‘He is a racist. He is a con man. He is a cheat’: Donald Trump’s ‘ashamed’ ex-lawyer Michael Cohen delivers explosive testimony to Congress
- Michael Cohen says Donald Trump knew in advance about a 2016 release of emails by the WikiLeaks website aimed at hurting Hillary Clinton
- He also says Trump directed him to pay hush money to a porn star, and deliver threats to prevent his education results’ release, among a host of allegations
Michael Cohen, once among US President Donald Trump’s most ardent defenders, turned on him in a combative congressional hearing Wednesday, describing a culture of nonstop lying around Trump involving his alleged mistresses, inflated personal wealth and secret efforts to build Europe’s tallest skyscraper in Moscow.
Cohen, who worked at Trump’s side as his personal lawyer for more than a decade, suggested Trump had skirted or violated federal banking, tax and campaign finance laws, and indicated that some are already under investigation.
The daylong testimony to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform provided riveting political theater, with the former lawyer repeatedly saying he was ashamed of his actions even as he held his ground against fierce attacks on his credibility by Republicans.
He provided fresh details on scandals that have already come to light — most notably displaying a US$35,000 check signed by Trump in 2017 to reimburse Cohen for an alleged hush-money payment — and he provided House Democrats with new clues for their probes into the president.
“I am ashamed because I know what Mr Trump is. He is a racist. He is a con man. He is a cheat,” Cohen said in an opening statement to the committee.
“He had no desire or intention to lead this nation – only to market himself and to build his wealth and power.”