President Donald Trump guaranteed Friday that his previous legal counselor Michael Cohen “directly asked” him for a remission and lied after swearing to tell the truth while affirming before Congress a week ago.
“Bad lawyer and fraudster Michael Cohen said under sworn testimony that he never asked for a Pardon. His lawyers totally contradicted him. He lied! Additionally, he directly asked me for a pardon. I said NO. He lied again! He also badly wanted to work at the White House. He lied!” Trump tweeted Friday, while on board Air Force One.
Cohen said in his open declaration before the House that he “never” requested an acquittal.
“I have never asked for it, nor would I accept a pardon from President Trump,” Cohen said before the House Intelligence Committee.
He reacted to Trump Friday, tweeting: “Just another set of lies by @POTUS @realdonaldtrump.”
The prospect of a Cohen pardon was raised more than once between Cohen’s legal counselor and lawyers speaking to the President, as indicated by multiple sources acquainted with the issue. The profundity of those talks – including whether a remission was really on the table in return for Cohen’s collaboration – is being debated publicly among the different factions.
Cohen told Congress over the previous week that his previous lawyer talked independently with two lawyers for the President, Rudy Giuilani and Jay Sekulow, about the prospect of a remission, the sources said.
Cohen likewise testified to Congress that he talked straightforwardly to Sekulow about remissions, as indicated by the sources, which Sekulow denies.