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Washington: There’ll be much talk of a “rat,” hush money for onetime paramours and the 2016 presidential campaign. But did US president Donald Trump break the law? That’s the key question Michael Cohen will be expected to answer with documents on Wednesday during a Capitol Hill drama that sounds more like a mobster movie every day. Trump’s formal personal lawyer and “fixer” is set to go public before a Democrat-led House panel and talk about the decade in which he would “take a bullet” for his boss. [caption id=“attachment_5719061” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Donald Trump’s former fixer and lawyer Michael Cohen. AP[/caption] “I am no longer your ‘fixer,’ Mr. Trump,” Cohen is to say in prepared remarks. Cohen, who reports to prison in May under a plea deal, could do damage to Trump’s cherished reputation and brand. He’s expected to talk in detail about what he says is evidence of Trump’s misconduct — perhaps even criminal behavior. Republicans say Cohen can’t be believed; after all, he’s lied to Congress before. What’s undisputable: Cohen has Trump’s attention half a world away at a summit in Vietnam. The drama unfolds at 10 a.m. EST - that’s 8:30 pm IST. The witness will sing and his former client will likely be following along from halfway across the world. Cohen, 52, is scheduled to raise his right hand and swear to tell the truth before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, chaired by Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md. Ahead of his appearance, copies of his prepared statement reached The Associated Press and other news media Tuesday night and offered a preview of scathing remarks directed at Trump. Trump knew ahead of time that WikiLeaks had emails damaging to his rival Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, Cohen says in the prepared testimony. Cohen also suggests that Trump implicitly told him to lie about a Moscow real estate project, the one Cohen has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about. In the prepared remarks, Cohen brands the president a “racist,” a “conman” and a “cheat.” He says that Trump made racist comments about African-Americans and mused that black people would never vote for him because they were too stupid. Other topics: Cohen claims Trump inflated assets to make a list of the richest Americans and deflated assets to pay lower taxes on his golf courses. Trump managed a hush money payment to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal just before the 2016 election, Cohen claims. A key point is whether Cohen has evidence that Trump knew the payments might have violated campaign finance laws. Telling the truth is a big issue for Cohen, and much about the path forward for Democrats rides on his credibility. Cohen is set to serve prison time for lying to the House and Senate intelligence committees in 2017. Leaving a closed hearing Tuesday, Cohen said he wants to “clear the record and tell the truth.”
Michael Cohen testimony in US Congress updates: 'Donald Trump is a racist, conman and cheat; my loyalty to him cost me everything'
There’ll be much talk of a “rat,” hush money for onetime paramours and the 2016 presidential campaign. But did US president Donald Trump break the law? That’s the key question Michael Cohen will be expected to answer with documents on Wednesday during a Capitol Hill drama that sounds more like a mobster movie every day. Trump’s formal personal lawyer and “fixer” is set to go public before a Democrat-led House panel and talk about the decade in which he would “take a bullet” for his boss.
 "Michael Cohen testimony in US Congress updates: 'Donald Trump is a racist, conman and cheat; my loyalty to him cost me everything'")
After 7 hours of grilling, the Michael Cohen testimony wraps up
The Michael Cohen testimony in US Congress started at 10 am, ended at half past 5 in the evening and took the form of a personal nightmare for US president Donald Trump. Over seven and a half hours of hearing, the Democrat controlled Congress now has a giant list of people they need to talk to and corroborating evidence to prove that Donald Trump did indeed commit campaign finance violations tied to his campaign for the 2016 elections. See the blow by blow details in the thread that follows.
Cohen testimony wrapping up
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: "Did the President ever provide inflated assets to an insurance company?"
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2019
Michael Cohen: "Yes." https://t.co/YxQfsIwOvG pic.twitter.com/G3Ftc85kKx
A rising Democratic star questions Cohen
WATCH: Rep. Oscasio-Cortez questions Michael Cohen about President Trump's taxes. pic.twitter.com/1oWTcqbSmy
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) February 27, 2019
Who signed off hush money cheques? Michael Cohen has bombshell answers
#MichaelCohen says “yes” to Rep Khanna question that #Trump criminal #conspiracy with Trump Org CFO & possibly Don Jr (or Eric) on hiding repayment of loan to buy silence from #StirmyDaniels. That’s what #NY State investigation makes #Trump & family vulnerable.
— Maya Wiley (@mayawiley) February 27, 2019
Michael Cohen testimony is well into its fifth hour now
Michael Cohen: "I am ashamed that I chose to take part in concealing Mr. Trump’s illicit acts rather than listening to my own conscience. I am ashamed because I know what Mr. Trump is. He is a racist. He is a con man. He is a cheat." https://t.co/jDlFkiukv9
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) February 27, 2019
Stormy Daniels is “proud” of Michael Cohen today
Statement from @StormyDaniels on Cohen hearing today: pic.twitter.com/bCiTCDCQhz
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) February 27, 2019
Big day for Watergate parallels as Cohen testimony drags into fourth hour
Cohen reaches for his Watergate moment, tells House Republicans his core mistake was previously doing what *they are doing right now* — gambling everything to protect Trump when they know better.
