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+
+ - HEARING WITH MICHAEL COHEN, FORMER ATTORNEY TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
+
+[House Hearing, 116 Congress]
+[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
+
+
+ HEARING WITH MICHAEL COHEN, FORMER ATTORNEY TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
+
+=======================================================================
+
+
+ HEARING
+
+ BEFORE THE
+
+ COMMITTEE ON
+ OVERSIGHT AND REFORM
+ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
+
+ ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
+
+ FIRST SESSION
+
+ __________
+
+ FEBRUARY 27, 2019
+
+ __________
+
+ Serial No. 116-03
+
+ __________
+
+ Printed for the use of the Committee on Oversight and Reform
+
+[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
+
+
+ Available on: http://www.govinfo.gov
+ http://www.house.gov/reform
+
+
+ __________
+
+
+ U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
+35-230 PDF WASHINGTON : 2019
+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office,
+http://bookstore.gpo.gov. For more information, contact the GPO Customer Contact Center,
+U.S. Government Publishing Office. Phone 202-512-1800, or 866-512-1800 (toll-free).E-mail,
+[email protected].
+
+
+
+
+ COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND REFORM
+
+ ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, Maryland, Chairman
+
+Carolyn B. Maloney, New York Jim Jordan, Ohio, Ranking Minority
+Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of Member
+ Columbia Justin Amash, Michigan
+Wm. Lacy Clay, Missouri Paul A. Gosar, Arizona
+Stephen F. Lynch, Massachusetts Virginia Foxx, North Carolina
+Jim Cooper, Tennessee Thomas Massie, Kentucky
+Gerald E. Connolly, Virginia Mark Meadows, North Carolina
+Raja Krishnamoorthi, Illinois Jody B. Hice, Georgia
+Jamie Raskin, Maryland Glenn Grothman, Wisconsin
+Harley Rouda, California James Comer, Kentucky
+Katie Hill, California Michael Cloud, Texas
+Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Florida Bob Gibbs, Ohio
+John P. Sarbanes, Maryland Clay Higgins, Louisiana
+Peter Welch, Vermont Ralph Norman, South Carolina
+Jackie Speier, California Chip Roy, Texas
+Robin L. Kelly, Illinois Carol D. Miller, West Virginia
+Mark DeSaulnier, California Mark E. Green, Tennessee
+Brenda L. Lawrence, Michigan Kelly Armstrong, North Dakota
+Stacey E. Plaskett, Virgin Islands W. Gregory Steube, Florida
+Ro Khanna, California
+Jimmy Gomez, California
+Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York
+Ayanna Pressley, Massachusetts
+Rashida Tlaib, Michigan
+
+ David Rapallo, Staff Director
+ Peter Kenny, Counsel
+ Elisa LaNier, Chief Clerk and Director of Operations
+
+ Contact Number: 202-225-5051
+
+
+
+ C O N T E N T S
+
+ ----------
+ Page
+Hearing held on February 27, 2019................................ 1
+
+ Witnesses
+
+Michael Cohen, Former Attorney to President Donald Trump
+ Oral Statement............................................... 9
+ Written Statement............................................ 16
+
+ Index of Inserts
+
+ Page
+ Statement of Lynne Patton.................................... 35
+ Referral of Michael Cohen for Potential Violation............ 39
+ Common Cause Letter.......................................... 108
+ Dr. Darrell Scott Tweet...................................... 154
+ Bo Dietl Tweet............................................... 156
+ Letter to Chairman Cummings.................................. 158
+ Cohen Sentencing Statement................................... 168
+ State of New York Court Order on Cohen....................... 172
+
+
+ HEARING WITH MICHAEL COHEN, FORMER ATTORNEY TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
+
+ ----------
+
+
+ Tuesday, February 27, 2019
+
+ House of Representatives
+ Committee on Oversight and Reform
+ Washington, D.C.
+ The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:02 a.m., in
+room 2154, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Elijah Cummings
+(chairman of the committee) presiding.
+ Present: Representatives Cummings, Maloney, Norton, Clay,
+Lynch, Cooper, Connolly, Krishnamoorthi, Raskin, Rouda, Hill,
+Wasserman Schultz, Sarbanes, Welch, Speier, Kelly, DeSaulnier,
+Lawrence, Plaskett, Khanna, Gomez, Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley,
+Tlaib, Jordan, Amash, Gosar, Foxx, Massie, Meadows, Hice,
+Grothman, Comer, Cloud, Gibbs, Higgins, Norman, Roy, Miller,
+Green, Armstrong, and Steube.
+ Chairman Cummings. The committee will come to order.
+Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare a recess
+of the committee at any time. The full committee hearing is
+convening to hear the testimony of Michael Cohen, former
+attorney to President Donald Trump.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman, I have a point of order.
+ Chairman Cummings. You'll state your point of order.
+ Mr. Meadows. Rule 9(f) of the committee rules say that any
+testimony from your witness needs to be here 24 hours in
+advance. The committee and the chairman know well that at
+10:08, we received the written testimony, and then we received
+evidence this morning at 7:54.
+ Now, if this was just an oversight, Mr. Chairman, I could
+look beyond it. But it was an intentional effort by this
+witness and his advisors to, once again, show his disdain for
+this body.
+ With that, I move that we postpone this hearing.
+ Chairman Cummings. I want to thank the gentleman.
+ Let me say this, that we got the testimony late last night.
+We did. And we got it to you all pretty much the same time that
+we got it.
+ I want to move forward with this hearing.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman, with all due respect, Mr.
+Chairman, this is a violation of the rule. And if it was not
+intentional, I would not have a problem. I'm not saying it was
+intentional on your part. I'm saying it's intentional on his
+part, because Mr. Dean, last night on a cable news network,
+actually made it all very evident. John Dean. And I'll quote,
+Mr. Chairman. He said, ``As a former committee counsel in the
+House Judiciary Committee, and then a long-term witness,
+sitting alone at the table is important, quote, 'holding your
+statement as long as you can so the other side can't chew it up
+is important as well,' '' closed quote.
+ And so it was advice that our witness got for this
+particular body. And, Mr. Chairman, when you were in the
+minority, you wouldn't have stood for it. And I can tell you
+that we should not stand for it as a body.
+ Chairman Cummings. Let me say this----
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Chairman----
+ Chairman Cummings. Let me say this.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Chairman----
+ Chairman Cummings. Yes. Katie Hill.
+ Ms. Hill. I move to table.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. Is there a second?
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Chairman. I was asked to be recognized
+before the motion.
+ Chairman Cummings. The vote is on tabling the motion.
+ Mr. Jordan. Do you know who had this material before all
+the members of the committee?
+ Chairman Cummings. Excuse me.
+ Mr. Jordan. CNN had it before we did.
+ Chairman Cummings. Sir.
+ Mr. Jordan. CNN had the exhibits before we did.
+ Well, I just want to be recognized.
+ Chairman Cummings. Yes, well, the vote is on tabling the
+motion to postpone.
+ All in favor say aye.
+ All opposed say no. The ayes have it.
+ Mr. Meadows. And I appeal the ruling of the chair.
+ Yes, I can assure you it's in the rules. I appeal the
+ruling of the chair.
+ Mr. Hice. Do the rules matter, Mr. Chairman?
+ Chairman Cummings. I recognize the gentlelady.
+ Ms. Hill. Move to waive the rules.
+ Chairman Cummings. There's a motion to table.
+ Ms. Hill. Move to table.
+ Chairman Cummings. The vote is----
+ Mr. Meadows. Well, she made two motions. What's the motion?
+ Chairman Cummings. The vote is on tabling----
+ Ms. Hill. I move to table the appeal to the ruling of the
+chair.
+ Chairman Cummings. The vote is on that.
+ All in favor say aye.
+ All opposed say no.
+ The ayes have it.
+ Mr. Meadows. I ask for a recorded vote, Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. Very well.
+ The clerk will call the roll.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Cummings?
+ Chairman Cummings. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Cummings votes yes.
+ Ms. Maloney?
+ Ms. Maloney. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Maloney votes yes.
+ Ms. Norton?
+ Ms. Norton. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Norton votes yes.
+ Mr. Clay?
+ Mr. Clay. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Clay votes yes.
+ Mr. Lynch?
+ Mr. Lynch. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Lynch votes yes.
+ Mr. Cooper?
+ Mr. Cooper. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Cooper votes yes.
+ Mr. Connolly?
+ Mr. Connolly. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Connolly votes yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Krishnamoorthi?
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Krishnamoorthi votes yes.
+ Mr. Raskin?
+ Mr. Raskin. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Raskin votes yes.
+ Mr. Rouda?
+ Mr. Rouda. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Rouda votes yes.
+ Ms. Hill?
+ Ms. Hill. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Hill votes yes.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz?
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Wasserman Schultz votes yes.
+ Mr. Sarbanes?
+ Mr. Sarbanes. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Sarbanes votes yes.
+ Mr. Welch. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Welch votes yes.
+ Ms. Speier?
+ Ms. Speier. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Speier votes yes.
+ Ms. Kelly?
+ Ms. Kelly. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Kelly votes yes.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier?
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. DeSaulnier votes yes.
+ Mrs. Lawrence?
+ Mrs. Lawrence. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mrs. Lawrence votes yes.
+ Ms. Plaskett?
+ Ms. Plaskett. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Plaskett votes yes.
+ Mr. Khanna?
+ Mr. Khanna. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Khanna votes yes.
+ Mr. Gomez?
+ Mr. Gomez. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Gomez votes yes.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez?
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez votes yes.
+ Ms. Pressley?
+ Ms. Pressley. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Pressley votes yes.
+ Ms. Tlaib?
+ Ms. Tlaib. Yes.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Tlaib votes yes.
+ Mr. Jordan?
+ Mr. Jordan. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Jordan votes no.
+ Mr. Amash?
+ Mr. Amash. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Amash votes no.
+ Mr. Gosar?
+ Mr. Gosar. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Gosar votes no.
+ Ms. Foxx?
+ Ms. Foxx. No.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Foxx votes no.
+ Mr. Massie?
+ Mr. Massie. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Massie votes no.
+ Mr. Meadows?
+ Mr. Meadows. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Meadows votes no.
+ Mr. Hice?
+ Mr. Hice. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Hice votes no.
+ Mr. Grothman?
+ Mr. Grothman. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Grothman votes no.
+ Mr. Comer?
+ Mr. Comer. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Comer votes no.
+ Mr. Cloud?
+ Mr. Cloud. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Cloud votes no.
+ Mr. Gibbs?
+ Mr. Gibbs. No.
+ The Clerk. Ms. Gibbs votes no.
+ Mr. Higgins?
+ [No response.]
+ The Clerk. Mr. Norman?
+ Mr. Norman. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Norman votes no.
+ Mr. Roy?
+ Mr. Roy. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Roy votes no.
+ Mrs. Miller?
+ Mrs. Miller. No.
+ The Clerk. Mrs. Miller votes no.
+ Mr. Green?
+ Mr. Green. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Green votes no.
+ Mr. Armstrong?
+ Mr. Armstrong. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Armstrong votes no.
+ Mr. Steube?
+ Mr. Steube. No.
+ The Clerk. Mr. Steube votes no.
+ On this vote, we have 24 yeses, 17 noes.
+ Chairman Cummings. OK. The motion to table is agreed to.
+ Let me say this: You've made it clear that you do not want
+the American people to hear what Mr. Cohen has to say. But the
+American people have a right to hear him, so we're going to
+proceed. The American people can judge his credibility for
+themselves.
+ Now----
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. Yes.
+ Mr. Jordan. We did not say that. We just said we wanted to
+follow the rules. We had--he didn't say stop the hearing. He
+just said postpone it so we could get his testimony and the
+exhibits when we were supposed to get them according to the
+rules of this committee. That's all we said. We didn't say we
+didn't want to hear from the guy.
+ Chairman Cummings. Reclaiming my time.
+ Mr. Jordan. We want to follow the rule.
+ Chairman Cummings. Reclaiming my time.
+ I now recognize myself for five minutes to give an opening
+statement.
+ Today, the committee will hear the testimony of Michael
+Cohen, President Donald Trump's long-time personal attorney,
+and one of his closest and most trusted advisers over the last
+decade. On August 21, Mr. Cohen appeared in Federal court, and
+admitted to arranging secret payoffs of hundreds of thousands
+of dollars on the eve of the election, to silence women
+alleging affairs with Donald Trump.
+ Mr. Cohen admitted to violating campaign finance laws and
+other laws. He admitted to committing these felonies, quote,
+``in coordination with and at the direction of,'' unquote,
+President Trump. And he admitted, he admitted, to lying about
+his actions to protect the President.
+ Some will certainly ask, if Mr. Cohen was lying then, why
+should we believe him now?
+ Mr. Jordan. Good question.
+ Chairman Cummings. This is a legitimate question.
+ As a trial lawyer for many years, I faced this situation
+over and over again, and I asked the same question.
+ Here is how I view our role. Every one of us in this room
+has a duty to serve as an independent check on the executive
+branch. Ladies and gentlemen, we are in search of the truth.
+The President has made many statements of his own, and now the
+American people have a right to hear the other side. They can
+watch Mr. Cohen's testimony and make their own judgment.
+ We received a copy of Mr. Cohen's written statement late
+last night. It includes not only personal eyewitness accounts
+of meetings with Donald Trump, as President inside the Oval
+Office, but it also includes documents and other corroborating
+evidence of some of Mr. Cohen's statements.
+ For example, Mr. Cohen has provided a copy of a check sent
+while President Trump was in office, with Donald Trump's
+signature on it to reimburse Mr. Cohen for the hush money
+payment to Stormy Daniels. This is new--this new evidence
+raises a host of troubling legal and ethical concerns about the
+President's actions in the White House and before.
+ Would you all close that door, please?
+ Thank you.
+ This check is dated August 1, 2017. Six months later, in
+April 2018, the President denied anything about it. In April
+2018, President Trump was flying on Air Force One when a
+reporter asked him a question, Did you know about a $130,000
+payment to Stormy Daniels? The answer was, quote, ``No.''
+ A month after that, the President admitted to making
+payments to Mr. Cohen, proclaimed they were part of a, quote,
+``a monthly retainer,'' unquote, for legal services. This claim
+fell apart in August when Federal prosecutors concluded, and I
+quote, ``in truth and in fact, there was no such retainer
+agreement,'' end of quote.
+ Today, we will also hear Mr. Cohen's account of a meeting
+in 2016 in Donald Trump's office during which Roger Stone said
+over speaker phone that he had just spoken with Julian Assange,
+who said there would be a, quote, ``massive dump of emails that
+would damage Hillary Clinton's campaign,'' end of quote.
+ According to Cohen, Mr. Trump replied, quote, ``Wouldn't
+that be great,'' end of quote.
+ The testimony that Michael Cohen will provide today, ladies
+and gentlemen, is deeply disturbing, and it should be troubling
+to all Americans. We will all have to make our own evaluation
+of the evidence and Mr. Cohen's credibility as he admits he has
+repeatedly lied in the past. I agree with Ranking Member Jordan
+that this is an important factor we need to weigh, but we must
+weigh it, and we must hear from him.
+ But where I disagree fundamentally with the ranking member
+involves his efforts to prevent the American people from
+hearing from Mr. Cohen. Mr. Cohen's testimony raises grave
+questions about the legality of Donald Trump's--President
+Donald Trump's conduct and the truthfulness of statements while
+he was President. We need to assess and investigate this new
+evidence as we uphold our constitutional--our oversight
+responsibilities. And we will continue after today to gather
+more documents and testimony in our search for the truth.
+ I have made it abundantly clear to Mr. Cohen that if he
+comes here today and he does not tell him the truth--tell us
+the truth, I will be the first one to refer that--those
+untruthful statements to DOJ. So when people say he doesn't
+have anything to lose, he does have a lot to lose if he lies.
+ And the American people, by the way, voted for
+accountability in November. And they have a right to hear Mr.
+Cohen in public so they can make their own judgments.
+ Mr. Cohen's testimony is the beginning of the process, not
+the end. Ladies and gentlemen, the days of this committee
+protecting the President at all costs are over. They're over.
+ Before I close, I want to comment about the scope of
+today's hearing. At the request of the House Intelligence
+Committee and my very good friend, Adam Schiff, Congressman
+Adam Schiff, the chairman, I intended, over the objections of
+the ranking member of our committee, to limit the scope of
+today's hearing to avoid questions about Russia.
+ However, Mr. Cohen's written testimony--in his written
+testimony, he's made statements relating to Russia, and these
+are topics that, we understand, do not raise concern from the
+Department of Justice.
+ So in fairness to the ranking member and all committee
+members, we will not restrict questions relating to the
+witness's testimony or related questions he is willing to
+answer.
+ Finally, I remind members that we will need to remain
+mindful of those areas where there are ongoing Department of
+Justice investigations. Those scoping limitations have not
+changed.
+ Finally, and to Mr. Cohen, Martin Luther King, Mr. Cohen,
+said some words that I leave with you today before you testify.
+He said, Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see
+the whole staircase. There comes a time when silence becomes
+betrayal. Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about
+things that truly matter. In the end he says, we will remember
+not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.
+ And with that, I yield to the distinguished gentleman, the
+ranking member of our committee, Mr. Jordan.
+ Mr. Gosar. Mr. Chairman, point of parliamentary inquiry.
+ Chairman Cummings. Yes.
+ Mr. Gosar. To the point that----
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Jordan is recognized. Mr. Jordan is
+recognized for his opening statement.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Chairman, here we go. Here we go. Your
+first big hearing, your first announced witness, Michael Cohen.
+I want everyone in this room to think about this. The first
+announced witness for the 116th Congress is a guy who is going
+to prison in two months for lying to Congress.
+ Mr. Chairman, your chairmanship will always be identified
+with this hearing. And we all need to understand what this is.
+This is the Michael Cohen hearing presented by Lanny Davis.
+That's right. Lanny Davis choreographed the whole darn thing.
+The Clintons' best friend, loyalist, operative. Lanny Davis put
+this all together.
+ Do you know how we know? He told our staff. He told the
+committee staff. He said the hearing was his idea. He selected
+this committee. He had to talk Michael Cohen into coming. And
+most importantly, he had to persuade the chairman to actually
+have it. He told us it took two months to get that job done.
+But here we are. He talked him into it.
+ This might be the first time someone convicted of lying to
+Congress has appeared again so quickly in front of Congress.
+Certainly, it's the first time a convicted perjurer has been
+brought back to be a star witness in a hearing. And there's a
+reason this is a first, because no other committee would do it.
+ Think about this. With Mr. Cohen here, this committee, we
+got lots of lawyers on this committee, this committee is
+actually encouraging a witness to violate attorney-client
+privilege.
+ Mr. Chairman, when we legitimize dishonesty, we
+delegitimize this institution. We're supposed to pursue the
+truth. But you have stacked the deck against the truth. We're
+only allowed to ask certain questions. Even with that amendment
+you just told us about, well, Russia is now on the table.
+ You additionally told us we can't ask questions about the
+special counsel, can't ask questions about the Southern
+District of New York, can't ask questions about Russia. Nope.
+Nope. Only subjects we can talk about are ones you think are
+going to be harmful to the President of the United States. And
+the answers to those questions are going to come from a guy who
+can't be trusted.
+ Here's what the U.S. attorney said about Mr. Cohen. While
+Mr. Cohen enjoyed a privileged life, his desire for ever-
+greater wealth and influence precipitated an extensive course
+of criminal conduct. Mr. Cohen committed four, four distinct
+Federal crimes over a period of several years. He was motivated
+to do so by personal greed. And repeatedly, repeatedly used his
+power and influence for deceptive ends.
+ But the Democrats don't care. They don't care. They just
+want to use you, Mr. Cohen. You're their patsy today. They got
+to find somebody somewhere to say something so they can try to
+remove the President from office, because Tom Steyer told him
+to.
+ Tom Steyer last week organized a town hall. Guess where?
+Chairman Nadler's district in Manhattan. Two nights ago, Tom
+Steyer organized a town hall. Guess where? Chairman Cummings'
+district in Baltimore. The best they can find--the best they
+can find to start this process, Michael Cohen. Fraudster, a
+cheat, a convicted felon, and in two months, a Federal inmate.
+Well, actually, they didn't find him. Lanny Davis found him.
+ I'll say one thing about the Democrats. They stick to the
+playbook. Remember--remember how all this started. The Clinton
+campaign hired Perkins Coie law firm who hired Glenn Simpson
+who hired a foreigner, Christopher Steele, who put together the
+fake dossier that the FBI used to go get a warrant to spy on
+the Trump campaign.
+ But when that whole scheme failed and the American people
+said we're going to make Donald Trump President, they said, We
+got to do something else. So now Clinton loyalist, Clinton
+operative Lanny Davis has persuaded the chairman of the
+Oversight Committee to give a convicted felon a forum to tell
+stories and lie about the President of the United States so
+they can all start their impeachment process.
+ Mr. Chairman, we are better than this. We are better than
+this.
+ I yield back.
+ Chairman Cummings. I wanted to note.
+ Mr. Jordan. Actually, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have to
+motion.
+ Chairman Cummings. Yield back.
+ Mr. Jordan. I have a motion.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman is not recognized.
+ Mr. Jordan. I have a motion under rule 2(k)6 of Rule 11.
+ Chairman Cummings. You yielded back, sir. You yielded back.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Chairman, you took 7 minutes. I took 4.
