Cohen says Trump knew of hush payments, 'doesn't tell the truth'

[rooster59]

Cohen says Trump knew of hush payments, 'doesn't tell the truth'

By Susan Heavey

 

Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, exits the United States Courthouse after sentencing at the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., December 12, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/Files

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump directed the payment of hush money to two women shortly before the 2016 U.S. presidential election and knew that doing so was wrong, his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen said in a television interview aired on Friday.

 

"He directed me to make the payments. He directed me to become involved in these matters," Cohen told the ABC program "Good Morning America," referring to the $150,000 paid to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and the $130,000 paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

 

Both women have said they had sexual relationships more than a decade ago with Trump, which the president and his representatives have denied.

 

Cohen, a former member of Trump's inner circle who in the past called himself the president's "fixer," was sentenced on Wednesday in federal court in New York to three years in prison for campaign finance law violations related to the payments and other crimes to which he pleaded guilty.

 

Trump said on Twitter on Thursday that he had never directed Cohen to do anything illegal, and that Cohen should have known better.

 

"I never directed Michael Cohen to break the law. He was a lawyer and he is supposed to know the law," Trump wrote.

Asked if Trump knew the payments were wrong, Cohen said, "Of course."

 

Cohen bristled at Trump's accusation that he was trying to embarrass the president and protect his own family.

 

"Here is the truth: The people of the United States of America, the people of the world don't believe what he's saying.

The man doesn't tell the truth, and it's sad that I should take responsibility for his dirty deeds," Cohen said.

 

"I gave loyalty to someone who truthfully does not deserve loyalty," Cohen added.

 

Trump has lashed out at Cohen as "weak" and accused him of lying. The Republican president told Fox News on Thursday Cohen did only "low-level work" for him, mostly in public relations.

 

Cohen, in his first televised interview since he was sentenced, said Trump was worried about the potential impact on the election if voters learned about the two women's account of the alleged affairs. Cohen said Trump told him to pay them to keep quiet.

 

The payments were made "about two weeks or so before the election" following the release of a recording of Trump boasting to celebrity interviewer Billy Bush years earlier about grabbing the genitals of women, Cohen said. "So yes, he was very concerned about how this would affect the election," Cohen said in the interview taped on Thursday, adding that the payments were intended "to help him and the campaign."

 

Trump's explanations of the payments have shifted over time. After earlier saying he knew nothing of the payments, Trump on Thursday said he never told Cohen to break the law.

 

LEGAL PRESSURE

 

The Cohen criminal cases have intensified the legal pressure on Trump, whose presidency has been clouded by multiple investigations and lawsuits including a U.S. special counsel probe into Russia's role in the 2016 election and whether the president's team conspired with Moscow to help him win. Trump has denied collusion. Russia has denied meddling in the election.

 

Trump previously acknowledged repaying Cohen for the $130,000 paid to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

 

In a deal with prosecutors, American Media Inc (AMI) [AMRCM.UL], the publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper, said on Wednesday it paid the $150,000 in hush money to McDougal "in concert" with Trump's campaign.

AMI's Chief Executive David Pecker was a longtime friend of Trump.

 

Trump told Fox News he did not think a payment was made to the National Enquirer.

 

Federal law requires the disclosure of contributions of "anything of value" to a campaign, and limits individual donations to no more than $2,700.

 

"This all suggests Trump could become a target of a very serious criminal campaign finance investigation," a bipartisan group of lawyers, including George Conway, whose wife Kellyanne Conway works as a top Trump adviser, wrote in the Washington Post on Friday.

 

Cohen on Wednesday was sentenced to prison for the payments to the women as well as separate crimes of tax evasion, misleading banks and lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia.

 

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley on Friday faulted the news media for "giving credence to a convicted criminal," and called Cohen "a self-admitted liar."

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-15

[Thailand]

Unfair, Trump only lies when he opens his mouth.

[YetAnother]

36 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

"Here is the truth: The people of the United States of America, the people of the world don't believe what he's saying.

The man doesn't tell the truth, and it's sad that I should take responsibility for his dirty deeds," Cohen said.

this represents a groundswell against trump, little-to-no reason for all these people to make this stuff up, overwhelmingly seems all true

[JAG]

41 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley on Friday faulted the news media for "giving credence to a convicted criminal," and called Cohen "a self-admitted liar."

Well yes, he is a convicted criminal, umh, convicted of crimes which he committed on behalf of the occupant of The White House ...