— Ari Melber (@AriMelber) February 27, 2019
(paraphrase)
Washington watchers say Republicans weren’t prepared for the Cohen kitchen sink
Having watched many of these hearings, I get the sense that some Republicans were not adequately prepared.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) February 27, 2019
Clay Higgins went on a tear about boxes Cohen was rifling through, and why they weren’t turned over to the feds.
Cohen said, they were, and they were returned.
Donald Trump called his 2016 campaign the greatest “infomercial” of all time
Michael Cohen's: "Donald Trump ran for public office to make his brand great... Not to make the country great." Trump didn't expect to win. He apparently called his campaign "the greatest infomercial of all time." pic.twitter.com/kB7i0KHmi5
— Rick Spence ☮️ (@rickspence) February 27, 2019
Cool and pugnacious, Cohen punches back
"The American people don't care about my taxes they want to know what it is that I know about Mr Trump - and not one question so far has been asked about Mr Trump"
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 27, 2019
US president's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen challenges Congress #CohenTestimony latest: https://t.co/3J9nebR2wm pic.twitter.com/NIJ6amOJcZ
“Trump asked me to threaten his schools to never release his grades or SAT scores”
"When I say con man, I'm talking about a man who declares himself brilliant but directed me to threaten his high school, his colleges and the College Board to never release his grades or SAT scores," Cohen said during the public hearing https://t.co/1jzUaYuBBO
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2019
House testimony resumes soon after a short break, 2 hours have passed and it’s going to get more heated
Michael Cohen: I protected Mr Trump for ten years. The more people that follow Mr Trump as I did blindly are going to suffer the same consequences that I'm suffering
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) February 27, 2019
Sleazy content from 2016 election campaign flaots to the surface in Cohen hearing
Former Trump attorney and fixer Michael Cohen discusses the Access Hollywood tape and how the Trump campaign, immediately after the video was made public, sought to “spin this” as “men locker room talk” https://t.co/v4EeW4fQiI pic.twitter.com/zPA0XyyAaf
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2019
“Shame on you”: Cohen swats down Republicans
"Shame on you, Mr. Jordan," Michael Cohen says as he disputes Rep. Jordan's characterization of his testimony. pic.twitter.com/C0lfmXxQtn
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) February 27, 2019
Split screen Washington on the networks and on social platforms. For every tweet, there’s another one
NOTHING in the US Constitution says "the President can't be indicted."
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) February 27, 2019
NOTHING in the US Constitution says "the President can't be indicted."
NOTHING in the US Constitution says "the President can't be indicted."#CohenHearing https://t.co/0I8s62AmHe
Don Jr. attacks Cohen as testimony questioning turns ugly
Nailed it. It really was the biggest joke of the entire transition. The beginning of his bitterness was when he realized that was never going to happen. #Delusional. https://t.co/ddizWugguU
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) February 27, 2019
Donald Trump’s son pokes holes in Michael Cohen’s big moment on the Hill
Best Cohen question BY FAR is asked by DWS
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 27, 2019
"How can we corroborate what you're saying?"
"I don't know."
Hilarious. pic.twitter.com/6aK7i1Xwsm
No thanks, says Cohen to possibility of Trump pardon
Michael Cohen said he wouldn’t accept a pardon from President Trump. “I have never asked for it, nor would I accept a pardon from President Trump,” he said.
Entire Trump family may have been compromised in Russia dealings, says Cohen
Michael Cohen says it's possible that the entire Trump family was compromised by Russia in the months before the 2016 election https://t.co/4D2hrVPrdh pic.twitter.com/9Ky8CHWtMv
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2019
Watergate era prosecutors react to Michael Cohen testimony
As @RepCummings said. pic.twitter.com/SQShB4Wo9c
— Jill Wine-Banks (now on Threads and Bluesky) (@JillWineBanks) February 27, 2019
We just checked in on Donald Trump’s Twitter handle, nothing yet on Cohen
Great meeting and dinner with Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, Vietnam tonight. Looking forward to continuing our discussions tomorrow! #HanoiSummit pic.twitter.com/J3x6lUGzjS
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 27, 2019
“I don’t know if Trump campaign colluded with Russia”
Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen: “Questions have been raised about whether I know of direct evidence that Mr. Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia. I do not. I want to be clear. But, I have my suspicions.” https://t.co/v4EeW4fQiI pic.twitter.com/U46jWnnJmZ
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2019
Trump said black people too “stupid” to vote for him, says Michael Cohen
Cohen on claim that Trump is racist: “While we were once driving through a struggling neighborhood in Chicago, he commented that only black people could live that way. And, he told me that black people would never vote for him because they were too stupid” https://t.co/v4EeW4fQiI pic.twitter.com/XwCePBCC3G
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2019
“Lying to the First Lady is one of my biggest regrets”
Michael Cohen: "Questions have been raised about whether I know of direct evidence that Mr. Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia. I do not. I want to be clear. But, I have my suspicions."