+ Chairman Cummings. Well, the gentleman yielded back.
+ Mr. Jordan. That's how you're going to operate?
+ First you don't follow the rules, and now you're going to
+say--so you don't get--you get to----
+ Chairman Cummings. Point of order. You--regular order.
+ Mr. Jordan. You get to deviate from the rules.
+ Chairman Cummings. Regular order.
+ Mr. Jordan. I just have a simple motion, Mr. Chairman.
+ Ms. Plaskett. Regular order.
+ Chairman Cummings. Thank you.
+ Mr. Jordan. It's a regular order to have the testimony 24
+hours in advance.
+ Chairman Cummings. Excuse me. I wanted to note that----
+ Mr. Connolly. We've addressed that.
+ Chairman Cummings [continuing]. until Rule 11 Clause 4, all
+media and photographers must be officially credentialed to
+record these proceedings and take photographs.
+ I also wanted to briefly address the spectators in the
+hearing room today. We welcome you and we respect your right to
+be here. We also ask, in turn, for your respect as we proceed
+with the business of the committee today. It is the intention
+of the committee to proceed without any disruptions. Any
+disruption of this committee will result in the United States
+Capitol Police restoring order, and that protesters will be
+removed. And we are grateful for your presence here today and
+your cooperation.
+ Now I want to welcome Mr. Cohen and thank him for
+participating in today's hearing.
+ Mr. Cohen, if you would please rise, and I will begin to
+swear you in.
+ Raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm that the
+testimony that you are about to give is the whole truth and
+nothing but the truth, so help you God?
+ Mr. Cohen. I do.
+ Chairman Cummings. Let the record show that the witness
+answered in the affirmative. And thank you. And you may be
+seated.
+ The microphones are sensitive, so please speak directly
+into them. Without objection, your written statement will be
+made a part of the record.
+ With that, Mr. Cohen, you are now recognized to give an
+oral presentation of your testimony.
+
+STATEMENT OF MICHAEL COHEN, FORMER ATTORNEY TO PRESIDENT DONALD
+ TRUMP
+
+ Mr. Cohen. Chairman Cummings, Ranking Member Jordan, and
+members of the committee, thank you for inviting me here today.
+I have asked this committee to ensure that my family be
+protected from Presidential threats, and that the committee be
+sensitive to the questions pertaining to ongoing
+investigations. I thank you for your help and for your
+understanding.
+ I am here under oath to correct the record, to answer the
+committee's questions truthfully, and to offer the American
+people what I know about President Trump. I recognize that some
+of you may doubt and attack me on my credibility. It is for
+this reason that I have incorporated into this opening
+statement documents that are irrefutable, and demonstrate that
+the information you will hear is accurate and truthful.
+ Never in a million years did I imagine when I accepted a
+job in 2007 to work for Donald Trump that he would one day run
+for the presidency, to launch a campaign on a platform of hate
+and intolerance, and actively win. I regret the day I said yes
+to Mr. Trump. I regret all the help and support I gave him
+along the way. I am ashamed of my own failings and publicly
+accepted responsibility for them by pleading guilty in the
+Southern District of New York. I am ashamed of my weakness and
+my misplaced loyalty of the things I did for Mr. Trump in an
+effort to protect and promote him.
+ 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, and he is a cheat.
+ He was a Presidential candidate who knew that Roger Stone
+was talking with Julian Assange about a WikiLeaks drop on
+Democratic National Committee emails. And I will explain each
+in a few moments.
+ I am providing the committee today with several documents,
+and these include a copy of a check Mr. Trump wrote from his
+personal bank account, after he became President, to reimburse
+me for the hush money payments I made to cover up his affair
+with an adult film star, and to prevent damage to his campaign.
+Copies of financial statements from 2011, 2012, and 2013 that
+he gave to such institutions such as Deutsche Bank, a copy of
+an article with Mr. Trump's handwriting on it that reported on
+the auction of a portrait of himself that he arranged for the
+bidder ahead of time and then reimbursed the bidder from the
+account of his nonprofit charitable foundation, with the
+picture now hanging in one of his country clubs, and copies of
+letters I wrote at Mr. Trump's direction that threatened his
+high school, colleges, and the College Board not to release his
+grades or SAT scores.
+ I hope my appearance here today, my guilty plea, and my
+work with law enforcement agencies are steps along a path of
+redemption that will restore faith in me and help this country
+understand our President better.
+ Before going further, I want to apologize to each member,
+to you as Congress, as a whole. The last time I appeared before
+Congress, I came to protect Mr. Trump. Today, I am here to tell
+the truth about Mr. Trump. I lied to Congress when Mr. Trump
+stopped negotiating the Moscow tower project in Russia. I
+stated that we stopped negotiating in January 2016. That was
+false. Our negotiations continued for months later during the
+campaign.
+ Mr. Trump did not directly tell me to lie to Congress.
+That's not how he operates. In conversations we had during the
+campaign, at the same time, I was actively negotiating in
+Russia for him, he would look me in the eye and tell me,
+there's no Russian business, and then go on to lie to the
+American people by saying the same thing. In his way, he was
+telling me to lie.
+ There are at least a half a dozen times between the Iowa
+caucus in January 2016 and the end of June when he would ask me
+how's it going in Russia, referring to the Moscow tower
+project.
+ You need to know that Mr. Trump's personal lawyers reviewed
+and edited my statement to Congress about the timing of the
+Moscow tower negotiations before I gave it. So to be clear, 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.
+ So I lied about it too, because Mr. Trump had made clear to
+me, through his personal statements to me that we both knew to
+be false and through his lies to the country, that he wanted me
+to lie. And he made it clear to me, because his personal
+attorneys reviewed my statement before I gave it to Congress.
+ Over the past two years, I have been smeared as a rat by
+the President of the United States. The truth is much
+different. And let me take a brief moment to introduce myself.
+ My name is Michael Dean Cohen, and I am a blessed husband
+of 24 years and a father to an incredible daughter and son.
+ When I married my wife, I promised her that I would love
+her, I would cherish her, and I would protect her. As my father
+said countless times throughout my childhood, you, my wife, and
+you, my children, are the air that I breathe.
+ So to my Laura and to my Sami, and to my Jake, there is
+nothing I wouldn't do to protect you.
+ I have always tried to live a life of loyalty, friendship,
+generosity, and compassion. It is qualities my parents
+engrained in my siblings and me since childhood. My father
+survived the Holocaust. Thanks to the compassion and selfless
+acts of others, he was helped by many who put themselves in
+harm's way to do what they knew was right. And that is why my
+first instinct has always been to help those in need. And Mom
+and Dad, I am sorry I let you down.
+ As the many people that know me best would say, I am the
+person that they call at 3 a.m. if they needed help. And I
+proudly remember being the emergency contact for many of my
+children's friends when they were growing up, because their
+parents knew that I would drop everything and care for them as
+if they were my own.
+ Yet last fall, I pled guilty in Federal court to felonies
+for the benefit of, at the direction of, and in coordination
+with individual No. 1. And for the record, individual No. 1 is
+President Donald J. Trump.
+ It is painful to admit that I was motivated by ambition at
+times. It is even more painful to admit that many times I
+ignored my conscience and acted loyal to a man when I should
+not have. Sitting here today, it seems unbelievable that I was
+so mesmerized by Donald Trump that I was willing to do things
+for him that I knew were absolutely wrong. For that reason, I
+have come here to apologize to my family, to my government, and
+to the American people.
+ Accordingly, let me now tell you about Mr. Trump.
+ I got to know him very well working very closely with him
+for more than 10 years as his executive vice president and
+special counsel, and then as personal attorney when he became
+President.
+ When I first met Mr. Trump, he was a successful
+entrepreneur, a real estate giant, and an icon. Being around
+Mr. Trump was intoxicating. When you were in his presence, you
+felt like you were involved in something greater than yourself,
+that you were somehow changing the world. I wound up touting
+the Trump narrative for over a decade. That was my job. Always
+stay on message. Always defend. It monopolized my life.
+ At first, I worked mostly on real estate developments and
+other business transactions. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Trump
+brought me into his personal life and private dealings. Over
+time, I saw his true character revealed.
+ Mr. Trump is an enigma. He is complicated, as am I. He is
+both good and bad, as are we all. But the bad far outweighs the
+good. And since taking office, he has become the worst version
+of himself.
+ He is capable of behaving kindly, but he is not kind. He is
+capable of committing acts of generosity, but he is not
+generous. He is capable of being loyal, but he is fundamentally
+disloyal.
+ Donald Trump is a man who ran for office to make his brand
+great, not to make our country great. He had no desire or
+intention to lead this Nation, only to market himself and to
+build his wealth and power.
+ Mr. Trump would often say this campaign was going to be the
+greatest infomercial in political history. He never expected to
+win the primary. He never expected to win the general election.
+The campaign for him was always a marketing opportunity.
+ I knew early on in my work for Mr. Trump that he would
+direct me to lie to further his business interests. And I am
+ashamed to say that when it was for a real estate mogul in the
+private sector, I considered it trivial. As the President, I
+consider it significant and dangerous.
+ In the mix, lying for Mr. Trump was normalized, and no one
+around him questioned it. In fairness, no one around him today
+questions it either. A lot of people have asked me about
+whether Mr. Trump knew about the release of the hacked
+documents, the Democratic National Committee emails ahead of
+time. And the answer is yes.
+ As I earlier stated, Mr. Trump knew from Roger Stone in
+advance about the WikiLeaks drop of emails. In July 2016, days
+before the Democratic Convention, I was in Mr. Trump's office
+when his secretary announced that Roger Stone was on the phone.
+Mr. Trump put Mr. Stone on the speaker phone. Mr. Stone told
+Mr. Trump that he had just gotten off the phone with Julian
+Assange, and that Mr. Assange told Mr. Stone that within a
+couple of days, there would be a massive dump of emails that
+would damage Hillary Clinton's campaign.
+ Mr. Trump responded by stating to the effect, Wouldn't that
+be great.
+ Mr. Trump is a racist. The country has seen Mr. Trump court
+white supremacists and bigots. You have heard him call poorer
+countries shitholes. His private--in private he is even worse.
+ He once asked me if I can name a country run by a black
+person that wasn't a shithole. This was when Barack Obama was
+President of the United States. And 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. And yet, I continued to work for him.
+ Mr. Trump is a cheat. As previously stated, I am giving to
+the committee today three years of Mr. Trump's personal
+financial statements from 2011, 2012, and 2013, which he gave
+to Deutsche Bank to inquire about a loan to buy the Buffalo
+Bills and to Forbes. These are exhibits 1A, 1B,and 1C to my
+testimony. [Exhibits are available at: https://
+oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/
+Michael%20Cohen.02.27.2019.Exhibits.pdf.]
+ It was my experience that Mr. Trump inflated his total
+assets when it served his purposes, such as trying to be listed
+amongst the wealthiest people in Forbes and deflated his assets
+to reduce his real estate taxes.
+ I'm sharing with you two newspaper articles side-by-side
+that are examples of Mr. Trump inflating and deflating his
+assets, as I said, to suit his financial interests. These are
+exhibit 2 to my testimony.
+ As I noted, I'm giving the committee today an article he
+wrote on and sent to me that reported on an auction of a
+portrait of Mr. Trump. This is exhibit 3A to my testimony. Mr.
+Trump directed me to find a straw bidder to purchase a portrait
+of him that was being auctioned off at an art Hampton's event.
+The objective was to ensure that this portrait, which was going
+to be auctioned last, would go for the highest price of any
+portrait that afternoon. The portrait was purchased by the fake
+bidder for $60,000.
+ Mr. Trump directed the Trump Foundation, which is supposed
+to be a charitable organization, to repay the fake bidder,
+despite keeping the art for himself. And please see exhibit 3B
+to my testimony.
+ It should come as no surprise that one of my more common
+responsibilities was that Mr. Trump directed me to call
+business owners, many of whom are small businesses, that were
+owed money for their services and told them that no payment or
+a reduced payment would be coming. When I asked Mr. Trump--or
+when I told Mr. Trump of my success, he actually reveled in it.
+And yet, I continued to work for him.
+ Mr. Trump is a con man. He asked me to pay off an adult
+film star with whom he had an affair, and to lie about it to
+his wife, which I did. And lying to the First Lady is one of my
+biggest regrets, because she is a kind, good person, and I
+respect her greatly. And she did not deserve that.
+ I am giving the committee today a copy of the $130,000 wire
+transfer from me to Ms. Clifford's attorney during the closing
+days of the Presidential campaign that was demanded by Ms.
+Clifford to maintain her silence about her affair with Mr.
+Trump. And this is exhibit 4 to my testimony.
+ Mr. Trump directed me to use my own personal funds from a
+home equity line of credit to avoid any money being traced back
+to him that could negatively impact his campaign. And I did
+that too, without bothering to consider whether that was
+improper much less whether it was the right thing to do, or how
+it would impact me, my family, or the public. And I am going to
+jail, in part, because of my decision to help Mr. Trump hide
+that payment from the American people before they voted a few
+days later.
+ As exhibit 5A to my testimony shows, I am providing a copy
+of a $35,000 check that President Trump personally signed from
+his personal bank account on August 1 of 2017, when he was
+President of the United States, pursuant to the coverup which
+was the basis of my guilty plea to reimburse me, the word used
+by Mr. Trump's TV lawyer for the illegal hush money I paid on
+his behalf.
+ This $35,000 check was one of 11 check installments that
+was paid throughout the year while he was President. Other
+checks to reimburse me for the hush money payments were signed
+by Donald Trump, Jr., and Allen Weisselberg. And see that
+example, 5B.
+ The President of the United States thus wrote a personal
+check for the payment of hush money as part of a criminal
+scheme to violate campaign finance laws. And you can find the
+details of that scheme directed by Mr. Trump in the pleadings
+in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New
+York.
+ So picture this scene. In February 2017, one month into his
+presidency, I'm visiting President Trump in the oval office for
+the first time, and it's truthfully awe-inspiring. He's showing
+me all around and pointing to different paintings. And he says
+to me something to the effect of, Don't worry, Michael. Your
+January and February reimbursement checks are coming. They were
+FedEx'd from New York. And it takes a while for that to get
+through the White House system.
+ As he promised, I received the first check for the
+reimbursement of $70,000 not long thereafter.
+ 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. As I mentioned, I'm giving the committee today
+copies of a letter I sent at Mr. Trump's direction, threatening
+these schools with civil and criminal actions if Mr. Trump's
+grades or SAT scores were ever disclosed without his
+permission. And these are under exhibit 6.
+ The irony wasn't lost on me at the time that Mr. Trump, in
+2011, had strongly criticized President Obama for not releasing
+his grades. As you can see in exhibit 7, Mr. Trump declared,
+Let him show his records, after calling President Obama a
+terrible student.
+ The sad fact is that I never heard Mr. Trump say anything
+in private that led me to believe he loved our Nation or wanted
+to make it better. In fact, he did the opposite. When telling
+me in 2008 or 2009 that he was cutting employees' salaries in
+half, including mine. He showed me what he claimed was a $10
+million IRS tax refund. And he said that he could not believe
+how stupid the government was for giving someone like him that
+much money back.
+ During the campaign, Mr. Trump said that he did not
+consider Vietnam veteran and prisoner of war, Senator John
+McCain, to be a hero because he likes people who weren't
+captured. At the same time, Mr. Trump tasked me to handle the
+negative press surrounding his medical deferment from the
+Vietnam draft.
+ Mr. Trump claimed it was because of a bone spur. But when I
+asked for medical records, he gave me none and said that there
+was no surgery. He told me not to answer the specific questions
+by reporters, but rather, offer simply the fact that he
+received a medical deferment. He finished the conversation with
+the following comment. ``You think I'm stupid? I'm not going to
+Vietnam.'' And I find it ironic, Mr. President, that you are in
+Vietnam right now. And yet, I continued to work for him.
+ The questions have been raised about whether I know of
+direct evidence that Mr. Trump or his campaign colluded with
+Russia. I do not. And I want to be clear. But I have my
+suspicions.
+ Sometime in the summer of 2017, I read all over the media
+that there had been a meeting in Trump Tower in June 2016
+involving Don Jr. and others from the campaign with Russians,
+including a representative of the Russian Government, and an
+email setting up the meeting with the subject line, Dirt on
+Hillary Clinton.
+ Something clicked in my mind. I remembered being in a room
+with Mr. Trump, probably in early June 2016, when something
+peculiar happened. Don Trump, Jr. came into the room and walked
+behind his father's desk, which in and of itself was unusual.
+People didn't just walk behind Mr. Trump's desk to talk to him.
+ I recalled Don Jr. leaning over to his father and speaking
+in a low voice, which I could clearly hear, and saying, The
+meeting is all set. And I remember Mr. Trump saying, ``OK.
+Good. Let me know.''
+ What struck me as I look back and thought about the
+exchange between Don Jr. and his father was, first, that Mr.
+Trump had frequently told me and others that his son Don Jr.
+had the worst judgment of anyone in the world. And also that
+Don Jr. would never set up any meeting of significance alone,
+and certainly not without checking with his father.
+ I also knew that nothing went on in Trump world, especially
+the campaign, without Mr. Trump's knowledge and approval. So I
+concluded that Don Jr. was referring to that June 2016 Trump
+Tower meeting about dirt on Hillary with the Russian
+representatives when he walked behind his dad's desk that day,
+and that Mr. Trump knew that was the meeting Don Jr. was
+talking about when he said, That's good. Let me know.
+ Over the past year or so, I have done some real soul
+searching. And I see now that my ambition and the intoxication
+of Trump power had much to do with the bad decisions in part
+that I made. And to you, Chairman Cummings and Ranking Member
+Jordan, the other members of this committee, the members of the
+House and Senate, I am sorry for my lies and for lying to
+Congress. And to our Nation, I am sorry for actively working to
+hide from you the truth about Mr. Trump when you needed it
+most.
+ For those who question my motives for being here today, I
+understand. I have lied. But I am not a liar. And I have done
+bad things, but I am not a bad man. I have fixed things, but I
+am no longer your fixer, Mr. Trump. And I am going to prison
+and have shattered the safety and security that I tried so hard
+to provide for my family.
+ My testimony certainly does not diminish the pain that I
+have caused my family and my friends. Nothing can do that. And
+I have never asked for, nor would I accept a pardon from
+President Trump.
+ By coming today, I have caused my family to be the target
+of personal, scurrilous attacks by the President and his lawyer
+trying to intimidate me from appearing before this panel.
+ Mr. Trump called me a rat for choosing to tell the truth,
+much like a mobster would do when one of his men decides to
+cooperate with the government. And as exhibit 8 shows, I have
+provided the committee with copies of tweets that Mr. Trump
+posted attacking me and my family. Only someone burying his
+head in the sand would not recognize them for what they are.
+It's encouragement to someone to do harm to me and my family.
+ I never imagined that he would engage in vicious, false
+attacks on my family, and unleash his TV lawyer to do the same.
+And I hope this committee, and all Members of Congress on both
+sides of the aisle, make it clear that, as a Nation, we should
+not tolerate attempts to intimidate witnesses before Congress,
+and attacks on family are out of bounds and not acceptable.
+ I wish to especially thank Speaker Pelosi for her
+statements, it's exhibit 9, to protect this institution and me,
+and the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on
+Intelligence, Adam Schiff, and you, Chairman Cummings, for
+likewise defending the institution and my family against the
+attacks by Mr. Trump, and also the many Republicans who have
+admonished the President as well.
+ I am not a perfect man. I have done things I am not proud
+of. And I will live with the consequences of my actions for the
+rest of my life. But today, I get to decide the example that I
+set for my children, and how I attempt to change how history
+will remember me. I may not be able to change the past, but I
+can do right by the American people here today.
+ I thank you for your attention, and I'm happy to answer the
+committee's questions.
+
+ [Prepared Statement of Mr. Cohen follows:]
+ WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF MICHAEL D. COHEN COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT
+ AND REFORM U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
+
+ FEBRUARY 27, 2019
+
+ Chairman Cummings, Ranking Member Jordan, and Members of the
+Committee, thank you for inviting me here today.
+ I have asked this Committee to ensure that my family be protected
+from Presidential threats, and that the Committee be sensitive to the
+questions pertaining to ongoing investigations. Thank you for your help
+and for your understanding.
+ I am here under oath to correct the record, to answer the
+Committee's questions truthfully, and to offer the American people what
+I know about President Trump.
+ I recognize that some of you may doubt and attack me on my
+credibility. It is for this reason that I have incorporated into this
+opening statement documents that are irrefutable, and demonstrate that
+the information you will hear is accurate and truthful.
+ Never in a million years did I imagine, when I accepted a job in
+2007 to work for Donald Trump, that he would one day run for President,
+launch a campaign on a platform of hate and intolerance, and actually
+win. I regret the day I said yes to Mr. Trump. I regret all the help
+and support I gave him along the way.
+ I am ashamed of my own failings, and I publicly accepted
+responsibility for them by pleading guilty in the Southern District of
+New York.
+ 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 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 conman.
+ He is a cheat.
+ He was a presidential candidate who knew that Roger Stone was
+talking with Julian Assange about a WikiLeaks drop of Democratic
+National Committee emails.
+ I will explain each in a few moments.
