Michael Cohen Should Get ‘Long Prison Term,’ Trump Says
Former ‘fixer’ claims he kept then-candidate Trump aware of 2016 talks with Russians
President Donald Trump on Monday called for his former personal attorney and “fixer” Michael Cohen to receive a “long prison term,” while suggesting his former employee’s wife and father-in-law also committed crimes.
Cohen asked a federal judge to opt against giving him jail time in a document filed Friday night. In the same document, he goes further than in documents released last week by Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s office in which Cohen admitted to lying to Congress about his work on behalf of Trump when he was a candidate as he tried to secure approval for a hotel project in Moscow.
“In fact, Michael had a lengthy substantive conversation with the personal assistant to a Kremlin official following his outreach in January 2016, engaged in additional communications concerning the project as late as June 2016, and kept Client-1 apprised of these communications,” the lawyers wrote. Client-1 is how Trump is referred to in the document filed Friday.
Mueller determined Cohen lied to congressional investigators, and the former Trump “fixer” admitted to making false statements about the nature and scope of work he did on the Moscow tower project, including revealing the work went on well into Trump’s 2016 campaign for the White House and included talks with a Kremlin official in an attempt to get Russian President Vladimir Putin’s support for the project.
The situation reportedly has shaken Trump, who during a G-20 summit appeared reluctant to take reporters’ questions as he met with other world leaders. What’s more, he canceled a Saturday news conference citing the death of former President George H.W. Bush.
But on Monday morning, the president was back to criticizing his onetime attorney.
“You mean he can do all of the TERRIBLE, unrelated to Trump, things having to do with fraud, big loans, Taxis, etc., and not serve a long prison term?” Trump said, suggesting some of Cohen’s New York business dealings were illegal.
The president again accused Cohen of lying about making false statements to lawmakers so he could get a reduced sentence.
“He lied for this outcome and should, in my opinion, serve a full and complete sentence,” the president wrote.
“Michael Cohen asks judge for no Prison Time.” You mean he can do all of the TERRIBLE, unrelated to Trump, things having to do with fraud, big loans, Taxis, etc., and not serve a long prison term? He makes up stories to get a GREAT & ALREADY reduced deal for himself, and get…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
….his wife and father-in-law (who has the money?) off Scott Free. He lied for this outcome and should, in my opinion, serve a full and complete sentence.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
Trump showed no signs of sounding a lighter tone about Cohen or the Mueller probe during official events related to Bush’s death and funeral. He fired off a third tweet praising former confidant Roger Stone for stating over the weekend he would not testify as part of any probe against Trump.
The president applauded Stone for declaring he will not give into pressure by what he called a “rogue and out of control prosecutor to make up lies and stories about ‘President Trump.’ Nice to know that some people still have ‘guts!’”
“I will never testify against Trump.” This statement was recently made by Roger Stone, essentially stating that he will not be forced by a rogue and out of control prosecutor to make up lies and stories about “President Trump.” Nice to know that some people still have “guts!”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
The president’s critics contend such statements about individuals who refuse to testify against him or give up potentially damaging information are signs he might pardon them, should they face federal charges.
Watch: Trump Blasts Former Fixer Michael Cohen
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