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WASHINGTON – Michael D. Cohen, former personal advocate of President Trump, who implicated him in a ploy to pay money to two women who claimed to have business with him, agreed to testify before the Committee next month and to give "a full and credible account" of his work for Mr. Trump
Mr. Cohen's decision to appear before the House Monitoring and Reform Committee on February 7 paves the way for a large-scale public hearing that may further damage the image of the president and may clarify the extent of his legal problems Mr. Cohen, a partner of Mr. Trump when he was a promoter real estate and presidential candidate as well as informally as president, was aware of Mr. Trump's inner circle machinations and key moments examined by both the special advocate, Ro bert S. Mueller III and federal prosecutors in New York.
He could soon share them on national television under oath.
"In pursuit of my commitment to cooperate and provide answers to the American people, I accepted the invitation. by President Elijah Cummings to appear publicly on February 7, "Cohen said in a statement." I hope I have the privilege of having a platform to report in a comprehensive and credible manner. " events occurred. "
Mr. Cohen pleaded guilty in federal court in Manhattan in August for tax evasion, misrepresentation to a bank, and violation of campaign financing In court, Mr. Cohen stated that the violation resulted from payments that he had made at the request of his former client to a woman ready to be made public during the 2016 campaign about an affair with Mr. Trump a few years ago.
Mr. Cohen then spent more than 70 hours with federal prosecutors in Manhattan as well as with Mr. Mueller, who investigates Russia's efforts to influence the 2016 elections and Mr. Trump's campaign. In November, Mr. Cohen pleaded guilty to an additional charge to Congress about the length of negotiations for a project for the Trump Tower in Moscow in 2016.
This cooperation earned him the wrath of Mr. Trump, who called Mr. Cohen is a "weak man". The president said that he had done nothing wrong with the financing of the campaign. He also accused his former lawyer of lying to prosecutors in an attempt to obtain a reduced sentence. During the trials, prosecutors did not appoint Mr. Trump, referring to a "candidate for federal office" and an "individual-1".
During a visit to the Texas border, he was worried about Mr. Cohen's project Testify, Mr. Trump told reporters, "I do not worry at all." [19659002ItwasunclearwhethertheprosecutorsinNewYorkorMrMuellerwouldaskMrCohentorefrainfromdiscussingtopicsstillpending"ItwasalsounclearwhenMCummingshadformallyinvitedtotestify
On Thursday, Mr. Cummings stated that he was consulting Mr. Mueller's office to make sure that it did not prevent him from doing so.
It is clear that we have no interest in intervening inappropriately in ongoing criminal investigations, "he said in a statement.
million. During a brief interview Thursday, Cummings said that he knew that Mr. Cohen would come for a while and that he had talked to him briefly during the planning of the hearing.
"He will have the opportunity to tell his version of the story, and we will have the opportunity to question him.The American people deserve it."
In an interview In December, Mr. Cummings compared Mr. Cohen's appearance with that of John Dean, White House lawyer Richard Nixon, who appeared before a special Senate committee charged with investigating the case. Watergate, the scandal in which he implicated, as well as the senior administration officials and the president himself, in a concealment of the burglary of 1972 at the headquarters of the National Democratic Committee.
"C & Is a decisive moment, "said Mr. Cummings, citing Mr. Dean, who would have said" changing the course of America "with his testimony
It was not clear whether the & dquo; Mr. Cohen's agreement to testify before the Oversight Committee would prevent appearances, in public or in private, before other committees of the House. ] The newly installed presidents of at least two other committees, the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, said they wanted to talk to Mr. Cohen about his work on behalf of Mr. Trump. The representative of the California Democratic Party, Adam B. Schiff, and chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said in an interview last week that he was in contact with Mr. Cohen's lawyer about a possible appearance.
In a statement released Thursday, Mr. Schiff stated that he was pleased to see that Mr. Cohen would appear in public, but would strive to obtain another private appearance before his own committee. "in the near future" to discuss issues related to Russia.
Democrats reconquered Parliament last. promising year to hold Trump and his administration accountable and began laying the groundwork for a long series of investigations into the policies and ethical failings of his trump administrator, Trump's activities and the interactions of his campaign with Russia. Mr. Cohen's public appearance in front of the national television cameras will begin to deliver on this promise, but will likely be the first in a series of public testimonies that could harm the president.
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