+ I am providing the Committee today with several documents. These
+include:
+
+ A copy of a check Mr. Trump wrote from his personal bank
+account -- after he became president -- to reimburse me for the hush
+money payments I made to cover up his affair with an adult film star
+and prevent damage to his campaign;
+ Copies of financial statements for 2011 - 2013 that he
+gave to such institutions as Deutsche Bank;
+ A copy of an article with Mr. Trump's handwriting on it
+that reported on the auction of a portrait of himself -- he arranged
+for the bidder ahead of time and then reimbursed the bidder from the
+account of his non-profit charitable foundation, with the picture now
+hanging in one of his country clubs; and
+ Copies of letters I wrote at Mr. Trump's direction that
+threatened his high school, colleges, and the College Board not to
+release his grades or SAT scores.
+
+ I hope my appearance here today, my guilty plea, and my work with
+law enforcement agencies are steps along a path of redemption that will
+restore faith in me and help this country understand our president
+better.
+
+ * * * * * * *
+
+ Before going further, I want to apologize to each of you and to
+Congress as a whole.
+ The last time I appeared before Congress, I came to protect Mr.
+Trump. Today, I'm here to tell the truth about Mr. Trump.
+ I lied to Congress about when Mr. Trump stopped negotiating the
+Moscow Tower project in Russia. I stated that we stopped negotiating in
+January 2016. That was false -- our negotiations continued for months
+later during the campaign.
+ Mr. Trump did not directly tell me to lie to Congress. That's not
+how he operates.
+ In conversations we had during the campaign, at the same time I was
+actively negotiating in Russia for him, he would look me in the eye and
+tellme there's no business in Russia and then go out and lie to the
+American people by saying the same thing. In his way, he was telling me
+to lie.
+ There were at least a half-dozen times between the Iowa Caucus in
+January 2016 and the end of June when he would ask me "it going in
+Russia?" referring to the Moscow Tower project.
+ You need to know that Mr. Trump's personal lawyers reviewed and
+edited my statement to Congress about the timing of the Moscow Tower
+negotiations before I gave it.
+ To be clear: 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 the election. He also lied about it
+because he stood to make hundreds of millions of dollars on the Moscow
+real estate project.
+ And so I lied about it, too -- because Mr. Trump had made clear to
+me, through his personal statements to me that we both knew were false
+and through his lies to the country, that he wanted me to lie. And he
+made itclear to me because his personal attorneys reviewed my statement
+before I gave it to Congress.
+
+ * * * * * * *
+
+ Over the past two years, I have been smeared as "a rat" by the
+President of the United States. The truth is much different, and let me
+take a brief moment to introduce myself.
+ My name is Michael Dean Cohen.
+ I am a blessed husband of 24 years and a father to an incredible
+daughter and son. When I married my wife, I promised her that I would
+love her, cherish her, and protect her. As my father said countless
+times throughout my childhood, "you my wife, and you my children, are
+the air that I breathe." To my Laura, my Sami, and my Jake, there is
+nothing I wouldn't do to protect you.
+ I have always tried to live a life of loyalty, friendship,
+generosity, and compassion -- qualities my parents ingrained in my
+siblings and me since childhood. My father survived the Holocaust
+thanks to the compassion and selfless acts of others. He was helped by
+many who put themselves in harm's way to do what they knew was right.
+ That is why my first instinct has always been to help those in
+need. Mom and Dad...I am sorry that I let you down.
+ As many people that know me best would say, I am the person they
+would call at 3AM if they needed help. I proudly remember being the
+emergency contact for many of my children's friends when they were
+growing up because their parents knew that I would drop everything and
+care for them as if they were my own.
+ Yet, last fall I pled guilty in federal court to felonies for the
+benefit of, at the direction of, and in coordination with Individual
+#1.
+ For the record: Individual #1 is President Donald J. Trump.
+ It is painful to admit that I was motivated by ambition at times.
+It is even more painful to admit that many times I ignored my
+conscience and acted loyal to a man when I should not have. Sitting
+here today, it seems unbelievable that I was so mesmerized by Donald
+Trump that I was willing to do things for him that I knew were
+absolutely wrong.
+ For that reason, I have come here to apologize to my family, to the
+government, and to the American people.
+
+ * * * * * * *
+
+ Accordingly, let me now tell you about Mr. Trump.
+ I got to know him very well, working very closely with him for more
+than 10 years, as his Executive Vice President and Special Counsel and
+then personal attorney when he became President. When I first met Mr.
+Trump, he was a successful entrepreneur, a real estate giant, and an
+icon. Being around Mr. Trump was intoxicating. When you were in his
+presence, you felt like you were involved in something greater than
+yourself -- that you were somehow changing the world.
+ I wound up touting the Trump narrative for over a decade. That was
+my job. Always stay on message. Always defend. It monopolized my life.
+At first, I worked mostly on real estate developments and other
+business transactions. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Trump brought me into
+his personal life and private dealings. Over time, I saw his true
+character revealed.
+ Mr. Trump is an enigma. He is complicated, as am I. He has both
+good and bad, as do we all. But the bad far outweighs the good, and
+since taking office, he has become the worst version of himself. He is
+capable of behaving kindly, but he is not kind. He is capable of
+committing acts of generosity, but he is not generous. He is capable of
+being loyal, but he is fundamentally disloyal.
+ Donald Trump is a man who ran for office to make his brand great,
+not to make our country great. He had no desire or intention to lead
+this nation -- only to market himself and to build his wealth and
+power. Mr. Trump would often say, this campaign was going to be the
+"greatest infomercial in political history."
+ He never expected to win the primary. He never expected to win the
+general election. The campaign -- for him -- was always a marketing
+opportunity.
+ I knew early on in my work for Mr. Trump that he would direct me to
+lie to further his business interests. I am ashamed to say, that when
+it was for a real estate mogul in the private sector, I considered it
+trivial. As the President, I consider it significant and dangerous.
+ But in the mix, lying for Mr. Trump was normalized, and no one
+around him questioned it. In fairness, no one around him today
+questions it, either.
+ A lot of people have asked me about whether Mr. Trump knew about
+the release of the hacked Democratic National Committee emails ahead of
+time. The answer is yes.
+ As I earlier stated, Mr. Trump knew from Roger Stone in advance
+about the WikiLeaks drop of emails.
+ In July 2016, days before the Democratic convention, I was in Mr.
+Trump's office when his secretary announced that Roger Stone was on the
+phone. Mr. Trump put Mr. Stone on the speakerphone. Mr. Stone told Mr.
+Trump that he had just gotten off the phone with Julian Assange and
+that Mr. Assange told Mr. Stone that, within a couple of days, there
+would be a massive dump of emails that would damage Hillary Clinton's
+campaign.
+ Mr. Trump responded by stating to the effect of "wouldn't that be
+great."
+ Mr. Trump is a racist. The country has seen Mr. Trump court white
+supremacists and bigots. You have heard him call poorer countries
+"shitholes."
+ In private, he is even worse.
+ He once asked me if I could name a country run by a black person
+that wasn't a "shithole." This was when Barack Obama was President of
+the United States.
+ 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.
+ And yet I continued to work for him.
+ Mr. Trump is a cheat.
+ As previously stated, I'm giving the Committee today three years of
+President Trump's financial statements, from 2011-2013, which he gave
+to Deutsche Bank to inquire about a loan to buy the Buffalo Bills and
+to Forbes. These are Exhibits 1a, 1b, and 1c to my testimony.
+ It was my experience that Mr. Trump inflated his total assets when
+it served his purposes, such as trying to be listed among the
+wealthiest people in Forbes, and deflated his assets to reduce his real
+estate taxes.
+ I am sharing with you two newspaper articles, side by side, that
+are examples of Mr. Trump inflating and deflating his assets, as I
+said, to suit his financial interests. These are Exhibit 2 to my
+testimony.
+ As I noted, I'm giving the Committee today an article he wrote on,
+and sent me, that reported on an auction of a portrait of Mr. Trump.
+This is Exhibit3A to my testimony.
+ Mr. Trump directed me to find a straw bidder to purchase a portrait
+of him that was being auctioned at an Art Hamptons Event. The objective
+was to ensure that his portrait, which was going to be auctioned last,
+would go for the highest price of any portrait that afternoon. The
+portrait was purchased by the fake bidder for $60,000. Mr. Trump
+directed the Trump Foundation, which is supposed to be a charitable
+organization, to repay the fake bidder, despite keeping the art for
+himself. Please see Exhibit 3B to my testimony.
+ And it should come as no surprise that one of my more common
+responsibilities was that Mr. Trump directed me to call business
+owners, many of whom were small businesses, that were owed money for
+their services and told them no payment or a reduced payment would be
+coming. When I advised Mr. Trump of my success, he actually reveled in
+it.
+ And yet, I continued to work for him.
+ Mr. Trump is a conman.
+ He 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. I
+respect her greatly -- and she did not deserve that.
+ I am giving the Committee today a copy of the $130,000 wire
+transfer from me to Ms. Clifford's attorney during the closing days of
+the presidential campaign that was demanded by Ms. Clifford to maintain
+her silence about her affair with Mr. Trump. This is Exhibit 4 to my
+testimony.
+ Mr. Trump directed me to use my own personal funds from a Home
+Equity Line of Credit to avoid any money being traced back to him that
+could negatively impact his campaign. I did that, too -- without
+bothering to consider whether that was improper, much less whether it
+was the right thing to do or how it would impact me, my family, or the
+public.
+ I am going to jail in part because of my decision to help Mr. Trump
+hide that payment from the American people before they voted a few days
+later.
+ As Exhibit 5 to my testimony shows, I am providing a copy of a
+$35,000 check that President Trump personally signed from his personal
+bank account on August 1, 2017 -- when he was President of the United
+States -- pursuant to the cover-up, which was the basis of my guilty
+plea, to reimburse me -- the word used by Mr. Trump's TV lawyer -- for
+the illegal hush money I paid on his behalf. This $35,000 check was one
+of 11 check installments that was paid throughout the year -- while he
+was President.
+ The President of the United States thus wrote a personal check for
+the payment of hush money as part of a criminal scheme to violate
+campaign finance laws. You can find the details of that scheme,
+directed by Mr. Trump, in the pleadings in the U.S. District Court for
+the Southern District of New York.
+ So picture this scene -- in February 2017, one month into his
+presidency, I'm visiting President Trump in the Oval Office for the
+first time. It's truly awe-inspiring, he's showing me around and
+pointing to different paintings, and he says to me something to the
+effect of ...Don't worry, Michael, your January and February
+reimbursement checks are coming. They were Fed- Exed from New York and
+it takes a while for that to get through the White House system." As he
+promised, I received the first check for the reimbursement of $70,000
+not long thereafter.
+ When I say conman, 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.
+ As I mentioned, I'm giving the Committee today copies of a letter I
+sent at Mr. Trump's direction threatening these schools with civil and
+criminal actions if Mr. Trump's grades or SAT scores were ever
+disclosed without his permission. These are Exhibit 6.
+ The irony wasn't lost on me at the time that Mr. Trump in 2011 had
+strongly criticized President Obama for not releasing his grades. As
+you can see in Exhibit 7, Mr. Trump declared "Let him show his records"
+after calling President Obama "a terrible student."
+ The sad fact is that I never heard Mr. Trump say anything in
+private that led me to believe he loved our nation or wanted to make it
+better. In fact, he did the opposite.
+ When telling me in 2008 that he was cutting employees' salaries in
+half including mine he showed me what he claimed was a $10 million IRS
+tax refund, and he said that he could not believe how stupid the
+government was for giving "someone like him" that much money back.
+ During the campaign, Mr. Trump said he did not consider Vietnam
+Veteran, and Prisoner of War, Senator John McCain to be "a hero"
+because he likes people who weren't captured. At the same time, Mr.
+Trump tasked me to handle the negative press surrounding his medical
+deferment from the Vietnam draft.
+ Mr. Trump claimed it was because of a bone spur, but when I asked
+for medical records, he gave me none and said there was no surgery. He
+told me not to answer the specific questions by reporters but rather
+offer simply the fact that he received a medical deferment.
+ He finished the conversation with the following comment. "You think
+I'm stupid, I wasn't going to Vietnam."I find it ironic, President
+Trump, that you are in Vietnam right now. And yet, I continued to work
+for him.
+
+ * * * * * * *
+
+ 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.
+ Sometime in the summer of 2017, I read all over the media that
+there had been a meeting in Trump Tower in June 2016 involving Don Jr.
+and others from the campaign with Russians, including a representative
+of the Russian government, and an email setting up the meeting with the
+subject line, "Dirt on Hillary Clinton." Something clicked in my mind.
+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' desk -- which in itself was unusual. People
+didn't just walk behind Mr. Trump's desk to talk to him. I recalled Don
+Jr. leaning over to his father and speaking in a low voice, which I
+could clearly hear, and saying: "The meeting is all set."I remember Mr.
+Trump saying, "Ok good...let me know."
+ What struck me as I looked back and thought about that exchange
+between Don Jr. and his father was, first, that Mr. Trump had
+frequently told me and others that his son Don Jr. had the worst
+judgment of anyone in theworld. And also, that Don Jr. would never set
+up any meeting of any significance alone -- and certainly not without
+checking with his father.I also knew that nothing went on in Trump
+world, especially the campaign, without Mr. Trump's knowledge and
+approval. So, I concluded that Don Jr. was referring to that June 2016
+Trump Tower meeting about dirt on Hillary with the Russian
+representative when he walked behind his dad's desk that day -- and
+that Mr. Trump knew that was the meeting Don Jr. was talking about when
+he said, "That's good...let me know."
+
+ * * * * * * *
+
+ Over the past year or so, I have done some real soul searching. I
+see now that my ambition and the intoxication of Trump power had much
+to do with the bad decisions I made.
+ To you, Chairman Cummings, Ranking Member Jordan, the other members
+of this Committee, and the other members of the House and Senate, I am
+sorry for my lies and for lying to Congress.
+ To our nation, I am sorry for actively working to hide from you the
+truth about Mr. Trump when you needed it most.
+ For those who question my motives for being here today, I
+understand. I have lied, but I am not a liar. I have done bad things,
+but I am not a bad man. I have fixed things, but I am no longer your
+"fixer," Mr. Trump.
+ I am going to prison and have shattered the safety and security
+that I tried so hard to provide for my family. My testimony certainly
+does not diminishthe pain I caused my family and friends -- nothing can
+do that. And I have never asked for, nor would I accept, a pardon from
+President Trump.
+ And, by coming today, I have caused my family to be the target of
+personal, scurrilous attacks by the President and his lawyer -- trying
+to intimidate me from appearing before this panel. Mr. Trump called me
+a "rat" for choosing to tell the truth -- much like a mobster would do
+when one of his men decides to cooperate with the government.
+ As Exhibit 8 shows, I have provided the Committee with copies of
+Tweets that Mr. Trump posted, attacking me and my family -- only
+someone burying his head in the sand would not recognize them for what
+they are: encouragement to someone to do harm to me and my family.
+ I never imagined that he would engage in vicious, false attacks on
+my family -- and unleash his TV-lawyer to do the same. I hope this
+committee and all members of Congress on both sides of the aisle will
+make it clear: As a nation, we should not tolerate attempts to
+intimidate witnesses before congress and attacks on family are out of
+bounds and not acceptable.
+ I wish to especially thank Speaker Pelosi for her statements in
+Exhibit 9 to protect this institution and me, and the Chairman of the
+House PermanentSelect Committee on Intelligence Adam Schiff and
+Chairman Cummings for likewise defending this institution and my family
+against the attacks by Mr. Trump, and also the many Republicans who
+have admonished the President as well.
+ I am not a perfect man. I have done things I am not proud of, and I
+will live with the consequences of my actions for the rest of my life.
+ But today, I get to decide the example I set for my children and
+how I attempt to change how history will remember me. I may not be able
+to change the past, but I can do right by the American people here
+today.
+ Thank you for your attention. I am happy to answer the Committee's
+questions.
+
+ Chairman Cummings. Thank you very much, Mr. Cohen. I now
+recognize myself.
+ Mr. Cohen, before I start, I want to make sure you really
+understand something. You have admitted lying to Congress, to
+this very body, and now you're going to prison for it.
+ Do you, Mr. Cohen, recognize the gravity of your offenses?
+ You are a lawyer, right?
+ Mr. Cohen. As of yesterday, I am no longer a lawyer. I have
+lost my law license, amongst other things.
+ Chairman Cummings. But you understand the gravity of this
+moment?
+ Mr. Cohen. I most certainly do, Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. I want you to really hear this, Mr.
+Cohen. We will not tolerate lying to this Congress by anybody.
+We're in search of the truth.
+ Do you understand that?
+ Mr. Cohen. I do.
+ Chairman Cummings. The President has also made numerous
+statements that turned out to be inaccurate. For example, he
+said he knew nothing about the hush money payments to Ms.
+Clifford. And his 2017 financial disclosure form said he never
+owed money to reimburse you for those payments. Yet in your
+testimony, Mr. Cohen, you said that you met with the President
+in the Oval Office in February 2017 and discussed his plans to
+reimburse you for money you paid.
+ You say he told you, and I quote, ``Don't worry, Michael.
+Your January and February reimbursement checks are coming.'' Is
+that accurate? And was that in the oval office?
+ Mr. Cohen. The statement is accurate, but the discussions
+regarding the reimbursement occurred long before he became
+President.
+ Chairman Cummings. Would you explain that?
+ Mr. Cohen. Back in 2017 when--actually, I apologize. In
+2016, prior to the election, I was contacted by Keith Davidson,
+who is the attorney--or was the attorney for Ms. Clifford, or
+Stormy Daniels.
+ And after several rounds of conversations with him about
+purchasing her life rights for $130,000, what I did, each and
+every time, is go straight into Mr. Trump's office and discuss
+the issue with him, when it was ultimately determined, and this
+was days before the election, that Mr. Trump was going to pay
+the $130,000, in the office with me was Allen Weisselberg, the
+chief financial officer of the Trump Organization. He
+acknowledged to Allen that he was going to pay the 130,000, and
+that Allen and I should go back to his office and figure out
+how to do it.
+ So, yes, sir I stand by the statement that I gave, but
+there was a history to it.
+ Chairman Cummings. In your testimony, you said you bought
+some checks; is that right?
+ You said you brought some checks?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, sir.
+ Chairman Cummings. Let me ask you about one of these.
+ This is from the Trump Trust that holds the President's
+businesses, can you tell me who signed this check?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe that the top signature is Donald
+Trump, Jr., and that the bottom signature, I believe, is Allen
+Weisselberg's.
+ Chairman Cummings. And can you tell me the date of that
+check?
+ Mr. Cohen. March 17 of 2017.
+ Chairman Cummings. Now, wait, wait a minute. Hold up. The
+date on the check is after President Trump held his big press
+conference claiming that he gave up control of his businesses.
+How could the President have arranged for you to get this check
+if he was supposedly playing no role in his business?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because the payments were designed to be paid
+over the course of 12 months, and it was declared to be a
+retainer for services that would be provided for the year of
+2017.
+ Chairman Cummings. Was there a retainer agreement?
+ Mr. Cohen. There was no retainer agreement.
+ Chairman Cummings. Would Don Jr. or Mr. Weisselberg have
+more information about that?
+ Mr. Cohen. Mr. Weisselberg for sure about the entire
+discussions and negotiations prior to the election, and Don Jr.
+would have cursory information.
+ Chairman Cummings. Now here's another one. This one appears
+to be signed by Donald Trump himself. Is that his signature?
+ Mr. Cohen. That is Donald Trump's signature.
+ Chairman Cummings. So let me make sure I understand. Donald
+Trump wrote you a check out of his personal account while he
+was serving as President of the United States of America to
+reimburse you for hush money payments to Ms. Clifford. Is that
+what you are telling the American people today?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. One final question. The President
+claimed he knew nothing about these payments. His ethics filing
+said he owed nothing to you. Based on your conversations with
+him is there any doubt in your mind that President Trump knew
+exactly what he was paying for?
+ Mr. Cohen. There is no doubt in my mind, and I truly
+believe there is no doubt in the mind of the people of the
+United States of America.
+ Chairman Cummings. And these new documents appear to
+corroborate what you just told us.
+ With that, I will yield to the gentleman from Ohio.
+ Mr. Jordan. I will make sure that you and I meet one day
+while we are in the courthouse, and I will take you for every
+penny you still don't have, and I will come after your Daily
+Beast and everybody else that you possibly know. So I am
+warning you, tread very f'ing lightly because what I am going
+to do to you is going to be f'ing disgusting. Do you understand
+me?
+ Mr. Cohen, who said that.
+ Mr. Cohen. I did.
+ Mr. Jordan. And did you say that, Mr. Cohen--in your
+testimony on page 2 you said you did things for Mr. Trump in an
+effort to protect him. Was that Statement that I just read that
+you admitted to saying, did you do that to protect Donald
+Trump?
+ Mr. Cohen. I did it to protect Mr. Trump, Donald Trump,
+Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump.
+ Mr. Jordan. And in your sentencing statement back in
+December in front of the judge you said this, Mr. Cohen: My
+weakness can be characterized as a blind loyalty to Donald
+Trump, a blind loyalty that led me to choose a path of
+darkness. Is that accurate, Mr. Cohen?
+ Mr. Cohen. I wrote that.
+ Mr. Jordan. You wrote that and said that in front of the
+judge. Is that right?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Mr. Jordan. Let me read a few other things here, and let me
+ask you why you did some of these things.
