gov. Rod Blagojev- there's a well-connected
payments, and he is sched- Davis disputed that char- cooperating as best as he ich and several defendants ring of pedophiles in the
uled to begin serving a acterization, saying the can with all governmental accused of corruption in country.q