MICHAEL Cohen has postponed giving his testimony to Congress after the president has threatened him and his family, his adviser said.
Cohen, who served as Donald Trump’s lawyer from 2006 to 2018, was due to appear before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on 7 February.
The committee is investigating Cohen allegedly giving hush-money payments during the 2016 campaign to silence women who claimed to have had sex with Donald Trump, reported Sky News.
Cohen’s adviser Lanny Davis said that the 52-year-old put off his appearance because of “ongoing threats against his family from Trump”.
I would say he’s been threatened by the truth. He’s only been threatened by the truth.
US President Donald Trump
Threats have reportedly come from Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani as well as Trump himself, Cohen’s adviser added.
He said Cohen’s ongoing co-operation with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged Russian collusion during the 2016 election campaign was also the reason for the delay.
Prosecutors say Trump directed Cohen to make the payments to avoid potential scandals during the campaign.
‘ONGOING THREATS FROM TRUMP’
Trump, however, has always denied being involved in any romantic affairs.
Davis said: “There is no question that his threatening and calling out his father-in-law, who – quote – ‘has all the money’, is not only improper and unseemly for a bully using the bully pulpit of the presidency, but the very definition of intimidation and witness tampering.”
Trump said: “I would say he’s been threatened by the truth. He’s only been threatened by the truth.
“And he doesn’t want to do that probably for me or other of his clients.
“He has other clients also, I assume, and he doesn’t want to tell the truth for me or other of his clients.”
Giuliani, who served as the mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001, said the “president’s response covers it”.
This is a time where Mr Cohen had to put his family and their safety first.
Lanny Davis, Michael Cohen's adviser
Last month, Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for his role in making illegal hush-money payments to women to help Trump’s campaign and for lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia.
Davis said on Wednesday that Cohen looked forward to testifying at a later date than the one scheduled.
Davis said: “This is a time where Mr Cohen had to put his family and their safety first.”
Cohen admitted he violated campaign finance laws by arranging for hush payments.
Also last month, Trump called Cohen a “rat,” while Cohen has cooperated with US Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of links between the Trump campaign and Russia during the campaign.
Both Trump and Moscow have denied any wrongdoing.
MOST READ IN NEWS
Cohen pleaded guilty to the campaign finance charge in August and to making false statements in November.
Prosecutors said Cohen paid Daniels £100,000 and helped arrange a £120,000 payment to McDougal so they would keep quiet about their alleged relationships with Trump.
Adult actress Daniels, 39, is alleged to have had an affair with Trump while he was married to his third wife Melania in 2006.
https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/michael-cohen-postpones-hush-money-payment-testimony-after-donald-trump-threatens-his-family/
News Photo Michael Cohen postpones hush-money payment testimony after Donald Trump ‘threatens his family’
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