+ When you filed a false tax return in 2012, 2013, 2014,
+2015, and 2016, was all that out of blind loyalty to the
+President?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, it was not.
+ Mr.Jordan. When you failed to report $4 million in income
+to the Internal Revenue Service did you do that to protect
+Donald Trump?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, I did not.
+ Mr. Jordan. And when you failed to pay $1.4 million in
+taxes -- I got constituents who don't make that in a lifetime
+-- when you failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes to the U.S.
+Treasury was that out of some blind loyalty to the President of
+the United States?
+ Mr. Cohen. It was not. But the number was 1.38 and change,
+and I have paid that money back to the IRS at this time.
+ Mr. Jordan. I think the American people will appreciate
+that 1.38 versus 1.4.
+ Mr. Cohen. And I would also just like to say it was over a
+course of five years, approximately $260,000 a year.
+ Mr. Jordan. That's what I said, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015,
+that's five years.
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Jordan. Got it. When you made false statements to
+financial institutions concerning a home equity line of credit,
+taxi medallions, and your Park Avenue apartment in 2013, 2014,
+and 2015, you pled guilty to making those false statements to
+those banks, was that all done to protect the President?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, it was not.
+ Mr. Jordan. How about this one. When you created the fake
+Twitter account Women for Cohen and paid a firm to post tweets
+like this one, ``In a world of lies, deception, and fraud we
+appreciate this honest guy @MichaelCohen, #TGIF, #handsome,
+#sexy,'' was that done to protect the President?
+ Mr. Cohen. Mr. Jordan, I didn't actually set that up. It
+was done by a young lady that worked for RedFinch. And during
+the course of the campaign, which you would know, it is
+somewhat crazy and wild. We were having fun. That's what it
+was, sir. We were having fun.
+ Mr. Jordan. Was it done to protect the President?
+ Mr. Cohen. That was not done to protect the President.
+ Mr. Jordan. Was it a fake Twitter account?
+ Mr. Cohen. That was--no, that was a real Twitter account.
+It exists.
+ Mr. Jordan. Did you pay a firm to create this Twitter
+account Women for Cohen?
+ Mr. Cohen. I didn't pay the firm to do that. It was done by
+a young lady that works for the firm. And, again, sir, we were
+having fun during a stressful time.
+ Mr. Jordan. The point is, Mr. Cohen, did you lie to protect
+the President or did you lie to help yourself?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not sure how that helped me, sir.
+ Mr. Jordan. I'm not sure how it did either.
+ Mr. Cohen. Right.
+ Mr. Jordan. The point is I think----
+ Mr. Cohen. And I would like to also note that more than
+half the people----
+ Mr. Jordan. And here's the point----
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. on that site are men.
+ Mr. Jordan. Here's the point. The chairman just gave you a
+30-minute opening statement, and you have a history of lying
+over and over and over again.
+ And, frankly, don't take my word for it, take what the
+court said, take what the Southern District of New York said:
+Cohen did crimes that were marked by a pattern of deception and
+that permeated his professional life. These crimes were
+distinct in their harms but bear a common set of circumstances.
+They each involved deception and were each, each motivated by
+personal greed and ambition.
+ A pattern of deception for personal greed and ambition. And
+you just got 30 minutes of an opening statement where you
+trashed the President of the United States of America.
+ Mr. Cohen, how long did you work for Donald Trump?
+ Mr. Cohen. Approximately a decade.
+ Mr. Jordan. Ten years?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Mr. Jordan. And you said all these bad things about the
+President there in that last 30 minutes, and yet you worked for
+him for 10 years? All those bad things. I mean, if it is that
+bad I can see you working for him for 10 days, maybe 10 weeks,
+maybe even 10 months, but you worked for him for 10 years.
+ Mr. Cohen, how long did you work in the White House?
+ Mr. Cohen. I never worked in the White House.
+ Mr. Jordan. And that's the point, isn't it, Mr. Cohen?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir.
+ Mr. Jordan. Yes, it is.
+ Mr. Cohen. No, it is not, sir.
+ Mr. Jordan. You wanted to work in the White House----
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir.
+ Mr. Jordan [continuing]. and you didn't get brought to the
+dance. And now----
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, I was extremely proud to be personal
+attorney to the President of the United States of America. I
+did not want to go to the White House. I was offered jobs. I
+can tell you a story of Mr. Trump reaming out Reince Priebus
+because I had not taken a job where Mr. Trump wanted me to,
+which is working with Don McGahn at the White House General
+Counsel's Office.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Cohen, you worked for the President for----
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, one second. All right. What I said at the
+time, and I brought a lawyer in who produced a memo as to why I
+should not go in, because there would be no attorney-client
+privilege.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Cohen----
+ Mr. Cohen. And in order to handle some of the matters that
+I talked about in my opening, that it would be best suited for
+me not to go in and that every President had a personal
+attorney.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Cohen, here's what I see, here's what I
+see. I see a guy who worked for 10 years and is here trashing
+the guy he worked for for 10 years, didn't get a job in the
+White House, and now--and now you are behaving just like
+everyone else who's got fired or didn't get the job they
+wanted, like Andy McCabe, like James Comey, same kind of
+selfish motivation after you don't get the thing you want.
+That's what I see here today, and I think that's what the
+American people see.
+ Mr. Cohen. Mr. Jordan, all I wanted was what I got, to be
+personal attorney to the President, to enjoy the senior year of
+my son in high school and waiting for my daughter who is
+graduating from college to come back to New York. I got exactly
+what I want.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ Mr. Jordan. Exactly what you want?
+ Mr. Cohen. What I wanted. That's right.
+ Mr. Jordan. You are going to prison.
+ Mr. Cohen. I received exactly what I wanted.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Mr. Cohen, thank you for being here today.
+ As you likely know, I served as the chair of the Democratic
+National Committee at the time of the Russian hacks and when
+Russia weaponized the messages that it had stolen.
+ But I want to be clear my questions are not about the harm
+done to any individual by WikiLeaks and the Russians, it is
+about the possible and likely harm to the United States of
+America and our democracy. I have a series of questions that I
+hope will connect more of these dots.
+ Mr. Cohen, is it your testimony that Mr. Trump had advance
+knowledge of the Russia-WikiLeaks release of the DNC's emails?
+ Mr. Cohen. I can't -- I cannot answer that in a yes or no.
+He had advance notice that there was going to be a dump of
+emails, but at no time did I hear the specificity of what those
+emails were going to be.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. But you do testify today that he had
+advance knowledge of their imminent release.
+ Mr. Cohen. That is what I had stated in my testimony.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. And that he shared that outcome?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, ma'am.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Did Mr. Trump likely share this
+information with his daughter Ivanka, son Don Jr., or Jared
+Kushner?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not aware of that.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Was Ivanka, Jared, or Don Jr. still
+involved in the Russian Tower deal at that time?
+ Mr. Cohen. The company was involved in the deal, which
+meant that the family was involved in the deal.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. If Mr. Trump and his daughter
+Ivanka and son Donald Jr. are involved in the Russian Trump
+Tower deal, is it possible the whole family is conflicted or
+compromised with a foreign adversary in the months before the
+election?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Based on your experience with the
+President and knowledge of his relationship with Mr. Stone, do
+you have reason to believe that the President explicitly or
+implicitly authorized Mr. Stone to make contact with WikiLeaks
+and to indicate the campaign's interest in the strategic
+release of these illegally hacked materials?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not aware of that.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Was Mr. Stone a free agent reporting
+back to the President what he had done or was he an agent of
+the campaign acting on behalf of the President and with his
+apparent authority?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, he was a free agent.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. A free agent that was reporting back
+to the President what he had done?
+ Mr. Cohen. Correct. He frequently reached out to Mr. Trump,
+and Mr. Trump was very happy to take his calls. It was free
+service.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Roger Stone says he never spoke with
+Mr. Trump about WikiLeaks. How can we corroborate what you are
+saying?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know, but I suspect that the special
+counsel's office and other government agencies have the
+information that you are seeking.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Moving on to a little later in 2016,
+a major WikiLeaks dump happens hours after the Access Hollywood
+tape is released. Do you believe or are you aware of Mr. Trump
+coordinating or signaling for this email dump?
+ Mr.Cohen. I'm unaware of that. I actually was not even in
+the country at the time of the Billy Bush tape. I was in London
+visiting my daughter.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Knowing how Mr. Trump operates with
+his winning at all costs mentality, do you believe that he
+would cooperate or collude with a foreign power to win the
+Presidency? Is he capable of that?
+ Mr. Cohen. It calls on so much speculation, ma'am, it would
+be unfair for me to give an answer to that.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. I understand, but you have a
+tremendous amount of experience----
+ Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump, he is all about winning, and he will
+do what is necessary to win.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. And in your opinion and experience,
+would he have the potential to cooperate or collude with a
+foreign power to win the Presidency at all costs?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Based on what you know, would Mr.
+Trump or did he lie about colluding and coordinating with the
+Russians at any point during the campaign?
+ Mr. Cohen. So as I stated in my testimony, I wouldn't use
+the word colluding. Was there something odd about the back and
+forth praise with President Putin? Yes. But I'm not really sure
+that I can answer that question in terms of collusion.
+ I was not part of the campaign. I don't know the other
+conversations that Mr. Trump had with other individuals.
+There's just so many dots that all seem to lead to the same
+direction.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Finally, before my time expires, Mr.
+Cohen, the campaign and the entire Trump Organization appeared
+to be filthy with Russian contacts. There are Russian business
+contacts, there are campaign Russian contacts, there are lies
+about all of those contacts. And then we have Roger Stone
+informing the President just before the Democratic National
+Convention that WikiLeaks was going to drop documents in the
+public arena that we knew at that point were hacked and stolen
+by Russia from the Democratic National Committee.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentlelady's time has expired. You
+may answer her inquiry quickly.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. My question is, given all those
+connections, is it likely that Donald Trump was fully aware and
+had every intent of working with Russia to help make sure that
+he could win the Presidency at all costs?
+ Mr. Cohen. So let me say that this is a matter that's
+currently being handled by the House Select and the Senate
+Select Intelligence Committees, as I would rather not answer
+that specific question, other than just to tell you that Mr.
+Trump's desire to win would have him work with anyone.
+ And one other thing that I had said in my statement is that
+when it came to the Trump Tower Moscow project, it was worth
+hundreds of millions of dollars, and we never expected to win
+the election. So this was just business as usual.
+ Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Thank you, Mr. Cohen.
+ Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Green of Tennessee.
+ Mr. Green. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Jordan.
+ The chairman and this committee have promised members of
+the American people a fair and open process, yet the Democrats
+have vastly limited the scope of this hearing. They issued a
+gag order to try to tell members of this committee what we can
+and cannot talk about.
+ My colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim that
+they want the truth, that they want transparency and fair
+oversight, yet the Democrats' witness to testify before
+Congress today is none other than a scorned man who is going to
+prison for lying to Congress.
+ Let that sink in. He is going to prison for lying to
+Congress, and he is the star witness to Congress.
+ If you read the sentencing report on Mr. Cohen words like
+``deceptive'' and ``greedy'' are scattered throughout that
+report. It paints a picture of a narcissist, a bully who cannot
+tell the truth, whether it is about the President or about his
+own personal life. But today he is the majority party's star
+witness.
+ If the Democrats were after the truth, they'd have an
+honest person here testifying. And if they were really after
+the truth, they'd not restrict the questioning to just a few
+topics. But let's take a look at those restricted topics.
+ Mr. Chairman, the first topic in your limited scope that I
+can ask Mr. Cohen is about the President's debts. But, Mr.
+Chairman, didn't Mr. Cohen plead guilty to lying to banks about
+his personal finances? So we are asking a guy going to jail for
+lying about his debts to comment about the President's debts.
+He is the expert.
+ Mr. Chairman, your next couple of topics say that I can ask
+Mr. Cohen about the President's compliance with financial
+disclosures and campaign finance laws. But didn't Mr. Cohen on
+two occasions break campaign finance law with his own
+donations? So again, the majority party's star witness on the
+President's compliance is a guy who broke compliance laws
+himself.
+ Mr. Chairman, you graciously allow us to ask questions of
+Mr. Cohen on the President's dealings with the IRS and tax law.
+Your star witness here broke the law with regards to the IRS at
+least five times. He pled guilty on cheating on his taxes,
+lying to the IRS. He's the best witness you got?
+ Next up, with the permission of the chairman I get to ask
+Mr. Cohen about his perspective on the President's business
+dealings. Let me get this straight. The witness lied to
+multiple financial institutions to get loans to pay off other
+loans just to keep himself afloat, and he is going to be the
+expert on business practices.
+ Obviously, Mr. Chairman, the witness may produce documents
+that he suggests incriminates the President, yet he lies to
+banks. All of those lies were done on fraudulent documents,
+documents that he forged. Nothing he says or produces has any
+credibility. Apparently he even lied about delivering his own
+child, which his wife had to correct the record.
+ Ladies and gentlemen, how on earth is this witness
+credible? With all the lies and deception, the self-serving
+fraud, it begs the question, what is the majority party doing
+here? No one can see this guy as credible. He will say whatever
+he wants to accomplish his own personal goals. He is a fake
+witness, and his presence here is a travesty. I hope the
+American people see through this. I know the people back in
+Tennessee will.
+ And with that statement, sir, I have a few questions for
+the witness.
+ With your loss of your law license--I think you mentioned
+in your opening statement that you had been disbarred--what is
+your source of income in the future?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't expect I'm going to have a source of
+income when I'm in Federal penitentiary.
+ Mr. Green. Is there a book deal coming or anything like
+that?
+ Mr. Cohen. I have no book deal right now in the process. I
+have been contacted by many, including for television, a movie.
+If you want to tell me who you would like to play you I'm more
+than happy to write the name down.
+ Mr. Green. I'm sure there is a very attractive man.
+ Mr. Cohen. I would also like to turn around and just to
+correct your statement on me. No individual----
+ Mr. Green. Let me ask one other question, though. I only
+have a limited amount of time.
+ Mr. Cohen. No individual----
+ Mr. Green. One quick question. Who paid your expenses to be
+here today?
+ Mr. Cohen. Who has paid my expenses?
+ Mr. Green. To be here today.
+ Mr. Cohen. I paid my expenses.
+ Mr. Green. Mr. Chairman, I would like to yield the
+remaining of my time to the ranking member.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Cohen, how many times did you talk to the
+special counsel's office?
+ Mr. Cohen. Seven.
+ Mr. Jordan. Did they talk to you at all in preparation for
+today's hearing between the seven times you talked to them
+prior to your sentencing? Have you had any conversations with
+the special counsel's office between sentencing and today?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, sir. I don't understand your
+question.
+ Mr. Jordan. You talked to them seven times, that's in the
+sentencing memorandums that were in front of the court back in
+December. What I'm asking is how many times you have talked to
+the special counsel's office since then up to today's
+appearance here in Congress?
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired. You
+may answer the question, though, that one question.
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry. I don't have the answer to that.
+ Chairman Cummings. Ms. Maloney.
+ Mr. Jordan. That wasn't--well, I will come back to that.
+ Ms. Maloney. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ And, Mr. Cohen, in your 10 years of working for Donald
+Trump did he control everything that went on in the Trump
+Organization? And did you have to get his permission in advance
+and report back after every meeting of any importance.
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes. There was nothing that happened at The
+Trump Organization, from whether it was a response, as the
+Daily Beast story that you referred to, Ranking Member, that
+did not go through Mr. Trump with his approval and sign-off, as
+in the case of the payments.
+ Ms. Maloney. How many times did the President, Michael, ask
+you or direct you to try to reach settlements with women in
+2015 and 2016?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, ma'am, I don't have the answer to
+that. I'd have to go back and try to recollect. It's certainly
+the two that we know about.
+ Ms. Maloney. And why do you think the President did not
+provide the accurate information in his 2017 financial
+disclosure form? What was he trying to hide? He corrected other
+forms, but he didn't correct this one.
+ Mr. Cohen. The payments on the reimbursement of the funds
+that I extended on his behalf.
+ Ms. Maloney. All right. Can you elaborate more?
+ Mr. Cohen. Well, going back into the story as I stated,
+when we, Allen Weisselberg and I, left the office and we went
+to his office in order to make the determination on how the
+money was going to be wired to the IOLA, the interest on the
+lawyer's account for Keith Davidson in California, I had asked
+Allen to use his money, didn't want to use mine, and he said he
+couldn't, and we then decided how else we can do it.
+ And he asked me whether or not I know anybody who wants to
+have a party at one of his clubs that could pay me instead or
+somebody who may have wanted to become a member of one of the
+golf clubs, and I also don't have anybody that was interested
+in that.
+ And it got to the point where it was down to the wire, it
+was either somebody wire the funds and purchase the life rights
+to the story from Ms. Clifford or it was going to end up being
+sold to television, and that would have embarrassed the
+President and it would have interfered with the election.
+ Ms. Maloney. But the President has never amended his 2017
+form to this day, and while you are facing the consequences of
+going to jail, he is not.
+ Mr. Cohen. Well, I believe that they amended a financial
+disclosure form and there is a footnote somewhere buried. I
+don't recall specifically what it says, but there is a footnote
+buried somewhere.
+ Ms. Maloney. Can you describe, Michael, to the American
+people, catch and kill?
+ Mr. Cohen. So catch and kill is a method that exists when
+you are working with a news outlet -- in this specific case it
+was AMI, National Enquirer, David Pecker, Dylan Howard, and
+others -- where they would contact me or Mr. Trump or someone
+and state that there's a story that's percolating out there
+that you may be interested in. And then what you do is you
+contact that individual and you purchase the rights to that
+story from them.
+ Ms. Maloney. And you practiced this for the President?
+ Mr. Cohen. I was involved in several of these catch and
+kill episodes. But these catch and kill scenarios existed
+between David Pecker and Mr. Trump long before I started
+working for him in 2007.
+ Ms. Maloney. Michael, can you suggest who else this
+committee should talk to for additional information on this or
+anything else?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, I believe David Pecker, Dylan Howard, Barry
+Levine of AMI, as well, Allen Weisselberg, Alan Garten of Trump
+Organization, as well.
+ Ms. Maloney. Well, thank you very much for your testimony.
+ And, Mr. Chairman, this is a story of redemption.
+ Mr. Cohen. Thank you, ma'am.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Comer.
+ Mr. Comer. Mr. Cohen, in your testimony you stated that you
+began work for The Trump Organization as a lawyer dealing with
+real estate transactions. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Mr. Comer. Prior to coming to Congress, I served as the
+director of two different banks, so I have seen hundreds of
+loan applications. And to try to determine your credibility
+here today I just wanted to ask you a couple of real estate
+transaction questions just to see how, in fact, you operate.
+ According to the Southern District of New York prosecutors,
+you lied to banks to secure loans by falsely stating the amount
+of debt you were carrying. Mr. Cohen, my question to you, was
+it Donald Trump's fault that you knowingly committed a crime of
+deception to defraud a bank?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, it's not.
+ Mr. Comer. Was that fraudulent loan you obtained for The
+Trump Organization or for you personally?
+ Mr. Cohen. It would be for me, though I'm not familiar with
+which loan that you are referring to.
+ I would like to say one thing. Sir, I would like just to
+respond. The loan that you are talking about when we are
+talking about the home equity line of credit, which is what I
+believe you are referring to, no -- no individual----
+ Mr. Comer. We are also referring to -- I'm going to ask a
+question pertaining to your summer home that you purchased.
+ Mr. Cohen. I never purchased a summer home. No individual
+or no bank in the 22 years that I have had loans have ever lost
+a dollar with me. I owe no money to any bank.
+ Mr. Comer. Well, the banks usually find out if someone is
+trying to deceive them.
+ Did your so-called blind loyalty----
+ Mr. Cohen. In 22 years I have no money that's ever been
+owed to any individual or any bank.
+ Mr. Comer. Mr. Cohen, did your so-called blind loyalty to
+the President cause you to defraud the bank for your own
+personal gain?
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, I take exception to that because there's
+never been a fraud on a -- I never defrauded any bank.
+ Mr. Comer. Well, let's dig a little deeper on that, on the
+bank fraud. According to the Southern District of New York, you
+failed to disclose more than $20 million in liabilities, as
+well as tens of thousands of dollars of monthly expenses.
+That's according to the Southern District of New York.
+ Now, Mr. Cohen, you being lawyer, surely you knew you were
+breaking the law. Now, why would you have done that?
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, I'm not a CPA. And I pled guilty. I am
+going to prison as a result of it.
+ Mr. Comer. Because you're a con?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir, because I pled guilty, and I am going
+to be doing the time. I have caused tremendous, tremendous pain
+to my family, and I take no happiness----
+ Mr. Comer. Let's go back to the -- one last question about
+the bank. When the bank found out about the liabilities that
+you failed to disclose you lied again to the bank -- this
+according to the Southern District of New York -- and said it
+had been expunged when, in fact, you just shifted the debt to
+another bank.
+ So apparently, according to the information that we
+received, your intent to defraud the bank was for the desire to
+purchase the summer home for $8.5 million?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir.
+ Mr. Comer. That's not correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That would have been off of an equity line
+considering I had less than a 50 percent loan to value on the
+assets. And there was a preexisting line of credit that existed
+years before the date that you are referring to where--this is
+all surrounding New York City taxi medallions.
