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Tuesday 21 May 2019

Cohen claims Trump lawyer shaped false statement to Congress

Jay Sekulow, who suggest- would rely on the word of retained other counsel, Co-
ed he tell lawmakers that Michael Cohen for any pur- hen said.
the negotiations for Trump pose - much less to try and Sekulow was "dangling the
Tower Moscow ended in pierce the attorney-client concept of pardons" to
January 2016, even though privilege and discover con- keep people in Trump's in-
they continued for months fidential communications ner circle in line, Cohen tes-
after that. of four respected lawyers tified.
The House Intelligence - defies logic, well-estab- "Mr. Sekulow stated that
Committee on Monday lished law and common the President loves you,
released two transcripts sense." don't worry, everything is
of closed-door interviews Cohen said Trump also going to be fine, nothing
with Cohen from earlier this knew the negotiations had is going to happen," Co-
year, along with some ex- continued far beyond Jan- hen testified. Cohen said
hibits from the testimony. uary 2016 and that Sekulow he only discussed the idea
Cohen, who is serving a had seen his testimony in of a pardon with Sekulow,
three-year prison sentence, advance of submission. He not Trump or anyone at
In this May 4, 2019, file photo, Michael Cohen, President Donald
Trump's former personal attorney, stops to talk to a member of pleaded guilty last year also claimed that Sekulow the White House, but that
the media in New York. and admitted that he mis- edited the statement and he believes the discussions
Associated Press led Congress by saying he that both Sekulow and were done with Trump's
had abandoned the Trump Trump approved it. Cohen knowledge and author-
By MARY CLARE JALONICK President Donald Trump's Tower Moscow project also provided documents ity. He said Sekulow had
and MICHAEL BALSAMO former fixer, Michael Co- months earlier than he ac- to the intelligence panel brought up the possibility
Associated Press hen, told Congress it was tually did. that showed the editing of a pardon to "shut down
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump's personal attorney, During the interviews, leg- process for the statement. the inquiries and to shut the
islators repeatedly pressed When asked whether investigation down."
Cohen for details on his Trump had read his "false Cohen became a key fig-
false statement to Con- written testimony," Cohen ure in congressional inves-
gress and tried to nail down replied: "Mr. Sekulow said tigations after turning on
whether he was directly that he spoke to the client his former boss and coop-
told by Trump's legal team and that, you know, the erating with special coun-
to mislead the committee, client likes it and that it's sel Robert Mueller's Russia
but the transcripts provide good." probe. Mueller's final report,
no slam-dunk evidence. In addition to the question- released in April, examined
Cohen offered no direct ing about his false testimo- conduct related to Cohen
proof that Sekulow knew ny, much of the discussion as one of several possible
the January 2016 date we during Cohen's interviews instances of obstruction
false, but Cohen claims related to pardons and of justice by the president.
Sekulow should have whether Trump or his law- Cohen was also convicted
known because he had yers were dangling them in in federal court in New York
access to relevant emails front of Cohen as the gov- of campaign finance viola-
and other communications ernment began to investi- tions for his role in buying
as part of an agreement gate him. the silence of two women
between defense attor- Cohen told the intelligence who alleged they had af-
neys to share documents. committee that he was dis- fairs with Trump, as well as
Attorneys for Sekulow said cussing the possibility of a other crimes. He began
Cohen's testimony is not pardon with Sekulow, up serving a prison sentence
credible. until Cohen abandoned earlier this month.
"Michael Cohen's alleged their joint-defense agree- House Intelligence Commit-
statements are more of ment and publicly broke tee Chairman Adam Schiff,
the same from him and from the president in mid- D-Calif., said in a statement
confirm the observations 2018. He said Sekulow was last week that Cohen's tes-
of prosecutors in the South- representing him, not the timony this year, along with
ern District of New York that president, when he brought materials in the commit-
Cohen's 'instinct to blame up the idea of a pardon tee's possession, raises "se-
others is strong,'" Seku- during a May 2017 Oval Of- rious, unresolved concerns
low's lawyers, Jane Serene fice meeting with Trump. about the obstruction of
Raskin and Patrick Straw- The discussions continued our committee's investiga-
bridge, said in a statement. after Sekulow became tion that we would be neg-
"That this or any Committee Trump's lawyer and Cohen ligent not to pursue."q