[riclag]

40 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

 

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley on Friday faulted the news media for "giving credence to a convicted criminal," and called Cohen "a self-admitted liar."

when Cohen goes before a congressional committee will they make him swear to tell the truth ,the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

The perfect witness’: Dems want Cohen to testify on the Hill

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/29/michael-cohen-congress-testimony-trump-mueller-1034365

[neeray]

"I gave loyalty to someone who truthfully does not deserve loyalty," Cohen added"

 

I would think many people who have given blind loyalty to a POTUS just because he is POTUS are now questioning the concept. If not, maybe it's time they should. That POTUS, along with all his other faults, has proven time and time again to be The-Liar-In-Chief. The world knew all along that he had orchestrated the payments to the sex workers, but undoubtedly, even in view of late breaking hard evidence, his blind followers continue to follow. bahhh

When is enough, enough? I think now is as good of time as ever. 

It's only going to get worse in 2019.

[keemapoot]

Since the only news source and legal experts most Trump supporters will believe as real news, here is your own preeminent legal expert, Fox News Judge AN giving a very accurate description of how screwed Trump is:

 

 

[mtls2005]

1 hour ago, Thailand said:

Unfair, Trump only lies when he opens his mouth.

 

That's his "tell", he only lies when his lips move.

 

Seriously though, he has a shed-load of "tells" - he'd make the worst poker player EVER.

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

45 minutes ago, keemapoot said:

Since the only news source and legal experts most Trump supporters will believe as real news, here is your own preeminent legal expert, Fox News Judge AN giving a very accurate description of how screwed Trump is:

 

 

FOX now accepting Individual-1 is toast and that they, FOX, need to

move over to the side of law and justice.

 

Look for FOX presenting more truth on Individual-1’s crimes while Illiberals flounder in search of support for the lies they’ve been told and have been hanging their hopes on.

[keemapoot]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

FOX now accepting Individual-1 is toast and that they, FOX, need to

move over to the side of law and justice.

 

Look for FOX presenting more truth on Individual-1’s crimes while Illiberals flounder in search of support for the lies they’ve been told and have been hanging their hopes on.

Yeah, I've been watching Judge Napolitano for many years, and though he does his best to support many of the nonsense pro-Trump positions of those morning Trump 'n Friends show idiots, (if he didn't he wouldn't have a job long) , there is only so far he can go in good conscience and to not disgrace himself in light of his legal experience and training. I think he knows this, and Fox has been a good gig for him, made a ton more money than as a judge or in the legal profession for sure, but he is near his expiry date as a TV personality and he does need to leave with some kind of dignity.

[mtls2005]

17 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Look for FOX presenting more truth on Individual-1’s crimes while Illiberals flounder in search of support for the lies they’ve been told and have been hanging their hopes on.

 

Joining Chris Wallace and Shep Smith on the "right" side of "HISTORY"?

 

There's always Sean, Tucker, Jeannie, Laura to soothe the savage base/beast? And InfoWars for a daily dose of CRAZY.

[attrayant]

46 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

There's always Sean, Tucker, Jeannie, Laura to soothe the savage base/beast?

 

 

Even Tucker has recently criticized Trump:
 

“His chief promises were that he would build the wall, defund Planned Parenthood and repeal Obamacare, and he hasn’t done any of those things. I’ve come to believe that Trump’s role is not as a conventional president who promises to get certain things achieved to the Congress and then does. Not only has Trump failed to come through, Carlson said, he might not even be able to, both due to his own shortcomings and his inability to muster legislators to follow his lead."

 

Carlson went on to say he just doesn't thin Trump is "capable".

[Tug]

They have him on tape with Cohen the national inquiry owner pecker is backing up what Cohen has to say Donald is caught dead to rites on this one and rember muller hasent unloaded yet his house of cards will fold soon hopefully without further damage

[watcharacters]

 

The noose is getting tighter by the hour.

 

[Silurian]

The only reason the felon-in-chief isn't being prosecuted is that he is being protected by the presidency. It is a felony to pay Michael Cohen to commit a felony. One is criminally liable if they pay for and instruct someone else to commit a crime.

 

What this shows is that if you win the presidency by illegal means you don't have to pay the price for committing those illegal acts. One would think that in the USA, no man is above the law but in case of the presidency, this seems to not be true.

 

Commit the crime, win the presidency and enjoy the presidential shield. And then when the time comes, resign the presidency right before the end of the term and have the VP who has thus moved to the POTUS position pardon you. 

 

 

[HHTel]

Has anyone noticed that the Reuters 'watermark' makes it look like Cohen's lips have been stitched together!!

[grumpy 4680]

       Trump is just like his father, a liar, a scheming crook, and swindler, the only difference being that his father never had the same mental illness, a chauvenist pig or sexual pervert.

       What's wrong with America to even let a social deviant like Trump get to be its commander in chief, when he's even a cowardly draft dodger.