+ Mr. Comer. But you understand that when you fail to
+disclose liabilities, especially $20 million in liabilities,
+that is, in fact, fraud?
+ Mr. Cohen. Except even with the $20 million in liability--
+--
+ Mr. Comer. How much was it?
+ Mr. Cohen. The medallions were at that time worth over $45
+million.
+ Mr. Comer. Mr. Cohen, you called Donald Trump a cheat in
+your opening testimony. What would you call yourself?
+ Mr. Cohen. A fool.
+ Mr. Comer. You calling -- OK. Well, no comment on that.
+ Mr. Cohen. I appreciate that.
+ Mr. Comer. Mr. Chairman, we said we were in search of the
+truth. I don't believe that Michael Cohen is capable of telling
+the truth.
+ And I would hope that as this committee moves forward that
+when we have the opportunity to subpoena witnesses we subpoena
+witnesses that are not recently disbarred, are not convicted
+felons, and witnesses that haven't committed bank fraud and tax
+fraud. That is how we're going to determine the truth.
+ So, Mr. Chairman, I'll yield the balance of my time to the
+ranking member.
+ Mr. Jordan. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
+ I would just make one point. We just had a five-minute
+debate where Mr. Cohen disputes what the Southern District of
+New York found, what the judge found, that he was actually
+guilty of committing bank fraud.
+ If this statement back here doesn't say it all: Cohen's
+consciousness of wrongdoing is fleeting. His remorse is
+minimal. His instinct to blame others is strong.
+ There's only one thing wrong with that statement: His
+remorse is nonexistent. He just debated a Member of Congress
+saying: I really didn't do anything wrong with the false bank
+things that I'm guilty of and going to prison for.
+ Mr. Cohen. Mr. Jordan, that's not what I said, and you know
+that that's not what I said.
+ Mr. Meadows. Will the gentleman yield?
+ Mr. Cohen. I said I pled guilty and I take responsibility
+for my actions.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired. You
+may answer the question.
+ Mr. Cohen. Shame on you, Mr. Jordan. That's not what I
+said. Shame on you.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's not what I said. What I said is I took
+responsibility and I take responsibility. What I was doing is
+explaining to the gentleman that his facts are inaccurate.
+ I still -- I take responsibility for my mistakes, all
+right? I am remorseful, and I am going to prison. I will be
+away from my wife and family for years. So before you turn
+around and you cast more aspersions----
+ Mr. Jordan. We all feel for that. I understand that.
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. please understand there are people
+watching you today that know me a whole lot better.
+ I made mistakes. I own them. And I didn't fight with the
+Southern District of New York. I didn't put the system through
+an entire scenario. But what I did do is I pled guilty, and I
+am going to be, again, going to prison.
+ Chairman Cummings. Ms. Norton.
+ Ms. Norton. Mr. Cohen, at the center of the reasons you are
+going to prison is convictions for campaign finance violations,
+and they center around some salacious revelations.
+ The Washington Post reported or aired an Access Hollywood
+video. It set a record for the number of people who watched,
+crashed the newspaper's server.
+ But this happened in early October on the cusp of the
+election. What was Mr. Trump's reaction to the video becoming
+public at that time and was he concerned about the impact of
+that video on the election?
+ Mr. Cohen. The answer is yes. As I stated before, I was in
+London at the time visiting my daughter, who is studying there
+for a Washington semester abroad, and I received a phone call
+during the dinner from Hope Hicks stating that she had just
+spoken to Mr. Trump and we need you to start making phone calls
+to the various different news outlets that you have
+relationships with, and we need to spin this. What we want to
+do is just to claim that this was men locker room talk.
+ Ms. Norton. Was the concern about the election in
+particular?
+ Mr. Cohen. The answer is yes.
+ Then, couple that with Karen McDougal, which then came out
+around the same time. And then on top of that the Stormy
+Daniels matter.
+ Ms. Norton. Yeah, and these things happened in the month
+before the election and almost one after the other. The Stormy
+Daniels revelation where prosecutors and officials--the
+prosecutors learned of that--of that matter and prosecutors
+stated that the officials at the magazine contacted you about
+the story. And the magazine, of course, is the National
+Enquirer. Is that correct, that they did come to you?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, ma'am.
+ Ms. Norton. Were you concerned about this news story
+becoming public right after the Access Hollywood study in terms
+of impact on the election?
+ Mr. Cohen. I was concerned about it, but more importantly,
+Mr. Trump was concerned about it.
+ Ms. Norton. That was my next question. What was the
+President's concern about these matters becoming public in
+October as we were about to go into an election?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't think anybody would dispute this belief
+that after the wildfire that encompassed the Billy Bush tape,
+that a second followup to it would have been pleasant. And he
+was concerned with the effect that it had had on the campaign,
+on how women were seeing him, and ultimately whether or not he
+would have a shot in the general election.
+ Ms. Norton. And so you negotiated the $130,000 payment.
+ Mr. Cohen. The $130,000 number was not a number that was
+actually negotiated. It was told to me by Keith Davidson that
+this is a number that Ms. Clifford wanted.
+ Ms. Norton. Well, you finally completed that deal, as it
+were, on October the 25th.
+ Mr. Cohen. Twenty-eighth.
+ Ms. Norton. Days before the election. What happened in the
+interim?
+ Mr. Cohen. Contemplated whether or not to do it. Wasn't
+sure if she was really going to go public. It was again some
+communications back and forth between myself and Keith
+Davidson.
+ And ultimately it came to either do it or don't, at which
+time, again, I had gone into Mr. Trump's office, as I did after
+each and every conversation, and he had told me that he had
+spoken to a couple of friends, and it is 130,000, it is not a
+lot of money, and we should just do it, so go ahead and do it.
+And I was at the time with Allen Weisselberg, where he directed
+us to go back to Mr. Weisselberg's office and figure this all
+out.
+ Ms. Norton. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Meadows.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Cohen, do you know Lynne Patton? I'm right
+here.
+ Mr. Cohen. Oh, yes, sir.
+ Mr. Meadows. Do you know Lynne Patton?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, I do.
+ Mr. Meadows. I asked Lynne to come today in her personal
+capacity to actually shed some light.
+ How long have you known Ms. Patton?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm responsible for Lynne Patton joining The
+Trump Organization and the job that she currently holds.
+ Mr. Meadows. Well, that's -- I'm glad you acknowledged
+that, because you made some very demeaning comments about the
+President that Ms. Patton doesn't agree with. In fact, it has
+to do with your claim of racism. She says that as a daughter of
+a man born in Birmingham, Alabama, that there is no way that
+she would work for an individual who was racist.
+ How do you reconcile the two of those?
+ Mr. Cohen. As neither should I, as the son of a Holocaust
+survivor.
+ Mr. Meadows. But, Mr. Cohen, I guess what I'm saying is, is
+I have talked to the President over 300 times. I have not heard
+one time a racist comment out of his mouth in private.
+ So how do you reconcile it? Do you have proof of those
+conversations?
+ Mr. Cohen. I would ask you to----
+ Mr. Meadows. Do you have tape recordings of those
+conversations?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir.
+ Mr. Meadows. Well, you have taped everybody else, why
+wouldn't you have a tape of----
+ Mr. Cohen. That's also not true, sir. That's not true.
+ Mr. Meadows. You haven't taped anybody?
+ Mr. Cohen. I have taped individuals.
+ Mr. Meadows. How many times have you taped individuals?
+ Mr. Cohen. Maybe 100 times over 10 years.
+ Mr. Meadows. Is that a low estimate? Because I have heard
+it is over 200 times.
+ Mr. Cohen. No, I don't think. I think it is approximately
+about 100, from what I recall. But I was asked--you asked me a
+question, sir, so here's----
+ Mr. Meadows. Do you have proof? Do you have proof, yes or
+no?
+ Mr. Cohen. I do. I do.
+ Mr. Meadows. Where is the proof?
+ Mr. Cohen. Ask Ms. Patton how many people who are Black are
+executives at The Trump Organization, and the answer is zero.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Cohen, we can go through this.
+ I would ask unanimous consent that her entire statement be
+put in the record.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection.
+
+ [The information referred to follows:]
+ Statement from Lynne Patton
+
+ As someone who considered Michael Cohen one of my very best friends
+for the past 10-plus years, virtually inseparable during our tenure at
+the Trump Organization (and even before) having personally introduced
+me to the Trump family, leading to my subsequent employment therein,
+and arguably, my current job, the only word that comes to mind this
+week is sad.
+ I am sad that Michael has elected to leverage his own personal
+illegal activities into nothing more than political theater this week
+with the sole partisan purpose to embarrass a sitting President with
+unfounded personal or professional gossip .
+ I am sad that Michael would turn his back on a man to whom he has
+repeatedly said he owes everything in the hope of a reduced prison
+sentence.
+ Lastly, I'm sad for myself.
+ Sad that I have wasted so much time and energy caring, supporting
+and loving a man I now realize I truly never knew.
+ If Michael Cohen had anything of substance to offer against the
+President of the United States, Mueller would not have rejected his
+plea for leniency and Cohen would not be going to jail. Period.
+ Above all, I am sad that Michael would, once again, on a world
+stage, levy unsubstantiated claims, particularly against a man who has
+single-handedly raised five of the most unbiased and open-minded
+children I've ever known. Four of whom I count among my very best
+friends, to date.
+ I stated this in my viral video back in 2015 and I'll say it again:
+as the daughter of a man born in Birmingham, Alabama, there is no
+amount of money in the world that would make me work for a man who I
+thought harbored bigoted or racist ideologies. People who have known
+this man far less than I have have been offered over seven figures to
+write best-selling works of fiction, yet the thought has never crossed
+my mind. So I truly mean it when I say there is no amount of money in
+the world to make me either work for (nor sell out) this family. Zero.
+ The bottom line is that, much like Omarosa Manigault Newman, it
+does not take someone 15 years to figure out someone is a racist.
+Unless of course, they're not one.
+
+ Mr. Meadows. All right. Let me go on a little bit further.
+ Did you collect $1.2 million or so from Novartis?
+ Mr. Cohen. I did.
+ Mr. Meadows. For access to the Trump administration?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir.
+ Mr. Meadows. Why did you collect it?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because they came to me based upon my knowledge
+of the enigma Donald Trump, what he thinks----
+ Mr. Meadows. So they paid----
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, please let me finish.
+ Mr. Meadows. No. Did they pay you $1.2 million----
+ Mr. Cohen. We've already said that.
+ Mr. Meadows [continuing]. to give them advice?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, they did. A multibillion-dollar
+conglomerate came to me looking for information, not something
+that's unusual here in D.C., looking for information, and they
+believed that I had a value.
+ Mr. Meadows. So how many times did you meet with them?
+ Mr. Cohen. And that the value was the insight that I was
+capable of offering them----
+ Mr. Meadows. How many times----
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. and they were willing to pay.
+ Mr. Meadows. How many times did you meet with them? For
+$1.2 million, how many times did you meet with them?
+ Mr. Cohen. I provided them with both in-person as well as
+telephone access whenever they needed.
+ Mr. Meadows. How many times -- that's a question, Mr.
+Cohen.
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't recall sir.
+ Mr. Meadows. So did you ever talk to them?
+ Mr. Cohen. I spoke to them on several occasions, yes
+ Mr. Meadows. How many?
+ Mr. Cohen. Six times.
+ Mr. Meadows. Six times. Wow, $200,000 a call?
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, I also would like to bring to your
+attention----
+ Mr. Meadows. Hold on. This is my five minutes, Mr. Cohen,
+not yours.
+ Did you get money from the Bank of Kazakhstan.
+ Mr. Cohen. It's not a Bank of Kazakhstan, it's called BTA.
+ Mr. Meadows. BTA Bank. Kazakhstan, BTA bank, did you get
+money from them?
+ Mr. Cohen. I did.
+ Mr. Meadows. For what purpose?
+ Mr. Cohen. The purpose was because the former CEO of that
+bank had absconded with over--between $4 to $6 billion. And
+some of that money was here in the United States, and they
+sought my assistance in terms of finding, locating that money,
+and helping them to recollect it.
+ Mr. Meadows. So are you saying that all the reports that
+you were paid in some estimates over $4 million to have access
+and understanding of the Trump administration, you are saying
+that all of that was just paid to you just because you're a
+nice guy?
+ Mr. Cohen. I am a nice guy, but more importantly----
+ Mr. Meadows. Well, I would beg to differ. The record
+reflects that you are not a nice guy.
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, each and every contract contained the
+clause, in my contracts, that said I will not lobby, and I do
+not do government relations work. In fact, in fact, Novartis
+sent me their contract, which stated specifically that they
+wanted me to lobby, that they wanted me to provide access to
+government, including the President.
+ That information, that paragraph was crossed out by me,
+initialed, and written in my own handwriting that says I will
+not lobby or do government relations work.
+ Mr. Meadows. So Novartis representatives say that it was
+like they were hiring a nonregistered lobbyist. So you disagree
+with that?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know what they said, sir, but the
+contract speaks for itself.
+ Mr. Meadows. Have you contacted anybody in the
+administration?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Meadows. To advocate on behalf of any aspect of any of
+your contracts?
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ Mr. Meadows. I ask unanimous consent, Mr. Chairman, I ask
+unanimous consent----
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired. You
+may answer the question.
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know what you are referring to, sir.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman----
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Clay.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman----
+ Mr. Clay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Mr. Cohen, I'm pleased you agreed to testify today
+voluntarily.
+ In my view, we are all here for just one reason, and that's
+the American people are tired of being lied to. They have been
+lied to by President Trump. They have been lied to by the
+President's children. They have been lied to by the President's
+legal representatives. And it pains me to say that they have
+been even lied to by his congressional enablers who are still
+devoted to perpetuating and protecting this giant con game on
+the American people.
+ Now, Mr. Cohen, I would like to talk to you about the
+President's assets, since by law these must be reported
+accurately on his Federal financial disclosure and when he
+submits them for a bank loan.
+ Mr. Cohen, you served for nearly a decade as then
+businessman Trump's personal attorney and so-called fixer. Did
+you also have an understanding of the President's assets and
+how he valued those items?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Clay. In November 2017 Crain's New York Business
+reported that The Trump Organization provided, quote,
+flagrantly untrue revenue figures going back to at least 2010
+to influence Crane's ranking of the largest private companies
+in New York. According to the reports, while The Trump
+Organization reported nearly $9.5 billion in revenues in 2016,
+public filings suggested revenues were actually less than one-
+tenth of that.
+ To your knowledge, did the President or his company ever
+inflate assets or revenues?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Clay. And was that done with the President's knowledge
+or direction?
+ Mr. Cohen. Everything was done with the knowledge and at
+the direction of Mr. Trump.
+ Mr. Clay. Tell us why he would do that and what purpose did
+it serve.
+ Mr. Cohen. It depends upon the situation. There were times
+that I was asked, again with Allen Weisselberg, the CFO, to go
+back and to speak with an individual from Forbes, because Mr.
+Trump wanted each year to have his net worth rise on the Forbes
+wealthiest individuals list.
+ And so, what you do is you look at the assets and you try
+to finds an asset that has, say, for example, 40 Wall Street,
+which is about 1.2 million square feet, find an asset that is
+comparable, find the highest price per square foot that's
+achieved in the area, and apply it to that building.
+ Or, if you are going off of your rent roll, you go by the
+gross rent roll times a multiple and you make up the multiple,
+which is something that he had talked about, and it is based
+upon what he wanted to value the asset at.
+ Mr. Clay. You know, you have provided this committee with
+copies of the President's financial statements or parts of them
+from 2011, 2012, and '13.
+ And, Mr. Chairman, I would like to submit those for the
+record. Mr. Chairman, I would like to submit the statements to
+the record.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.[Cohen
+exhibits are available at: https://oversight.house.gov/sites/
+democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/
+Michael%20Cohen.02.27.2019.Exhibits.pdf.]
+ Mr. Clay. Thank you.
+ Can you explain why you had these financial statements and
+what you used them for?
+ Mr. Cohen. So these financial statements were used by me
+for two purposes. One was discussing with media, whether it was
+Forbes or other magazines, to demonstrate Mr. Trump's
+significant net worth. That was one function.
+ Another was when we were dealing later on with insurance
+companies we would provide them with these copies so that they
+would understand that the premium, which is based sometimes on
+the individual's capabilities to pay, would be reduced.
+ Mr. Clay. And all of this was done at the President's
+direction and with his knowledge?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, because whatever the numbers would come
+back to be we would immediately report it back.
+ Mr. Clay. And did this information provided to us inflate
+the President's assets?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe these numbers are inflated.
+ Mr. Clay. And, of course, inviting--inflating assets to win
+a newspaper poll to boost your ego is not a crime. But to your
+knowledge, did the President ever provide inflated assets to a
+bank in order to help him obtain a loan?
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired, but
+you may answer that question.
+ Mr. Cohen. These documents and others were provided to
+Deutsche Bank on one occasion where I was with them in our
+attempt to obtain money so that we can put a bid on the Buffalo
+Bills.
+ Mr. Clay. Thank you for your answers.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Hice of Georgia.
+ Mr. Hice. I would like to yield a second to the gentleman
+from North Carolina.
+ Mr. Meadows. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
+ I want to ask unanimous consent to put into the record an
+article from Stat, which indicates that Mr. Cohen's promise to
+access not just Trump, but also the circle around him, it was
+almost as if we were hiring a lobbyist, close quote. I ask
+unanimous consent.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection.
+
+ [The Stat article is available at: https://
+www.statnews.com/pharmalot/2018/05/08/novartis-paid-400000-
+trump-attorney/]
+
+ Mr. Meadows. I ask unanimous consent that we put into the
+record a criminal referral for violating Section 22 U.S.C. of
+the statute number 611. I ask unanimous consent that my letter
+referring Mr. Cohen for violating FARA for illegal lobbying
+activity be entered into the record.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+MEMORANDUM
+
+From: Mark Meadows, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on
+ Government Operations, House Oversight and
+ Reform Committee
+
+To: The Honorable William P. Barr, Attorney General to
+ the United States
+
+RE: Referral of Michael Cohen for Potential
+ Violation of 22 U.S.C. 611 et seq.
+_______________________________________________________________________
+ As you know, Michael Cohen acted as the personal attorney for
+President Donald J. Trump from 2007 to April 2018. Shortly before the
+2016 election, Mr. Cohen created a limited liability company Essential
+Consultants, LLC, naming himself CEO.
+
+ Evidence reviewed by our Committee strongly suggests Mr. Cohen made
+specific solicitations to foreign companies with business interests
+pending before the Trump administration, promising access to the
+Administration. Documents and information reviewed by our Committee
+also raises concerns Mr. Cohen's foreign clients expected official
+favors in return for enlisting him and Essential Consultants' services.
+
+ Specifically, Cohen solicited Novartis, a pharmaceutical company
+from Switzerland, with policy objectives pending before the Federal
+Drug Administration, among other agencies. Novartis reportedly paid Mr.
+Cohen $1.2 million for promised access to the White House on health
+care policy. \1\
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ \1\ MJ Lee et al., Inside Michael Cohen's Aggressive Pitch
+Promising Access to Trump, CNN (May 10, 2018), https://www.cnn.com/
+2018/05/09/politics/michael-cohen-trump-lobbying/index.html.
+
+ Kazakhstan's BTA Bank paid Mr. Cohen an undisclosed sum under a
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+consulting agreement with Essential Consultants, LLC. \2\
+
+ \2\ See, e.g., Christopher Brennan, Trump Associate Received More
+than $21M in Kazakh Oligarchs' Alleged Money laundering Scheme, NY
+DAILY NEWS (Apr. 25, 2018), https://www.nydailynews,com/news/national/
+trump-associate-received-21m-alleged-oligarth-scheme-article-1.3953189;
+Adam Davidson, Trump's Business of Corruption, NEW YORKER (Aug. 21,
+2017), https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/08/21/trumps-business-
+of-corruption.
+
+ Similarly, Korean Aerospace Industries, a South Korean defense
+company, hired Mr. Cohen as it negotiated an Air Force contract valued
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+at $16 billion. \3\
+
+ \3\ Amanda Macias, South Korean Defense Company That Paid Trump
+Lawyer Cohen $150,000 is poised to Win Part of a $16 Billion Pentagon
+Deal,CNBC (May 9,2018), https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/09/south-korean-
+firm-that-paid-trump-lawyer-cohen-poised-to-win-pentagon-deal.html.
+
+ As you know, the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA)
+prohibits individuals from acting as an agent of a foreign principal
+without first registering with the Department of Justice. The financial
+support Mr. Cohen enjoyed from his aforementioned business dealings
+with Swiss, Kazakh, and South Korean companies in exchange for his
+engagement in political activities before the Trump Administration
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+raise concerns he is in violation of FARA.
+
+ Mr. Cohen's touting access to President Trump and the
+Administration with offers to influence matters that affect the
+business of companies like Novartis, BTA Bank, and Korean Aerospace
+Industries crosses into lobbying. Ultimately, Mr. Cohen appears to have
+been acting as an agent of several foreign principals and represented
+their interests before federal officials. Mr. Cohen actively solicited
+clients based on his proximity to the President and other members of
+the Administration, he received lucrative contracts from foreign
+clients with business pending before the Administration, and he
+provided significant, yet unspecified and vague services for these
+clients in exchange for his services.
