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So last fall, in October 2017, Michael Cohen testified in front of members of the Senate Intelligence Committee that he was not aware of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting, prior to seeing it on the news himself.
Here is a joint press release of Senators Richard Burr (North Carolina) and Mark R. Warner (Virginia)
https://www.burr.senate.gov/press/re...est&stream=top
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public...est&stream=top
And yet, since being arrested and investigated, and being well aware of the kind of trouble that he was in, Cohen turned into a snitchy rat, and started claiming that Trump knew of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting in advance. Here are the reports on it from CNN and CBS.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/26/polit...dge/index.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael...est&stream=top
So this begs the following question to be asked:
How could Cohen, under oath, say that he himself did not know of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting before learning about it on the news, yet a year later, when he was being investigated an facing many years in prison, claim that he can knows that Trump, in fact, did have knowledge about the meeting in advance?
[…..]
On the other hand, Cohen also flipped on the alleged affair hush money payments, and Trump's knowledge of them. He earlier stated that he did it all himself, and neither Trump nor his campaign had prior knowledge:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/13/polit...ent/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/13/u...hen-trump.html
But of course, now that Cohen is facing a decade, or more, in jail, he is again changing his story saying that not only Trump knew, but he was the one who ordered him to do it...
And of course, how can a lawyer who secretly recorded and kept the recordings of his clients, as well as other people such as CNN reporter Chris Cuomo, with whom Cohen had a 2 hour "off the record" interview with, and assured him there was not recording, possibly for future blackmail opportunities, be taken seriously by anybody?
Here is a joint press release of Senators Richard Burr (North Carolina) and Mark R. Warner (Virginia)
Senate Intel Committee Statement on Testimony of Michael Cohen
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) released the following statement:
“We have obviously followed today’s reporting about Michael Cohen with great interest. He appears to be pleading guilty to very serious charges, however, we have no insight into any agreements he and his legal team have allegedly reached with prosecutors in New York.
“What we can say is that we recently reengaged with Mr. Cohen and his team following press reports that suggested he had advance knowledge of the June 2016 meeting between campaign officials and Russian lawyers at Trump Tower. Mr. Cohen had testified before the Committee that he was not aware of the meeting prior to its disclosure in the press last summer. As such, the Committee inquired of Mr. Cohen’s legal team as to whether Mr. Cohen stood by his testimony. They responded that he did stand by his testimony.
“We hope that today’s developments and Mr. Cohen’s plea agreement will not preclude his appearance before our Committee as needed for our ongoing investigation.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) released the following statement:
“We have obviously followed today’s reporting about Michael Cohen with great interest. He appears to be pleading guilty to very serious charges, however, we have no insight into any agreements he and his legal team have allegedly reached with prosecutors in New York.
“What we can say is that we recently reengaged with Mr. Cohen and his team following press reports that suggested he had advance knowledge of the June 2016 meeting between campaign officials and Russian lawyers at Trump Tower. Mr. Cohen had testified before the Committee that he was not aware of the meeting prior to its disclosure in the press last summer. As such, the Committee inquired of Mr. Cohen’s legal team as to whether Mr. Cohen stood by his testimony. They responded that he did stand by his testimony.
“We hope that today’s developments and Mr. Cohen’s plea agreement will not preclude his appearance before our Committee as needed for our ongoing investigation.”
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public...est&stream=top
And yet, since being arrested and investigated, and being well aware of the kind of trouble that he was in, Cohen turned into a snitchy rat, and started claiming that Trump knew of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting in advance. Here are the reports on it from CNN and CBS.
Cohen claims Trump knew in advance of 2016 Trump Tower meeting
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, claims that then-candidate Trump knew in advance about the June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower in which Russians were expected to offer his campaign dirt on Hillary Clinton, sources with knowledge tell CNN. Cohen is willing to make that assertion to special counsel Robert Mueller, the sources said.
Cohen's claim would contradict repeated denials by Trump, Donald Trump Jr., their lawyers and other administration officials who have said that the President knew nothing about the Trump Tower meeting until he was approached about it by The New York Times in July 2017.
