Lanny Davis says that Michael Cohen contradicted his sword testimony to congress and directed a lawyer to ask about a presidential pardon.
In Cohen’s opening statement Cohen provided to the House Oversight Committee last week, he said, “I have never asked for it, nor would I accept a pardon from President Trump.”
Watch:
COHEN last week before the House Oversight Committee:
“I have never asked for, nor would I accept, a pardon from President Trump.”https://t.co/BDEugC0hR9 pic.twitter.com/PLQjoaprP4
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) March 5, 2019
However, the Wall Street Journal reported that Mr. Cohen had directed Stephen M. Ryan, his lawyer in 2018, to ask Mr. Trump’s personal lawyers about a pardon.
NEWS: Michael Cohen *directed* his attorney last spring to inquire with Trump’s lawyers about the possibility of a presidential pardon.
Cohen told the Oversight Committee last week: “I have never asked for, nor would I accept, a pardon from Mr. Trump.” https://t.co/CUJfnugHhI
— Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) March 7, 2019
Davis was quoted as saying, “During that time period, he directed his attorney to explore possibilities of a pardon at one point with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani as well as other lawyers advising President Trump,” He then added there were discussions between Cohen’s lawyer and Trump’s lawyers that involved the “ongoing ‘dangling’ of a possible pardon.”
According to the New York Times Giuliani said, “several” people under scrutiny by the Justice Department had approached him seeking pardons but that he “always gave one answer and they always left disappointed.”
Cohen is headed to prison in May after pleading guilty to campaign finance violations, tax fraud and lying to Congress.