+
+ Accordingly, I am referring Michael Cohen to the Department of
+Justice for investigation of potential violation(s) of 22 U.S.C. 611
+et seq.
+ Mr. Meadows. I ask unanimous consent that the first order
+of business for this committee is for us to look in a
+bipartisan way at criminal referrals at the next business
+meeting.
+ Chairman Cummings. These are not documents, they're
+objections. They're objections.
+ Mr. Meadows. So we're objecting to a unanimous consent
+request? Is that what, Mr. Chairman?
+ I will yield back.
+ Chairman Cummings. All right. Now, let me be clear. Mr.
+Hice, I'm going to give you your whole five minutes, all right?
+ Mr. Hice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. In fairness to you.
+ Mr. Hice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Meadows, the chairman made me--the
+ranking member made me aware that I had given a little more
+time to Ms. Wasserman Schultz. I was going to let you do that
+anyway. But I just want the committee to know that because
+there's so many members I'm going to be strict on this five
+minutes, all right? All right.
+ Thank you very much.
+ Mr. Hice, you have five minutes.
+ Mr. Hice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Mr. Cohen, you claim that you've lied but you're not a
+liar. Just to set the record straight, if you lied you are a
+liar by definition.
+ You also said a moment ago that the facts are inaccurate.
+If they are facts they are accurate, and that would make you
+inaccurate.
+ But I would like take a moment to--I would like know who
+you consulted with to prepare for today's hearing, Lanny Davis
+and who else?
+ Mr. Cohen. I consulted with my counsel Lanny Davis, as well
+as Michael Monaco.
+ Mr. Hice. All right. Did you or Michael or Lanny Davis or
+anyone else cooperate with the Democrat majority to prepare for
+this hearing?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, say that again, please.
+ Mr. Hice. Did you or anyone else on your team cooperate
+with the Democrat Party in preparing for this hearing?
+ Mr. Cohen. We've spoken to the party.
+ Mr. Hice. OK. Did you prepare with Chairman Cummings or
+anyone on your team?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, what do you mean by prepare?
+ Mr. Hice. Prepare for this hearing.
+ Mr. Cohen. Prepare? I prepared with my counsel.
+ Mr. Hice. Did you prepare with the Democrat majority or
+Chairman Cummings?
+ Mr. Cohen. We spoke with Chairman Cummings and the party.
+ Mr. Hice. With Chairman Schiff?
+ Mr. Cohen. I spoke with Chairman Schiff and his people, as
+well.
+ Mr. Hice. Were there any other individuals acting as a
+liaise for you with the majority party?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, sir, what are you saying?
+ Mr. Hice. Did you have a liaison other than that you have
+mentioned who were working with the majority to prepare for
+this hearing?
+ Mr. Cohen. We spoke with the various individuals that you
+just raised, yes.
+ Mr. Hice. Tom Steyer, regarding him or any of his
+representatives, anyone associated with him, is he or any of
+them paying Lanny Davis to represent you?
+ Mr. Cohen. Not that I'm aware of.
+ Mr. Hice. Who is paying Lanny Davis?
+ Mr. Cohen. At the present moment no one.
+ Mr. Hice. So he is doing all this work for nothing?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, sir.
+ Mr. Hice. OK.
+ Mr. Cohen. I hope so.
+ Mr. Hice. I kind of doubt it.
+ How did Lanny Davis come to represent you? Did he approach
+you or did you approach him?
+ Mr. Cohen. I reached out to Lanny Davis at the
+recommendation of my former counsel over at McDermott Will &
+Emery, who knew Mr. Davis, and Mr. Davis----
+ Mr. Hice. So you reached out to Mr. Davis?
+ Mr. Cohen. I did, yes, initially.
+ Mr. Hice. OK. So did you want to testify before Congress or
+did he urge you to testify here?
+ Mr. Cohen. I was asked to come here. I am here, sir,
+voluntarily because it's my decision.
+ Mr. Hice. You were asked by who? My question is, did he ask
+you to come here?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir.
+ Mr. Hice. OK. Because he says that he did ask you to come
+here and that he convinced you and also that he did the same
+with Chairman Cummings, as well.
+ So your testimony here is that you approached Lanny Davis
+to represent you and to come here, he did not persuade you to
+come here.
+ Mr. Cohen. He did not persuade me. Actually, Chairman
+Cummings, which is part of the conversations that we engaged in
+with his people, as well as Chairman Schiff and others, we
+spoke in order to ask me to come here voluntarily.
+ Mr. Hice. I find the connecting of the dots here with Mr.
+Davis and you and, frankly, the chairman, and perhaps others to
+be rather stunning, that there is an agenda for all this
+happening here today. And I believe, frankly, that that's to
+bring the President down, to impugn the President.
+ You made an oath last time you were here, and that oath
+meant nothing to you then. We had an oath here in this very
+room about a month ago and it was, quote, ``Be clear that I
+will seek the truth, nothing but the truth, so help me God,''
+end quote.
+ That sounds like an oath to me. The chairman made that
+statement in this very room last month, but here we are today,
+our first big hearing, with, as you and we all know, a
+convicted liar, lying to Congress, a criminal.
+ And I believe this witness is totally incompatible with the
+stated goal of having to seek the truth in this hearing. This
+is the first time in the history of Congress we have someone
+testifying here who has already been convicted of lying to
+Congress. So congratulations for being the first in Congress to
+do that, and Mr. Cummings, as well.
+ Mr. Cohen. Thank you.
+ Mr. Hice. I can't believe we have brought this committee to
+its knees in terms of losing its credibility, and it is a
+shameful mockery of what our purpose is.
+ I yield back.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ Mr. Lynch.
+ Mr. Lynch. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Let me just pick up on those last comments. Want to talk
+about a low point? How about Mr. Papadopoulos pled guilty? Mr.
+Manafort convicted, pled guilty to two other charges? Mr. Gates
+pled guilty? Mr. Flynn pled guilty? Mr. Pinedo pled guilty? Mr.
+van der Zwann pled guilty? Mr. Kilimnik indicted for
+obstruction of justice?
+ And for two years, you want to talk about an agenda, my
+friends on the other side of the aisle refused to bring of any
+of these people up before the committee. So today, for the
+first day, we have one witness who voluntarily is coming
+forward to testify. Your side ran away from the truth and we
+are trying to bring it to the American people.
+ So, Mr. Cohen, first of all, thank you for voluntarily
+coming before the committee to testify. I want to ask you about
+your statements regarding Trump Tower and Moscow, and I want to
+drill down some of the facts and details.
+ Now, you may not be aware of it, but this goes back a way.
+Back in 1987 Mr. Trump wrote that he had had ongoing
+discussions with Soviet officials back then to build a luxury--
+a large luxury hotel across from the Kremlin in partnership
+with the Soviet Union. So at that time it was the Soviet Union.
+ I want to ask you, in your filing with the Special Counsel
+Mueller's office, the prosecutors wrote, and I quote, ``Mr.
+Cohen discussed the status and progress of the Moscow project
+with Individual 1 on more than the three occasions Mr. Cohen
+claimed to the committee and he briefed family members of
+Individual 1 with the company about the project.''
+ I know this is redundant, but, Mr. Cohen, who are we
+referring to here when we refer to Individual 1.
+ Mr. Cohen. Donald J. Trump.
+ Mr. Lynch. OK. And the company?
+ Mr. Cohen. The Trump Organization through a subsidiary.
+ Mr. Lynch. OK. And who were the family members that you
+briefed on the Trump Tower Moscow project?
+ Mr. Cohen. Don Trump, Jr., and Ivanka Trump.
+ Mr. Lynch. OK. Now, were these in the regular course of
+business or did the President or family request the briefings?
+ Mr. Cohen. This is the regular course of business.
+ Mr. Lynch. Do you recall -- there's a question on the
+number of briefings. Do you recall how many there might have
+been?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, sir?
+ Mr. Lynch. Do you recall how many of these briefings there
+might have been?
+ Mr. Cohen. Approximately 10.
+ Mr. Lynch. OK.
+ Mr. Cohen. In total.
+ Mr. Lynch. All right. In your written remarks you also
+wrote, and I quote, ``There were at least a half dozen times
+between the Iowa Caucus in January 2016 and the end of June
+when Mr. Trump would ask me, 'How's it going in Russia,'
+referring to the Russia Moscow Tower project.''
+ How did the President communicate those questions to you?
+Was it verbally or over the phone?
+ Mr. Cohen. Verbally most of the time or virtually all of
+the time. He would say to me, ``Michael, come walk with me.''
+He was heading to let's say a rally or to a car, and as I would
+walk him to the elevator he would ask me questions quickly
+regarding a series of issues.
+ Mr. Lynch. Could there be any doubt what he was referring
+to in terms of the project in Russia?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, this would be it.
+ Mr. Lynch. OK.
+ Mr. Cohen. Otherwise there would have been no reason to ask
+it of me.
+ Mr. Lynch. Right, right.
+ You also wrote, and I quote, ``To be clear, Mr. Trump knew
+of and directed the Trump Moscow negotiations throughout the
+campaign and lied about it,'' close quote.
+ How did the President actually direct the negotiations?
+ Mr. Cohen. After each----
+ Mr. Lynch. What details did he direct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Well, after each communication that I had I
+would report back to him, and our goal was to get this project.
+We were interested in building what would have been the largest
+building in all of Europe.
+ Sir, just if I can say one last thing in regard to----
+ Mr. Lynch. Please go ahead.
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. the gentleman's statement and since
+this is on topic.
+ The lies that I told to Congress, in fairness, benefited
+Mr. Trump. It was in furtherance of my protection of Mr. Trump,
+which I stated in my testimony. And I am not protecting Mr.
+Trump anymore.
+ And so, while I truly appreciate taking some of your time
+onto it, to attack me every single time about taxes, I have no
+credibility, it is for exactly that reason that I spent the
+last week searching boxes in order to find the information that
+I did so that you don't have to take my word for it. I don't
+want you to. I want you to look at the documents, and I want
+you to make your own decision.
+ Mr. Lynch. Mr. Cohen, I need my last----
+ Mr. Cohen. Sorry, sir.
+ Mr. Lynch. That's OK. Let me just say, I don't think my
+colleagues on the other side of the aisle are afraid that
+you're going to lie. I think they're afraid you're going to
+tell truth.
+ Mr. Cohen. Thank you, sir.
+ Mr. Lynch. I yield back the balance of my time.
+ Chairman Cummings. Thank you very much.
+ Mr. Gosar.
+ Mr. Gosar. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
+ Mr. Jordan. I appreciate the gentleman for yielding.
+ I just want to respond to Mr. Lynch. I want you to think
+about this. When have you ever seen a Federal agency where this
+has happened? James Comey, Director, fired. Andy McCabe, Deputy
+Director, fired, lied three times under oath, under
+investigation right as we speak. Jim Baker, FBI Counsel,
+demoted, then left, currently under investigation by the U.S.
+Attorney's Office in Connecticut. Lisa Page, demoted, then
+left. Peter Strzok, deputy head of counterintelligence,
+demoted, then fired.That's what happened. That's what we're
+concerned about. And today, we actually asked for Rod
+Rosenstein, oh, by the way, we now know--three people have told
+us, Rod Rosenstein actually was contemplating using the 25th
+Amendment to remove the guy from Presidency who the American
+people put there. And we asked for him to be a witness today
+and the chairman said no. And instead, we get 30 minutes from a
+guy who is going to prison, going to prison, in two months for
+lying to Congress.
+ Mr. Cohen, I got two quick questions before I yield back to
+my colleague. Mr. Hice asked you who all you talked to. You
+said you've talked to--you spoke to Mr. Schiff. Obviously, you
+spoke to Mr. Cummings. You've gone in front of both committees.
+You're here today. You're going to be in front of Mr. Schiff's
+committee tomorrow. Have you spoken to Chairman Nadler or
+anyone on his staff, or have any of your attorneys spoken to
+Chairman Nadler?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know about my attorneys. I have not
+spoken to----
+ Mr. Jordan. You don't know if your attorney spoke----
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. Congressman--I have not spoken to
+Congressman Nadler.
+ Mr. Jordan. Do you think your----
+ Mr. Cohen. And I'm not aware -- sir, I'm not aware if my
+attorneys -- I can ask them.
+ Mr. Jordan. Can you turn around and ask?
+ Voice. No.
+ Mr. Cohen. The answer, sir, is no.
+ Mr. Jordan. OK. And you said, at this present time, Mr.
+Davis is not getting paid. Does that--are you anticipating him
+receiving some kind of compensation in the future?
+ Mr. Cohen. When I start to earn a living?
+ Mr. Jordan. Are you going to wait three years? Wow.
+ Mr. Cohen. The answer is yes.
+ Mr. Jordan. That's a first. I've never known a lawyer wait
+3 years to get paid.
+ Mr. Cohen. I guess he thinks it's important.
+ Mr. Jordan. All right. With that, I yield to the gentleman
+from Arizona.
+ Mr. Gosar. Well, thank you.
+ Mr. Cohen, you're a disgraced lawyer. I mean, you've been
+disbarred. And so, I'm sure you remember -- well, maybe you
+don't remember -- duty of loyalty, duty of confidentiality,
+attorney/client privilege. I think the gentleman over your
+right side actually understands that very, very well and
+wouldn't do what you are doing here today.
+ So let's go back at this credibility. You want us to make
+sure that we think of you as a real philanthropic icon, that
+you're about justice, that you're the person that somebody
+would call at 3 in the morning. No, they wouldn't. Not at all.
+You saw Mr. Comer dissect you. Right in front of this
+committee, you conflicted your testimony, sir. You're a
+pathological liar. You don't know truth from falsehood.
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, are you referring to me or the President?
+ Mr. Gosar. Hey, hey, this is my time.
+ Mr. Cohen. Are you referring to me, sir, or the President?
+ Mr. Gosar. When I ask you a question, I'll ask for an
+answer.
+ Mr. Cohen. Sure.
+ Mr. Gosar. Now, are you familiar with Rule 35 of the
+Federal Rules in Criminal Procedures?
+ Mr. Cohen. I am now.
+ Mr. Gosar. Oh. So the committee understands that you've
+been in contact with the Southern District of New York. Is that
+true?
+ Mr. Cohen. I am in constant contact with the Southern
+District of New York regarding ongoing investigations.
+ Mr. Gosar. And part of that application is to reduce
+sentencing time, is it not? Yes.
+ Mr. Cohen. There is a possibility----
+ Mr. Gosar. Yes. The answer is yes.
+ Mr. Cohen. No, it's not, sir.
+ Mr. Gosar. Yes, it is.
+ Mr. Cohen. OK.
+ Mr. Gosar. It is.
+ Mr. Cohen. It's not.
+ Mr. Gosar. And so testimony here could actually help you
+out in getting your sentence lessened, isn't that true?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not really sure how my appearance here today
+is providing substantial information that the Southern District
+can use for the creation of a case. Now, if there is something
+that this group can do for me, I would gladly welcome it.
+ Mr. Gosar. Well, I got to tell you, you know, America's
+watching you. I've been getting texts right and left, saying,
+How can anybody listen to this pathological person? He's got a
+problem. He doesn't know fact from fiction. And that's what's
+sad here, is that, you didn't do this for Donald Trump, to
+protect Donald Trump. You did it for you. This is -- no, this
+is all about you. This is all about this Twitter feed----
+ Mr. Cohen. Sure.
+ Mr. Gosar [continuing]. and -- no, let me read one of those
+-- another one. Women who love and support Michael Cohen,
+strong, pit bull, sex symbol, no nonsense, business-oriented
+and ready to make a difference----
+ Mr. Cohen. 1,000 followers.
+ Mr. Gosar [continuing]. ready to make a difference against
+the law. That's pretty sad. You know, over and over again, you
+know, we wanted to have trust. It's built on the premise that
+we're truthful, that we come forward. But there's no truth with
+you whatsoever. That's why I -- that's important to you, to
+look up here and look at the old adage that our moms taught us
+-- liar, liar, pants on fire.
+ No one should ever listen to you and give you credibility.
+It's sad. It's sad that we have come -- and in fact, I want to
+quote the chairman's very words. This is a real -- hold on----
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time is expired.
+ Mr. Gosar [continuing]. sad state.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time is expired. Who's
+next? Mr. Cooper.
+ Mr. Cooper. Mr. Cohen, several times in your testimony, you
+state the bad things that you did for Mr. Trump, and at some
+point, you apparently changed your course of action. There's a
+recurring refrain in your testimony that says, and yet, I
+continued to work for him. But at some point, you changed. What
+was the breaking point at which you decided to start telling
+the truth?
+ Mr. Cohen. There's several factors. Helsinki,
+Charlottesville, watching the daily destruction of our civility
+to one another. Putting up silly things like this, really
+unbecoming of Congress. It's that sort of behavior that I'm
+responsible for. I'm responsible for your silliness, because I
+did the same thing that you're doing now, for 10 years. I
+protected Mr. Trump for 10 years, and the fact that you pull up
+a news article that has no value to it, and you want to use
+that as the premise for discrediting me, that I'm not the
+person that people called at 3 in the morning, would make you
+inaccurate. In actuality, it would make you a liar, which puts
+you into the same position that I am in.
+ And I can only warn people, the more people that follow Mr.
+Trump, as I did blindly, are going to suffer the same
+consequences that I'm suffering.
+ Mr. Cooper. What warning would you give young people who
+are tempted, as you were, would you encourage them not to wait
+10 years to see the light? What advice would you give young
+people, in particular, young lawyers, so they do not abuse
+their bar license as you did?
+ Mr. Cohen. Look at what's happened to me. I had a wonderful
+life. I have a beautiful wife. I have two amazing children. And
+I achieved financial success by the age of 39. I didn't go to
+work for Mr. Trump because I had to. I went to work for him
+because I wanted to. And I've lost it all.
+ So if I'm not picture perfect--that's the picture that
+should be up there. If I'm not a picture-perfect example of
+what not to do, that's the example that I'm trying to set for
+my children. We make mistakes in life, and I've owned them, and
+I've taken responsibility for them. And I'm paying a huge
+price, as is my family. So if that, in and of itself, isn't
+enough to dissuade somebody from acting in the callous manner
+that I did, I'm not sure that that person has any--any chance,
+very much like I'm in right now.
+ Mr. Cooper. A recurring theme in your testimony is concern
+for your family's safety. What specifically are you most
+concerned about?
+ Mr. Cohen. Well, the President, unlike my ``Cohen for
+Trump'' that has a thousand followers, he's got over 60 million
+people. And when Mr. Trump turned around early in the campaign
+and said, I can shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue and get away
+with it -- I want to be very clear -- he's not joking. He's
+telling you the truth. You don't know him. I do. I sat next to
+this man for 10 years, and I watched his back. I'm the one who
+started the campaign. And I'm the one who continued in 2015 to
+promote him.
+ So many things I thought that he can do that are just
+great, and he can and he is doing things that are great. But
+this destruction of our civility to one another is -- it's out
+of control. And when he goes on Twitter, and he starts bringing
+in my in-laws, my parents, my wife, what does he think is going
+to happen? He's causing--he's sending out the same message that
+he can do whatever he wants. This is his country. He's becoming
+an autocrat. And hopefully, something bad will happen to me or
+my children or my wife, so that I will not be here and testify.
+That's what his hope was, it was to intimidate me. And, again,
+I thanked everybody who joined and said that this is just not
+right.
+ Mr. Cooper. Have you ever seen Mr. Trump personally
+threaten people with physical harm?
+ Mr. Cohen. No. He would use others.
+ Mr. Cooper. He would hire other people to do that?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not so sure that he had to hire them. They
+were already working there. Everybody's job at the Trump
+Organization is to protect Mr. Trump. Every day, most of us
+knew we were coming in and we were going to lie for him on
+something. And that became the norm. And that's exactly what's
+happening right now in this country. And it's exactly what's
+happening here in government, sir.
+ Mr. Cooper. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My time is expired.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Armstrong?
+ Mr. Armstrong. Thank you. Mr. Cohen----
+ Mr. Cohen. Mr. Chairman, can we take a break?
+ Chairman Cummings. Not right now.
+ Mr. Cohen. OK.
+ Mr. Armstrong. All right.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Cohen, did you ask for a break?
+ Mr. Cohen. I did, sir.
+ That's OK. Thank you, sir.
+ Chairman Cummings. I thought a Member asked.
+ Mr. Cohen. Thank you.
+ Chairman Cummings. Ten minutes.
+ Exactly 10 minutes we'll start back.
+ [Recess.]
+ Chairman Cummings. Ms. Foxx?
+ Ms. Foxx. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Mr. Cohen, you've admitted to lying on your taxes.
+According to Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of
+New York, you also lied to banks to get loans. The prosecutors
+wrote, quote, ``To secure loans, Cohen falsely understated the
+amount of debt he was carrying and omitted information from his
+personal financial statements to induce a bank to lend based on
+incomplete information,'' end quote. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Ms. Foxx. You lied on financial documents. So you lied to
+financial institutions in order to secure loans. So we've
+established that you lie on your taxes, you lie to banks, and
+you have been convicted of lying to Congress. It seems to me
+that there's not much that you won't lie about when you stand
+to gain from it.
+ In fact, the prosecutor for the Southern District of New
+York noted that each of your crimes, quote, ``bear commonsense
+characteristics with each involving deception and being
+motivated by your personal greed and ambition.'' Is your
+appearance here today motivated by your desire to remain in the
+spotlight for your personal benefit?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, ma'am.
