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Donald Trump has used coded language to guide his former senior adviser, Michael Cohen, on how to lie to Congress about Trump projects in Moscow, Cohen told legislators in a public letter on Friday.
The letter recounted Cohen's testimony to special advocate Robert Mueller and two congressional committees, according to his lawyers. They called the letter the first detailed account of Cohen's sworn testimony on alleged crimes committed by Trump.
"Trump and his [White House] Councilors encouraged Cohen to lie and said that all contacts in the Moscow Tower project had ended on January 31, 2017 "while the projects were still alive at least six months later," said letter.
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"Trump did it using a" coded language "- telling Cohen during various conversations that there was" no collusion, no Russian contact, nothing about Russia "after the beginning of the campaign, "adds the text.
Trump has ruled all charges of wrongdoing since last month's Attorney General William Barr issued a letter summarizing the findings of Mueller's investigation into the falsification of elections in Russia and its possible obstruction of justice.
But since then, every day seems to bring new signs that Barr's four-page letter does not tell the full story of the Mueller report – or even get close to it.
Sources close to Mueller's team members told reporters in recent days that Barr's summary was incomplete or misleading. A source told the Washington Post that the investigators had filed a lawsuit for obstruction of justice against Trump, who "was far more serious than Barr had suggested."
Trump allegedly asked Cohen to make false statements in Congress, a crime that Cohen convicted of pleading guilty last November could itself constitute criminal conduct. But what Mueller has to do with the prosecution will remain obscure as long as his report is sealed.
Barr, a Trump appointee who had previously written that Mueller's investigation of Trump for alleged obstruction of justice was "fatally misconceived," writes in his summary of the Mueller report: "The evidence developed during the Special advocate investigation is not enough to establish that the President has committed an offense of obstruction of justice. "
But Cohen's memo released on Friday seemed likely to fuel doubts about the move. According to a description of Cohen's affidavit published by his lawyers, "Cohen said he and Trump both knew his contacts with Russia were going on for months" after Cohen's date in Congress.
"Cohen also said in 2019 that Mr. Trump and his advisers gave him this false" party line, "says the memo.
The memo also describes hidden moments portraying Trump as being perfectly aware of Donald Trump Jr's efforts to meet with Russian agents in order to obtain relevant information on Hillary Clinton and from the United States. other contacts with Russia.
"In early June 2016, Cohen testified that he was in Trump's office," reads the memo. "He saw Don Jr. walk around the desk (unusual thing) to bend over to tell his father," The meeting is open. "Trump did not ask," which meeting? "Cohen heard Trump say," It's good … let me know. "
Trump has publicly denied knowledge of a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between Trump Jr. and Russian nationals linked to the Kremlin.
However, after admitting to having lied under oath before Congress, Cohen and his credibility were compromised. The dispute between him and Trump, to whom Cohen served as a loyal lieutenant for a decade, took a personal advantage.
Trump said the efforts to unveil the Mueller report, whose publication was approved by Congress as a result of a unanimous resolution, proved to be a "witch hunt".
"According to polls, few people seem to be interested in the Russian collusion hoax, but some Democrats are fighting hard to keep the witch hunt alive," Trump said. tweeted Thursday. "They should focus on legislation or, better yet, on an investigation into how ridiculous Collusion Delusion has started – if illegal!"
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