Cohen alleges that he was present, along with several others, when Trump was informed of the Russians' offer by Trump Jr. By Cohen's account, Trump approved going ahead with the meeting with the Russians, according to sources.
[…..]
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, claims that then-candidate Trump knew in advance about the June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower in which Russians were expected to offer his campaign dirt on Hillary Clinton, sources with knowledge tell CNN. Cohen is willing to make that assertion to special counsel Robert Mueller, the sources said.
Cohen's claim would contradict repeated denials by Trump, Donald Trump Jr., their lawyers and other administration officials who have said that the President knew nothing about the Trump Tower meeting until he was approached about it by The New York Times in July 2017.
Cohen alleges that he was present, along with several others, when Trump was informed of the Russians' offer by Trump Jr. By Cohen's account, Trump approved going ahead with the meeting with the Russians, according to sources.
[…..]
Michael Cohen claims Trump knew in advance of 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russian lawyer
President Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen , is willing to tell special counsel Robert Mueller that the president knew in advance of a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting involving Mr. Trump's son, top campaign officials and a Russian lawyer, CBS News' Paula Reid has confirmed, though Cohen has no evidence to offer that corroborates his claim.
Donald Trump Jr., Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort met with Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya, a gathering arranged by Trump Jr. because he believed Veselnitskaya had damaging information about Hillary Clinton.
When the meeting was first reported by the New York Times in July 2017, Mr. Trump said he had only learned about it "two or three days ago," that is, in 2017, about a year after the meeting had occurred.
CNN first reported Thursday Cohen's claim that Mr. Trump knew about the meeting in advance. According to CNN, Mr. Trump also approved the meeting.
President Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen , is willing to tell special counsel Robert Mueller that the president knew in advance of a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting involving Mr. Trump's son, top campaign officials and a Russian lawyer, CBS News' Paula Reid has confirmed, though Cohen has no evidence to offer that corroborates his claim.
Donald Trump Jr., Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort met with Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya, a gathering arranged by Trump Jr. because he believed Veselnitskaya had damaging information about Hillary Clinton.
When the meeting was first reported by the New York Times in July 2017, Mr. Trump said he had only learned about it "two or three days ago," that is, in 2017, about a year after the meeting had occurred.
CNN first reported Thursday Cohen's claim that Mr. Trump knew about the meeting in advance. According to CNN, Mr. Trump also approved the meeting.
So this begs the following question to be asked:
How could Cohen, under oath, say that he himself did not know of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting before learning about it on the news, yet a year later, when he was being investigated an facing many years in prison, claim that he can knows that Trump, in fact, did have knowledge about the meeting in advance?
[…..]
On the other hand, Cohen also flipped on the alleged affair hush money payments, and Trump's knowledge of them. He earlier stated that he did it all himself, and neither Trump nor his campaign had prior knowledge:
Michael Cohen in February 2018
"In a private transaction in 2016, I used my own personal funds to facilitate a payment of $130,000 to Ms. Stephanie Clifford," Michael Cohen said in a statement. "Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly."
"In a private transaction in 2016, I used my own personal funds to facilitate a payment of $130,000 to Ms. Stephanie Clifford," Michael Cohen said in a statement. "Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly."
Michael D. Cohen, Trump’s Longtime Lawyer, Says He Paid Stormy Daniels Out of His Own Pocket
“Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly,” Mr. Cohen said in a statement to The New York Times. “The payment to Ms. Clifford was lawful, and was not a campaign contribution or a campaign expenditure by anyone.”
“Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly,” Mr. Cohen said in a statement to The New York Times. “The payment to Ms. Clifford was lawful, and was not a campaign contribution or a campaign expenditure by anyone.”
But of course, now that Cohen is facing a decade, or more, in jail, he is again changing his story saying that not only Trump knew, but he was the one who ordered him to do it...
And of course, how can a lawyer who secretly recorded and kept the recordings of his clients, as well as other people such as CNN reporter Chris Cuomo, with whom Cohen had a 2 hour "off the record" interview with, and assured him there was not recording, possibly for future blackmail opportunities, be taken seriously by anybody?
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