+ Ms. Foxx. You have sought out ways to rehabilitate your
+image, from tax evader, bank swindler, and all-around liar, to
+an honorable truthful man by appearing before cable news. I'm
+concerned you could be using your story and this congressional
+platform for your personal benefit, such is a desire to make
+money from book deals. So can you commit, under oath, that you
+have not and will not pursue a book or movie deal based on your
+experiences working for the President?
+ Mr. Cohen. No.
+ Ms. Foxx. You cannot commit to making money off of a book
+or movie deal based on your work?
+ Mr. Cohen. No. What I just--there's two parts to your
+question. The first part of your question, you asked me whether
+or not I had spoken to people regarding a possible book deal,
+and I have. And I've spoken to people who've sought me out
+regarding a movie deal.
+ Ms. Foxx. No, I didn't ask you if you'd spoken to anybody.
+ Mr. Cohen. That was the first part of your question.
+ Ms. Foxx. I said, can you commit under oath that you will
+not--that you have not and will not pursue a book deal.
+ Mr. Cohen. And I would not do that, no.
+ Ms. Foxx. OK. Can you commit under oath that you will not
+pursue opportunities to provide commentary for a major news
+network based on your experiences working for the President?
+ Mr. Cohen. No.
+ Ms. Foxx. Can you commit under oath that you will not
+pursue political office in the State of New York?
+ Mr. Cohen. No.
+ Ms. Foxx. So you don't commit to changing your ways,
+basically, because you want to continue to use your background
+as a liar, a cheater, a convicted liar, to make money? That's
+what you want to do?
+ Mr. Cohen. And that's going to get me a book deal and a
+movie deal and television--and a spot on television? I don't
+think so.
+ Ms. Foxx. Well, it appears that it will. I yield my
+remainder of my time, Mr. Chairman, to Mr. Jordan.
+ Mr. Jordan. I thank the gentlelady for yielding.
+ Mr. Cohen, in your sentencing statement to the court in
+December of last year, you said, I want to apologize to the
+people of the United States; you deserve to know the truth.
+Approximately a month later, BuzzFeed News ran a story that was
+the story in the country for a couple of days. BuzzFeed story
+ran January 17, 2019. On January 18, your counsel went on TV
+and wouldn't confirm or deny the story.
+ The next day, the special counsel's office did something
+that's never happened. Never happened. They said the
+description of specific statements to the special counsel's
+office and the characterization of documents and testimony
+obtained by this office regarding Michael Cohen's congressional
+testimony are not accurate.
+ Why didn't your lawyer the day that he's on TV, when this
+story is the biggest things in the news, in the country, why
+didn't he deny the BuzzFeed story?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because I didn't think it was his responsibility
+to do that. We are not the fact-checkers for BuzzFeed----
+ Mr. Jordan. He's on TV to talk about the very story you
+committed to the court when you were trying to get your
+sentence reduced that you--that the American people deserve to
+know the truth, you had the golden opportunity to give them the
+truth on a false story, the BuzzFeed story, and your lawyer
+didn't say a thing. Actually, he said this: I can't confirm, I
+can't deny. You had an opportunity to do exactly what you told
+the judge you were going to do one month after you said it, and
+you didn't do it. Why not?
+ Mr. Cohen. Again, it wasn't our responsibility to be the
+fact-checker for the news agency----
+ Mr. Jordan. This is the biggest story in the country.
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, please, let me--the President says, so far,
+approximately 9,000--you asked----
+ Mr. Jordan. Let me just say one thing. I got eight seconds.
+I got eight seconds. I'll let you finish.
+ Mr. Cohen. Chairman, may I please finish?
+ Mr. Jordan. The special counsel said----
+ Mr. Cohen. Chairman, can I please finish?
+ Mr. Jordan [continuing]. something they've never done----
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir?
+ Mr. Jordan [continuing]. they said that story was false.
+Now you can respond.
+ Mr. Cohen. OK. My response----
+ Chairman Cummings. You may respond.
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. the President has told something
+over 9,000 lies to date. Do I ask Mr. Davis or Mr. Monaco, do I
+go on television in order to correct his mistakes?
+ Mr. Jordan. When----
+ Mr. Cohen. The answer is no.
+ Mr. Jordan [continuing]. talking about that specific
+subject, you should.
+ Mr. Cohen. The answer is no. And I would like----
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has--listen up. The
+gentleman's time has expired.
+ You may finish answering the question, and then we are
+going to go to Mr. Connolly.
+ Mr. Cohen. All I wanted to say is, I just find it
+interesting, sir, that between yourself and your colleagues,
+that not one question so far since I'm here, has been asked
+about President Trump. That's actually why I thought I was
+coming today, not to confess the mistakes that I've made. I've
+already done that. And I'll do it again every time you ask me
+about taxes or mistakes. Yes, I made my mistakes, I'll say it
+now again, and I'm going to pay the ultimate price.
+ But I'm not here today--and 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.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Connolly?
+ Mr. Connolly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Well, Mr. Cohen, based on your testimony and your 10-year
+experience, I think you can recognize the behavior you're being
+subjected to on the other side of the aisle. Discredit,
+slander, use any trick in the book to prevent your testimony
+from sticking. The idea that a witness would come to us who's
+flawed--and you certainly are flawed--means they can never tell
+the truth, and there is no validity whatsoever to a single word
+they say, would discredit every single criminal trial of
+organized crime in the history of the United States, because
+all of them depend on someone who's turned. It would make RICO
+null and void. We couldn't use it anymore.
+ This Congress, historically, has relied on all kinds of
+shady figures, who turned. One of the most famous who led to
+the decapitation of organized crime families in America, Joe
+Valachi, congressional hearing, he was a witness, and he
+committed a lot worse crimes than you're convicted of, Mr.
+Cohen.
+ So don't be fooled by what my friends on the other side of
+the aisle are trying to do today. It is do everything but focus
+on the principle known as ``Individual No. 1'' in the Southern
+District of New York, as I recall. Is that correct, Mr. Cohen?
+ Mr. Cohen. That is correct.
+ Mr. Connolly. Now, Mr. Cohen, I want to ask you about
+something that is not in your testimony and that so far has not
+been made public. In our committee staff search of documents
+provided by the White House that were otherwise redacted or
+already in the public--and I guess the White House thought that
+was funny--they made one mistake, the White House.
+ There was an email from a Special Assistant to the
+President, to a deputy White House counsel, and the e-mail is
+dated May 16th, 2017, and it says, and I quote, ``POTUS,''
+meaning the President, ``requested a meeting on Thursday with
+Michael Cohen and Jay Sekulow. Any idea what this might be
+about?'' End quote.
+ Do you recall being asked to come to the White House on or
+around that time? With Mr. Sekulow? May 2017?
+ Mr. Cohen. Off the top of my head, sir, I don't. I recall
+being in the White House with Jay Sekulow, and it was in regard
+to the--the documents--the document production, as well as my
+appearance before the House Select Intel, but I'm not sure if
+that specifically----
+ Mr. Connolly. Well, that----
+ Mr. Cohen. But what I will to do, is, I will check all my
+records, and I'm more than happy to provide you with any
+documentation or a response to this question.
+ Mr. Connolly. Well, you sort of touch on, presumably, the
+purpose of the discussion, at least among others. This
+occurred, this meeting occurred just before your testimony
+before the Select Committee on Intelligence here in the House.
+Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe so, yes.
+ Mr. Connolly. Was that a topic of conversation with the
+President himself?
+ Mr. Cohen. If this is the specific instance that I was
+there with Mr. Sekulow, yes.
+ Mr. Connolly. So you had a conversation with the President
+of the United States about your impending testimony before the
+House Intelligence Committee. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Mr. Connolly. What was the nature of that conversation?
+ Mr. Cohen. He wanted me to cooperate. He also wanted just
+to ensure I'm making the statement -- and I said it in my
+testimony -- there is no Russia, there is no collusion, there
+is no -- there is no deal. He goes, it's all a witch hunt, and
+it's -- he goes, this stuff has to end.
+ Mr. Connolly. Did you take those comments to be suggestive
+of what might flavor your testimony?
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, he's been saying that to me for many, many
+months. And at the end of the day, I knew exactly what he
+wanted me to say.
+ Mr. Connolly. And why was Mr. Sekulow in the meeting?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because he was going to be representing Mr.
+Trump going forward, as one of his personal attorneys in this
+matter.
+ Mr. Connolly. So it was sort of a handoff meeting?
+ Mr. Cohen. Correct.
+ Mr. Connolly. In any way -- final question -- did the
+President, in any way, from your point of view, coach you in
+terms of how to respond to questions or the content of your
+testimony before a House committee?
+ Mr. Cohen. Again, it's difficult to answer, because he
+doesn't tell you what he wants. What he does is, again,
+Michael, there's no Russia, there's no collusion, there's no
+involvement, there's no interference. I know what he means,
+because I've been around him for so long. So if you're asking
+me whether or not that's the message, that's staying on point,
+that's the party line that he created, that so many others are
+now touting, yes, that's the message that he wanted to
+reinforce.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time is expired.
+ Mr. Connolly. Thank you.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Massie?
+ Mr. Massie. Mr. Cohen, can you just clarify, did you say
+that at times you would do what you thought Mr. Trump wanted
+you to do, not specifically what he told you to do?
+ Mr. Cohen. At times, yes.
+ Mr. Massie. So you just went on your intuition?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know if I would call it intuition, as
+much as I would just say, my knowledge of what he wanted,
+because it happened before, and I knew what he had wanted.
+ Mr. Massie. Does a lawyer have a duty to provide his client
+with good legal advice?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Massie. Were you a good lawyer to Mr. Trump?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe so.
+ Mr. Massie. When you arranged a payment to Ms. Clifford,
+you say in your testimony--I'm going to quote from your
+testimony--that you did so, quote, ``without bothering to
+consider whether that was improper, much less whether it was
+the right thing to do.'' You said that--unquote. That's your
+testimony today. You said you didn't even consider whether it
+was legal. How could you give your client legal advice when
+you're not even considering whether it's legal?
+ Mr. Cohen. I did what I knew Mr. Trump wanted. This
+conversation with Mr. Trump----
+ Mr. Massie. I didn't ask----
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. started----
+ Mr. Massie. I didn't ask whether you were a good fixer. I
+asked whether you were a good lawyer.
+ Mr. Cohen. Well, sometimes you have to meld both together.
+I needed to, at that time, ensure and protect Mr. Trump and----
+ Mr. Massie. So----
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. if I put my--which I'm clearly,
+clearly suffering the penalty of--I clearly----
+ Mr. Massie. You said--let me--you said----
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. erred on the--on the side of wrong.
+ Mr. Massie. So you feel like, by--without bothering whether
+to consider whether it was proper, much less whether it was the
+right thing to do, by ignoring any conscience, if you have one,
+that you were protecting Mr. Trump?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, sir. I don't understand your
+question.
+ Mr. Massie. You feel that was how to protect -- as his
+lawyer, you feel that you did a good job. You said you were a
+good lawyer, right?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Mr. Massie. Is that being a good lawyer? To not even
+consider whether it's legal or not?
+ Mr. Cohen. I didn't work for the campaign. I was working,
+and I was trying to protect Mr. Trump.
+ Mr. Massie. I didn't say anything about the campaign. I
+didn't ask you about----
+ Mr. Cohen. I sat with Mr. Trump -- and this goes back all
+the way to 2011. This wasn't the first scenario with Ms.
+Daniels.
+ Mr. Massie. Let's go back then.
+ Mr. Cohen. So, what my point--my point is, this is -- this
+was an ongoing situation. It didn't just start in----
+ Mr. Massie. Right. Let's -- I want to yield back.
+ Mr. Cohen. But you have to let me finish.
+ Mr. Massie. Well----
+ Mr. Cohen. It started in Oc- -- it didn't start in October.
+ Mr. Massie. Let me -- let me ask you specifically on that.
+ Mr. Cohen. It started many years earlier.
+ Mr. Massie. When were you disbarred?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yesterday, from what I read in the paper.
+ Mr. Massie. Yesterday. When should you have been disbarred,
+based on the legal counsel you were giving your client?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't have an answer for your question.
+ Mr. Massie. How long were you counsel for Mr. Trump?
+ Mr. Cohen. Since 2007.
+ Mr. Massie. When is the first time you gave him bad legal
+advice, or failed to inform him of his legal obligation, as you
+testified today, you did in the case of the payment to Ms.
+Clifford? When was the first time you did that? Would that
+qualify for disbarment?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know, sir. I'm not the Bar Association.
+ Mr. Massie. I think you should consult with them maybe
+occasionally on some of these things. Has anybody----
+ Mr. Cohen. Well, there's no point now. I lost my law
+license.
+ Mr. Massie. Has anybody -- has anybody else promised to pay
+Mr. Davis for representing you?
+ Mr. Cohen. No.
+ Mr. Massie. Nobody has?
+ Mr. Cohen. No. Are you offering?
+ Mr. Massie. Question, quickly. You said -- and this is also
+in your testimony--in the days before the Democratic
+Convention, you became privy to a conversation that some of
+Hillary Clinton's emails would be leaked. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Correct.
+ Mr. Massie. OK. Was that in -- you said late July. Do you
+know the exact day?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe it was either the 18th or the 19th,
+and I would guess that it would be on the 19th.
+ Mr. Massie. But it was definitely July?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe so, yes.
+ Mr. Massie. Do you know that was public knowledge in June?
+This was -- Mr. Assange -- and I'd like to submit this --
+unanimous consent to submit this for the record.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+
+ [The Assange article referenced above is available at:
+https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jun/12/wikileaks-to-
+publish-more-hillary-clinton-emails-julian-assange.]
+
+ Mr. Massie. Mr. Assange reported to the media on June 12th
+that those emails would be leaked. So I'm not saying you have
+fake news. I'm saying you have old news, and there's really not
+much to that.
+ I would like to yield the remainder of my time to Mr.
+Higgins.
+ Mr. Higgins. Thank you, sir.
+ Mr. Cohen, you know, I'm quoting you close, again earlier
+you said, I spent last week looking through boxes to find
+documents that would support your accusations. Where are those
+boxes, good sir?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry?
+ Mr. Higgins. Where are those boxes? Are they in your
+garage?
+ Mr. Cohen. They're in storage.
+ Mr. Higgins. And are these not boxes that should have been
+turned over to investigative authorities, during the many
+criminal investigations you've been subject to?
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, these are the boxes that were returned to
+me post the raids.
+ Mr. Higgins. If they -- if they include data pertinent to
+crimes that you've committed, should they not have been turned
+over, remanded to investigative authority? Did Mr. Lanny Davis
+know of these boxes?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't understand your question.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time is expired.
+ You may answer the question.
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't understand his question, sir.
+ Chairman Cummings. Very well.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi?
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. Mr. Cohen, good morning. Thank you,
+Chairman Cummings, for convening this hearing, and thank you,
+Mr. Cohen, for voluntarily testifying this morning.
+ Mr. Cohen, you were the executive vice president and
+special counsel for the Trump Organization, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. I was the executive vice president special
+counsel to Donald J. Trump.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. And ``special counsel'' means you are
+the attorney for him. Is that right?
+ Mr. Cohen. It just means I was there in order to handle
+matters that he felt were significant and important to him
+individually.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. And those included legal matters?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, sir.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. Sir, as a former attorney, you're
+familiar with legal documents known as nondisclosure
+agreements, or NDAs. Is that right?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. So I'm sure you know that NDAs,
+properly written in scope, can be reasonable in certain
+business contexts, but they can also be abused to create a
+chilling effect to silence people, as we've seen in the Me Too
+movement and other places. Isn't that right, Mr. Cohen?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. And Mr. Cohen, the Trump Organization
+used NDAs extensively. Isn't that right?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. Mr. Cohen, I'm reading from a recent
+Washington Post article regarding the language in one of these
+types of NDAs where the terms were described as very broad. For
+instance, the terms ``confidential information'' was defined to
+be anything that, quote, ``Mr. Trump insists remain private or
+confidential, including, but not limited to, any information
+with respect to the personal life, political affairs, and/or
+business affairs of Mr. Trump or any family member,'' closed
+quote. Do those terms sound familiar to you?
+ Mr. Cohen. I've seen that document.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. In fact, there is a class-action
+lawsuit filed this month by former Trump campaign worker
+Jessica Denson that this NDA language is illegal, because it is
+too broad, too vague, and would be used to retaliate against
+employees who complain of illegality or wrongdoing.
+ Would you agree that in the use of the NDA -- of these
+types of NDAs with this type of language, and later, when
+Donald Trump sought to enforce them, that he intended to
+prevent people from coming forward with claims of wrongdoing?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. Would you agree that the effect of the
+use of these NDAs and their enforcement was to have a chilling
+effect on people or silence them from coming forward?
+ Mr. Cohen. I apologize, if you want to define ``chilling,''
+I'm not sure----
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. Oh, just that he would -- in using
+these NDAs, or trying to enforce them, would basically try to
+keep people silent?
+ Mr. Cohen. That was the goal.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. And nothing at the Trump Organization
+was ever done unless it was run through President Donald Trump,
+correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's 100 percent certain.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. OK. Mr. Cohen, do you believe that
+there are people out there today, either from the President's
+business or personal life, who are not coming forward to tell
+their stories of wrongdoing because of the President's use of
+NDAs against them?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, sir. I don't know the answer to that
+question.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. OK. Sir, I have a couple other
+questions for you. When was the last communication with
+President Trump or someone acting on his behalf?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't have the specific date, but it was a
+while ago.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. OK. Do you have a general timeframe?
+ Mr. Cohen. I would suspect it was within two months post
+the raid of my -- my home, hotel.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. OK. So early fall of last year?
+Generally?
+ Mr. Cohen. Generally.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. And what did he or his agent
+communicate to you?
+ Mr. Cohen. Unfortunately, this topic is actually something
+that's being investigated right now by the Southern District of
+New York, and I've been asked by them not to discuss, and not
+to talk about these issues.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. Fair enough. Is there any other
+wrongdoing or illegal act that you are aware of regarding
+Donald Trump that we haven't yet discussed today?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes. And, again, those are part of the
+investigation that's currently being looked at by the Southern
+District of New York.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. Sir, Congressman Cooper asked you about
+whether you were aware of any physical violence committed by
+President Trump. I just have a couple quick questions. Do you
+have any knowledge of President Trump abusing any controlled
+substances?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not aware of that, no.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. Do you have any knowledge of President
+Trump being delinquent on any alimony or child-care payments?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not aware of any of that.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. Do you have any knowledge of President
+Trump arranging any healthcare procedures for any women not in
+his family?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not aware of that, no.
+ Mr. Krishnamoorthi. Thank you. I yield back.
+ Mr. Cohen. Thank you.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Cloud?
+ Mr. Cloud. Thank you, Chairman.
+ Mr. Cohen, can you tell me the significance of May 6th?
+ Mr. Cohen. In terms of, sir?
+ Mr. Cloud. Couple months from now.
+ Mr. Cohen. That's the day that I need to surrender----
+ Mr. Cloud. Yes, sir, it is.
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. to Federal prison.
+ Mr. Cloud. Could you, for the record, state what you've
+been convicted of.
+ Mr. Cohen. I've been convicted on five counts of tax
+evasion. There's one count of misrepresentation of documents to
+a bank. There's two counts--one dealing with campaign finance
+for Karen McDougal; one count of campaign finance violation for
+Stormy Daniels, as well as lying to Congress.
+ Mr. Cloud. Thank you. Can you state what your official
+title with the campaign was?
+ Mr. Cohen. I did not have a campaign title.
+ Mr. Cloud. And your position in the Trump administration?
+ Mr. Cohen. I did not have one.
+ Mr. Cloud. OK. In today's testimony, you said that you were
+not looking to work in the White House. The Southern District
+of New York, in their statement, their sentencing memo, says
+this: ``Cohen's criminal violations in the Federal election
+laws were also stirred, like other crimes, by his own ambition
+and greed. Cohen privately told friends, colleagues, and
+including seized text messages, that he expected to be given a
+prominent role in the new administration. When that did not
+materialize, Cohen found a way to monetize his relationship and
+access with the President.'' So were they lying, or were you
+lying today?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not saying it's a lie. I'm just saying it's
+not accurate. I did not want to go to the White House. I
+retained--and I brought an attorney and I sat with Mr. Trump,
+with him, for well over an hour explaining the importance of
+having a personal attorney. And every President has had one, in
+order to handle matters like the matters I was dealing with,
+which included, like Summer Zervos----
+ Mr. Cloud. I reclaim my time.
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. Stormy Daniels, dealing with
+Stephanie Clifford----
+ Mr. Cloud. I ask unanimous consent to----
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. and other personal matters that
+needed----
+ Mr. Cloud. Excuse me. This is my time. Thank you.
+ I ask unanimous consent to submit to this memo from the
+Southern District of New York, New York for the record.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+ [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
+
+ Mr. Cloud. All right. I'll give that to you in a second.
+ OK. This memo states that you committed four distinct
+Federal crimes over a period of several years. You were
+motivated to do so by personal greed and repeatedly used your
+power to influence for deceptive ends. It goes on to say that
+you were--that they each involved -- they were distinct in
+their harms, but bear a common set of characteristics, that
+they involved deception and were each motivated by personal
+greed and ambition.