       The guys told so many lies, it makes utter nonsense of the Clinton affair, and Watergate, SO WHY IS HE STILL THERE.

       The greatest thing America can do. is lock him up, and throw away the key

[Opl]

19 minutes ago, grumpy 4680 said:

       Trump is just like his father, a liar, a scheming crook, and swindler, the only difference being that his father never had the same mental illness, a chauvenist pig or sexual pervert.

       What's wrong with America to even let a social deviant like Trump get to be its commander in chief, when he's even a cowardly draft dodger.

       The guys told so many lies, it makes utter nonsense of the Clinton affair, and Watergate, SO WHY IS HE STILL THERE.

       The greatest thing America can do. is lock him up, and throw away the key

Trump's supporters will never abandon him because Trump knows exactly what to say to people who feel despised  ("I love getting things done for the people. It's a nasty job because I get hit so hard, so unfairly by so many ...the country is doing great, and we are respected again") and they believe Trump is on their side  through what he stands against - nothing else matters. And it works.   

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2018/12/13/trump_cohen_made_a_deal_to_embarrass_me_reduce_prison_sentence_he_was_ok_on_television.html

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, howbri said:

The only "crime" against Trump is that he won the election. 

Which may prove in itself to have been a crime as well.

That is part of which Mueller is investigating.

Great that you recognize the election "crime" whilst Mueller isn't finished.

[spidermike007]

No doubt Trump started lying to his grandmother when he was three years old, and it has just developed into a fine art. Problem is, when he was in business, he could more or less get away with it. Now, he is in the public eye. And with his tweets and his press statements, he is burying himself daily. He is going down, no doubt. The man has more skeletons in his closet than a Papuan Highlander cannibal. He is very bad news. The world will celebrate his downfall. He will leave office in 24 months, if not sooner, to a broken empire, as his name is radioactive. 

 

Cohen is finally telling the truth, something Trump has never, ever done. Mueller is going to burry Trump. The last thing in the world this thing is, is a witch hunt. 

[bkkcanuck8]

12 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

No doubt Trump started lying to his grandmother when he was three years old, and it has just developed into a fine art. Problem is, when he was in business, he could more or less get away with it. Now, he is in the public eye. And with his tweets and his press statements, he is burying himself daily. He is going down, no doubt. The man has more skeletons in his closet than a Papuan Highlander cannibal. He is very bad news. The world will celebrate his downfall. He will leave office in 24 months, if not sooner, to a broken empire, as his name is radioactive. 

 

Cohen is finally telling the truth, something Trump has never, ever done. Mueller is going to burry Trump. The last thing in the world this thing is, is a witch hunt. 

My bet is that Mueller will not 'burry' Trump, he will leave that to others.  His report will stick with facts of each case where Trump may violated the law, he will state what the law is.  He however will not state directly that Trump is guilty of anything.   He could indite (or hand off to other prosecutors to do it) the President (if the Statute of Limitations will run out while Trump is President) for prosecution once he leaves office (yes the DOJ has it's own standards but those standards are actually against the intention of the framers of the constitution -- that no one should be above the law -- i.e. Royalty)

[mtls2005]

George Conway's tweet on Rudy G's pronouncement was priceless...

 

 

 

 

Giuliani argues that Trump’s alleged crimes were not ‘big’

 

“Nobody got killed, nobody got robbed… This was not a big crime,” Giuliani told The Daily Beast on Wednesday. He added, sardonically, “I think in two weeks they’ll start with parking tickets that haven’t been paid.”

 

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/giuliani-argues-trumps-alleged-crimes-were-not-big

[bkkcanuck8]

2 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

George Conway's tweet on Rudy G's pronouncement was priceless...

It definitely was priceless!

[Basil B]

4 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

The noose is getting tighter by the hour.

 

Pity he has such a small neck, the noose is likely to decapitate him, it is going to be a bloody mess.

[puck2]

People with only a few grams of brain don't need Cohen to recognize Trump is the LOTUS - the Liar Of The United States.

 

But nice to read that Cohen contemplated his own ego.

[mtls2005]

Interview...

 

 

[IAMHERE]

I have lied about paying women for sex. Never paid a women to keep quite though, heard it doesn't work. I will not be running for president.

[bristolboy]

3 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

I have lied about paying women for sex. Never paid a women to keep quite though, heard it doesn't work. I will not be running for president.

Did you lie that you hadn't  paid or that you had?

[mtls2005]

9 hours ago, bristolboy said:

Did you lie that you hadn't  paid or that you had?

 

Like trump, he probably can't keep his lies straight?

 

All the people who lied on trump's behalf (Kellyanne, Sarah, Fox dimbos) probably believed the original lie told to them by trump, but in their hearts, they knew he was lying.