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) February 27, 2019
Michael Cohen turns the knife in, says Donald Trump told him to lie to Melania Trump about affair with porn star
Michael Cohen: President Trump "asked me to pay off an adult film star with whom he had an affair, and to lie to his wife about it, which I did. Lying to the First Lady is one of my biggest regrets. She is a kind, good person." pic.twitter.com/ZupTCeVd2N
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) February 27, 2019
In Michael Cohen tell-all, Trump’s Russia links come into clear view
Cohen: “Mr. Trump knew of and directed the Trump Moscow negotiations throughout the campaign and lied about it. He lied about it because he never expected to win… He also lied about it because he stood to make hundreds of millions of dollars on the Moscow real estate project.” pic.twitter.com/MMb1LVrh6h
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2019
Michael Cohen tears into Donald Trump, unloads litany of accusations
Michael Cohen: “I am ashamed of my weakness and misplaced loyalty – of the things I did for Mr. Trump in an effort to protect and promote him… I am ashamed because I know what Mr. Trump is. He is a racist. He is a conman. And he is a cheat.” https://t.co/v4EeW4fQiI pic.twitter.com/1457l4kUTv
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2019
“I am ashamed of what I did for Mr. Trump”: Michael Cohen
Michael Cohen testifies before House @OversightDems @GOPoversight – LIVE on C-SPAN3, @cspanRadio & online here: https://t.co/ixomGobao9 pic.twitter.com/pIHSqDGrJL
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 27, 2019
Expect this cheque to headline Michael Cohen hearing
Republicans are railing against Cohen and ripping his reputation to shreds before the man is allowed to speak. “We are legitimising dishonesty”, they are saying.
This is the reimbursement check Michael Cohen will testify was signed by President Trump https://t.co/gE4bnCVBgH pic.twitter.com/kpac8E6qKO
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2019
“The American people have a right to hear from Mr. Cohen”
In opening statement, Chairman Cummings, a Democrat, says it is legitimate to question Michael Cohen's established history of lying during the hearing today, but the American people have the right to hear from Cohen and make their own judgments.
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) February 27, 2019
Republicans paint Cohen as a liar ahead of testimony, in line with White House storyline
In the Cohen hearing room, Republicans have placed large quote cards like these with quotes from judges and others - @frankthorp pic.twitter.com/JjDXh95oCn
— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) February 27, 2019
Republicans try to postpone hearing and fail; 24 say yes, 17 vote no and the Cohen hearing begins
Watch Michael Cohen's explosive testimony live as Trump's former personal lawyer speaks before Congress https://t.co/NtSAMdfvos https://t.co/0nmqrnhtOM
— POLITICO (@politico) February 27, 2019
Sparks fly as Republicans move to postpone Cohen hearing
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 27, 2019
Did Donald Trump know about hush money payments? Cohen will say yes
The big q about the hush money payment has always been whether Trump KNEW it was illegal, the bar for campaign finance crimes. Cohen makes pretty clear he did in his statement. Big.
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) February 27, 2019
Trump’s former lawyer? Deal guy is more like it
Yes, Michael Cohen was Donald Trump’s lawyer but not the way it is commonly understood – Cohen was the deal guy for the Trump empire, the knockoff version, the US president’s keeper of secrets and second in that department only to the Trump brood of children from various marriages. Special counsel Robert Mueller has met Michael Cohen several times over the last few months, their latest meeting came on 20 November. Cohen has spent more than 70 hours briefing Mueller’s investigators. For someone who said he’d “take a bullet for Donald Trump”, Cohen has turned the gun on the US president. Cohen’s testimony before the House Oversight Committee promises to be a circus and will cover a lot of ground in Trumpworld’s dirty tricks department.
Michael Cohen is dangerous because he has nothing to lose
Cohen is going to jail, in part, for lying to the same US Congress where he is testifying today. Predictably, Trump’s allies will say that he worked for a man for a decade that he is now calling names. Republicans will pounce on Cohen’s testimony as an example of opportunism by a man who is going to be jailed. But the reason today is so compelling is because Cohen was in Trump’s inner circle for a decade. He is angry and he has nothing to lose, he’s going to have a lot to say and by all available accounts, Donald Trump will be watching every single moment of this and raging about it.
Cohen will say he suspects Don Jr. told his father about Moscow deal
Expect Cohen to say this: “I remember being in the room with Mr. Trump, probably in early June 2016, when something peculiar happened. Don Jr. came into the room and walked behind his father’s desk — which in itself was unusual.”
Michael Cohen plans to call Donald Trump a “conman”, “cheat” and “racist” in House testimony today
Michael Cohen testifies before House @OversightDems @GOPoversight – LIVE at 10am ET on C-SPAN3, @cspanRadio & online here: https://t.co/qovOKcdOVR pic.twitter.com/ySM54YKWZN
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 27, 2019
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