+ There's a lot we don't know in regards to this
+investigation, but here's what we do know: We know that you
+were expecting a job at the White House and didn't get it; you
+made millions lying about your close access to the President;
+you have a history of lying for personal gain, including--
+that's banks, about your accountant, to law enforcement, and
+your family, the Congress, the American people.
+ The Southern District of New York -- you said that you did
+all this out of blind loyalty to Mr. Trump, but your sentencing
+memo states this: ``This was not an act out of blind loyalty,
+as Cohen suggests. Cohen was driven by a desire to further
+ingratiate himself with the potential future President for whom
+political success Cohen himself claimed credit for.''
+ Now, we're in a search for truth, and I don't know,
+Chairman, how we're supposed to ascertain the truth in this
+quagmire of a hearing when the best witness we can bring before
+us has already been convicted of lying before us.
+ And what's sad is the American people have seen this play
+out before. We have people in prominent positions fail, and
+then a couple years later, they get a book deal. Now you're set
+to go to jail for a couple years and come out with a
+multimillion book deal. That's not bad living.
+ And so my question is, is, will you today--will you today
+to--commit to donate any further proceeds to book deals, to
+film reviews, to charity?
+ Mr. Cohen. No.
+ Mr. Cloud. Thank you. I yield my time.
+ Mr. Meadows. Will the gentleman yield? Will the gentleman
+yield?
+ Mr. Cohen. May I -- may I finish?
+ Mr. Meadows. Will the gentleman yield?
+ Mr. Cloud. Yield to Mr. Meadows.
+ Mr. Cohen. Mr. Chairman, may I finish my----
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Cohen----
+ Mr. Cohen. May I finish----
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Cohen, he's yielded to me, and so----
+ Mr. Cohen. I didn't finish my -- my response.
+ Mr. Meadows. Listen, everything's been made----
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm asking, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, may I
+finish my response, please?
+ Chairman Cummings. I'll let you respond, but answer his
+question, please.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Cohen, everything's been made of your lies
+in the past. I'm concerned about your lies today. Under your
+testimony just a few minutes ago, to me, you indicated that you
+had contracts with foreign entities, and yet, we have a truth
+in testimony disclosure form, which requires you to list those
+foreign contracts for the last two years, and you put NA on
+there. And it's a criminal offense to not have that accurately.
+So when were you lying, either in the testimony to me earlier
+today, or when you filled out the form?
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ Mr. Cohen, you may answer his question and then whatever
+you wanted to say on that other one.
+ Mr. Cohen. His question, unfortunately, I don't have an
+answer for his question. But as it----
+ Mr. Meadows. No, no, no, no, no. Mr. Chairman?
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. as it relates----
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman is out of order. He said
+he does not have an answer.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman, when we were in the majority,
+with all due respect, Mr. Chairman, hold on.
+ Chairman Cummings. Regular order. The gentleman has just
+said he doesn't have an answer. And you have gone over your
+time.
+ Ms. Foxx. Well, he's under oath.
+ Mr. Meadows. He's under oath to tell the truth. One of them
+is not accurate, Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. You will--you will have time to ask the
+question.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Chairman, just a question. Mr. Chairman,
+just a question.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Raskin? Mr. Raskin.
+ Mr. Raskin. Mr. Cohen, thank you for your composure today.
+Our colleagues are not upset because you lied to Congress for
+the President; they're upset because you stopped lying to
+Congress for the President.
+ Now, you've described the Trump campaign as a once-in-a-
+lifetime, money-making opportunity, the greatest informercial
+of all time, I think you said. And this may be the most
+trenchant observation of your whole testimony. Do you think the
+Trump campaign or Presidency ever stopped being about making
+money for the President, his family, and his organization?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Raskin. When did it stop being that?
+ Mr. Cohen. When he won the election.
+ Mr. Raskin. And what did it become about at that point?
+ Mr. Cohen. Then it had to be about figuring out what to do
+here in Washington.
+ Mr. Raskin. Can you carefully explain to America how the
+hush-money payments to Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels
+worked? Can you carefully explain what catch-and-kill is?
+ Mr. Cohen. Sure. I received a phone call regarding both
+Karen McDougal, as well as Stormy Daniels, obviously different
+times, stating that there were issues that were going to be
+damaging to Mr. Trump. With the Stormy Daniels, it started in
+2011, when she wanted to have something removed from a website,
+and that was the first time I met Keith--I spoke with Keith
+Davidson, her then-acting attorney, and we were successful in
+having it taken down from the website.
+ It wasn't until years later did -- right -- by around the
+time of the campaign, did they come back and they ask, what --
+what are you going to do now, because she's back on the trail,
+trying to sell the story, at which point in time, David Pecker,
+on behalf of the National Enquirer, reached out to her and her
+attorney, in order to go take a look at lie detector tests that
+would prove that she is telling the truth. They then contacted
+me and told me that she was telling the truth. At which point,
+again, all the time----
+ Mr. Raskin. She took a lie detector test?
+ Mr. Cohen. She allegedly took a lie detector test and was
+seen by an employee of the National Enquirer, at which point in
+time I went straight into Mr. Trump's office and I explained
+why this time it's different than another time.
+ Mr. Raskin. Okay. Now, when you say ``different than
+another time,'' were there other women paid sexual hush-money
+by Donald Trump or his organization? Was this a standard
+operating practice?
+ Mr. Cohen. No.
+ Mr. Raskin. So you're not aware of any other cases where it
+had taken place?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not aware of any other case that Mr. Trump
+paid. So which brings us to the Karen McDougal. He was supposed
+to pay. He was supposed to pay $125,000 for the life story of
+Karen McDougal. For whatever the reason may be, he elected not
+to pay it. David Pecker was very angry because there was also
+other moneys that David had expended on his behalf.
+Unfortunately, David never got paid back for that either.
+ Mr. Raskin. So David Pecker had done this in other cases of
+other mistresses or women?
+ Mr. Cohen. Other circumstances, yes.
+ Mr. Raskin. Okay.
+ Mr. Cohen. Not all of them had to do with women.
+ Mr. Raskin. Are you aware of anything that the President
+has done, at home or abroad, that may have subjected him to, or
+may subject him to extortion or blackmail?
+ Mr. Cohen. I am not, no.
+ Mr. Raskin. Okay. Are you aware of any videotapes that may
+be the subject of extortion or blackmail?
+ Mr. Cohen. I've heard about these tapes for a long time,
+had many people contact me over the years. I have no reason to
+believe that that tape exists.
+ Mr. Raskin. In December 2015, Donald Trump was asked about
+his relationship with Felix Sater, a convicted felon and real
+estate developer, and he replied, Felix Sater, boy, have to
+even think about it, I'm not that familiar with him. Why did
+Trump endeavor to hide his relationship with Felix Sater, and
+what was his relationship?
+ Mr. Cohen. Well, he certainly had a relationship. Felix was
+a partner in a company called Bayrock that was involved in the
+deal of the Trump Soho Hotel, as well as, I believe, the Trump
+Ft. Lauderdale project. Why did he want to distance himself?
+That's what Mr. Trump does. He distances himself when things go
+bad for someone. And at that point in time, it was going bad
+for Mr. Sater.
+ Mr. Raskin. You said you lied to Congress about Trump's
+negotiations to build his Moscow tower, because he made it
+clear to you that he wanted you to lie. One of the reasons you
+knew this is, because, quote, ``Mr. Trump's personal lawyers
+reviewed and edited my statement to Congress about the timing
+of the Moscow tower negotiations before I gave it.'' So this is
+a pretty breathtaking claim, and I just want to get to the
+facts here. Which specific lawyers reviewed and edited your
+statement to Congress on the Moscow tower negotiations, and did
+they make any changes to your statement?
+ Mr. Cohen. There were changes made, additions. Jay Sekulow,
+for one----
+ Mr. Raskin. Were there changes about the timing? The
+question----
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ You may answer that question.
+ Mr. Cohen. There were--there were several changes that were
+made, including how we were going to handle that message. Which
+was----
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Groth -- were you finished?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes. The message, of course, being the length of
+time that the Trump Tower Moscow project stayed and remained
+alive.
+ Mr. Raskin. That was one of the changes?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Grothman?
+ Mr. Grothman. Yes, first of all, I'd like to clear up
+something, just a little something that bothers me. You started
+off your testimony, and you said, I think in response to some
+question, that President Trump never expected to win. I just
+want to clarify that I dealt with several--President Trump
+several times as he was trying to get Wisconsin. He was always
+confident. He was working very hard, and this idea that somehow
+he was just running to raise his profile for some future
+adventure, at least in my experience, is preposterous. I always
+find it offensive when anti-Trump people imply that he just did
+this on a lark and didn't expect to win.
+ But be that as it may, my first question concerns your
+relationship with the court. Do you expect--I mean, right now,
+I think you're sentenced to 3 years, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Mr. Grothman. Do you expect any time, using this testimony,
+other testimony, after you get done doing whatever you're going
+to do this week, do you ever expect to go back and ask for any
+sort of reduction in sentence?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes. There are ongoing investigations currently
+being conducted that have nothing to do with this committee or
+Congress, that I am assisting in, and it is for the benefit of
+a Rule 35 motion, yes.
+ Mr. Grothman. So you expect, and perhaps what you testify
+here today will affect going back and reducing this, what we
+think is a relatively light, three-year sentence? You expect to
+go back and ask for a further reduction?
+ Mr. Cohen. Based off of my appearance here today?
+ Mr. Grothman. Well, based upon whatever you do between now
+and your request for----
+ Mr. Cohen. The Rule 35 motion is in the complete hands of
+the Southern District of New York. And the way the Rule 35
+motion works is, what you're supposed to do, is provide them
+with information that leads to ongoing investigations. I am
+currently working with them right now on several other issues
+of investigation that concerns them, that they're looking at.
+If those investigations become fruitful, then there is a
+possibility for a Rule 35 motion. And I don't know what the
+benefit in terms of time would be, but this congressional
+hearing today is not going to be the basis of a Rule 35 motion.
+I wish it was, but it's not.
+ Mr. Grothman. I'd like to yield some time to Congressman
+Jordan.
+ Mr. Jordan. I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Cohen, I'm going to come back to the
+question I asked before, with regards to your false statement
+that you submitted to Congress. On here, it was very clear,
+that it asked for contracts with foreign entities over the last
+two years. Have you had any foreign contract with foreign
+entities, whether it's Novartis or the Korean airline or
+Kazakhstan BTA Bank? Your testimony earlier said that you had
+contracts with them. In fact, you went into detail----
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe it talks about lobbying. I did no
+lobbying. On top of that they are not government----
+ Mr. Meadows. In your testimony -- I'm not asking about
+lobbying, Mr. Cohen.
+ Mr. Cohen. They are not government agencies. They are
+privately and----
+ Mr. Meadows. Do you have--do you have foreign contracts----
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. publicly traded companies.
+ Mr. Meadows. Do you have foreign contracts?
+ Mr. Cohen. I currently have no foreign contracts.
+ Mr. Meadows. Did you have foreign contracts over the last
+two years?
+ Mr. Cohen. Foreign contracts?
+ Mr. Meadows. Contracts with foreign entities, did you have
+contracts?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Meadows. Yes?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Meadows. Why didn't you put them on the form? It says
+it's a criminal offense to not put them on this form for the
+last two years. Why did you not do that?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because those foreign companies that you're
+referring to are not government companies.
+ Mr. Meadows. It says nongovernmental, Mr. Cohen. You signed
+it.
+ Mr. Cohen. They're talking about me as being
+nongovernmental.
+ Mr. Meadows. And right. It says foreign agency--It says
+foreign contracts. Do you want us to read it to you?
+ Mr. Cohen. I read it and it was reviewed by my counsel, and
+I am a nongovernment employee. It was not lobbying, and they
+are not foreign contracts.
+ Mr. Meadows. It has nothing to do with lobbying. It says
+it's a criminal offense to not list all your foreign contracts.
+That's what it says.
+ Mr. Cohen. Well, then, I'm going to take a look at it
+before I leave----
+ Mr. Meadows. No, you've----
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. and I will -- and hopefully I will
+amend it prior to leaving, because that's not the way I read
+your document.
+ Mr. Meadows. You know, it's just one more example, Mr.
+Cohen, of you skirting the truth.
+ OK, I want to ask one other question.
+ One other question, Mr. Cohen. It's my time, not yours.
+ Were you advised, or was your counsel advised to withhold
+your written testimony to the latest possible date as John Dean
+said last night on CNN?
+ Mr. Cohen. Was it my what?
+ Mr. Meadows. Were you advised, or was your counsel advised,
+to withhold your written testimony to this committee, at the
+latest possible date to give it to this committee, at the
+latest possible date as John Dean said that he advised you? Yes
+or no?
+ Mr. Cohen. No. We were----
+ Mr. Meadows. He never advised you?
+ Mr. Cohen. We -- John Dean? I've never spoken with John
+Dean.
+ Mr. Meadows. Has he spoken to your attorney?
+ Mr. Cohen. I--I don't know. I've never spoken to John Dean.
+ Mr. Meadows. Well, ask your attorney. He's right there
+behind you.
+ Mr. Cohen. We were working last night till -- till 11, 12
+at night, and it----
+ Mr. Meadows. You've known that you've been coming for some
+time. I----
+ Chairman Cummings. You may answer the question. Answer the
+question, if you recall.
+ Mr. Cohen. We were working till 11, 12 last night to finish
+everything.
+ Mr. Meadows. So you were writing it last night, Mr. Cohen?
+ Mr. Cohen. We were making edits----
+ Mr. Meadows. Don't give me that bull.
+ Mr. Cohen. We were making edits all the way through the
+night.
+ Chairman Cummings. I recognize Mr. Rouda.
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry.
+ Mr. Rouda. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Mr. Cohen, in November 2013, President Donald Trump
+testified under oath in a lawsuit related to the failed real
+estate project Trump International Hotel and Tower in Ft.
+Lauderdale. During the deposition, President Trump was asked
+about his knowledge of Felix Sater, a Russian-born real estate
+developer and convicted member of the Russian Mafia, who,
+according to press reports, pled guilty for his role in a 40
+million stock manipulation scheme.
+ And it's worth noting and it's well-publicized the direct
+relationship between the Russian Mafia and the Kremlin. Over
+the years, President Trump was asked how many times he
+interacted with convicted Russian mobster Felix Sater. In 2013,
+President Trump testified that, quote, ``not many. If he were
+sitting in the room right now, I really wouldn't know what he
+looked like,'' unquote.
+ Mr. Cohen, as you previously testified, isn't it true that
+President Trump knew convicted Russian mobster Felix Sater in
+2013 when he made that statement?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Rouda. Isn't it true that, because of Mr. Sater's
+relationship to the Trump Organization, that he had an office
+in the Trump Tower?
+ Mr. Cohen. And on the 26th floor, Mr. Trump's----
+ Mr. Rouda. And the 26th floor is important why?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because it's Mr. Trump's floor.
+ Mr. Rouda. So he had an office on the same floor as
+President Trump?
+ Mr. Cohen. In fact, his office, when he left, became my
+office.
+ Mr. Rouda. And isn't it also true that convicted Russian
+mobster Sater even had business cards indicating that he was a
+senior advisor to Donald Trump as reported by The Washington
+Post?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Rouda. Did convicted Russian mobster Sater pay rent for
+his office?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, he did not.
+ Mr. Rouda. So, based on these facts, isn't it true that
+President Trump misled, at best, or worst, lied under oath?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Rouda. In December 2015, President Trump was asked
+again about his relationship to convicted Russian mobster, Mr.
+Sater by a reporter for the Associated Press. He stated, quote,
+``Felix Sater, boy, I have to even think about it,'' unquote.
+He added, quote, ``I'm not that familiar with him,'' unquote.
+Mr. Cohen, where would we find business records that explained
+the President's relationship to the convicted Russian mobster
+Felix Sater? Would those be in the Trump Organization's files?
+ Mr. Cohen. They'd be in the Trump Organization's files.
+There would be CCs to Bayrock, which was the name of Mr.
+Sater's company. I suspect on Mr. Sater's email address,
+possibly hard files in possession of Mr. Sater.
+ Mr. Rouda. And when you say ``in possession of the Trump
+Organization,'' where?
+ Mr. Cohen. It depends upon who the attorney was that was
+working on it. Now it would probably be in a box offsite. They
+have a storage facility that they----
+ Mr. Rouda. OK.
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. put old files.
+ Mr. Rouda. In addition to convicted Russian mobster Sater,
+do you know of any other ties to convicted or alleged mobsters
+President Trump may have?
+ Mr. Cohen. I am not aware.
+ Mr. Rouda. Isn't it true that many people with ties to
+Russia ultimately bought condos in Trump properties usually for
+cash, and if so, how many are we talking? 10, 20, 50, hundreds?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not--honestly, sir, I'm not aware of any.
+You know, the statement that was--you're referring to, I
+believe, is made by either Eric or Don. And I don't agree with
+it.
+ Mr. Rouda. So are you aware of any cash purchases by
+Russian oligarchs and family members of Trump properties?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not aware of that. I can tell you, when you
+say cash, if you mean walking in with a satchel of rubles, the
+answer is, I've never seen that happen. I've never heard of it.
+ I will tell you, when we sold Mr. Trump's property in Palm
+Beach, the home for $95 million, it came in by wire, and that
+came from Mr. Rybolovlev's bank account.
+ Mr. Rouda. One other question. You also talked about
+President Trump doing negotiations throughout the campaign,
+regarding the Trump Tower in Moscow. Was he directly involved
+in those negotiations, and if so, how do you know?
+ Mr. Cohen. Well, the answer is yes. And as it relates to
+negotiations, it was merely followups as to what's currently
+happening, what's happening with Russia, meaning he wanted me
+to give him a status report. The problem with this is that the
+project never advanced because they were unable--Mr. Sater was
+unable to provide me with proof that somebody owned or
+controlled a piece of property that we can actually build on.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ Mr. Rouda. Thank you.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Amash?
+ Mr. Amash. Mr. Cohen, why did Mr. Trump choose to hire you,
+and why did he trust you with the various tasks that you
+performed for him?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know, sir. You would have to ask him
+that question.
+ Mr. Amash. Well, we've heard here that you have bad
+character. You've admitted to that over the years. You have no
+idea why he chose to hire you?
+ Mr. Cohen. In 2006, I was asked by Don Jr. to come meet
+with his father; I did. He then followed up by asking if I
+would take a look at an issue that was occurring at Trump World
+Tower with the board. I went ahead and I looked into it, and I
+found that the statements that the board were making about Mr.
+Trump were inaccurate.
+ And the reason Don came to me is because I had an apartment
+there for investment. My parents had an apartment there, my in-
+laws lived there, friends of mine, we all bought as a big block
+from a brokerage company, and we got a good price on each unit.
+And we ultimately turned over the board, and I became,
+actually, the treasurer of the board because the out-of-control
+spending was going to put the building into bankruptcy, and I
+was proud to say that within a year, we had plus a million
+dollars, versus minus 1.3.
+ At the end of the day, Mr. Trump appreciated that, and he
+tasked me with something else. It was to handle a problem that
+Don Jr. had created in terms of a business, a license deal. And
+we resolved that.
+ And then on top of that, the third time, Mr. Trump had
+asked me to take a look at the third Trump Entertainment Resort
+Chapter 11 reorganization, because he had a series of questions
+that he wanted answered. And I read these two stack books, gave
+him the answers that he needed, and with that, he--and the next
+time I was sitting in his office, and he asked me if I was
+happy at the sleepy old firm that I was with. I said yes. He
+said, Would you rather work for me? And I asked, Are you
+offering me a job? And he said, Yes. And we negotiated, and I
+actually never went back to my office.
+ Mr. Amash. All right. You suggested that the President
+sometimes communicates his wishes indirectly. For example, you
+said, quote, ``Mr. Trump did not directly tell me to lie to
+Congress, that's not how he operates,'' end quote. Can you
+explain how he does this?
+ Mr. Cohen. Sure. It would be no different if I said, That's
+the nicest looking tie I've ever seen, isn't it? What are you
+going to do, are you going to fight with him? The answer is no.
+So you say, yes, it's the nicest looking tie I've ever seen.
+That's how he speaks. He doesn't give you questions. He doesn't
+give you orders. He speaks in a code, and I understand the code
+because I've been around him for a decade.
+ Mr. Amash. And it's your impression that others who work
+for him understand the code as well?
+ Mr. Cohen. Most people, yes.
+ Mr. Amash. Mr. Cohen, I don't know whether we should
+believe you today, but I'm going to ask you this one last
+question. What is the truth that you know President Trump fears
+most?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's a tough question, sir. I don't--I don't--
+I don't have an answer for that one. What does he fear most?
+ Mr. Amash. What's the truth that he fears most? From your
+perspective. And again, I don't know whether we should believe
+you here today, but----
+ Mr. Cohen. It's a tough question, sir. I don't know how to
+answer that question.
+ Mr. Amash. All right. Let me ask you this: What principles
+have you chosen to follow in your life, and do you wish to
+follow different principles now?
+ Mr. Cohen. I've always tried to be a good person. I've
+tried to be a great friend. There were many, I think over 40
+statements written in my support to the sentencing judge. I
+have friends who I treat incredibly well that I know for over
+40 years. And I treat people, after 40 minutes, the same exact
+way.
+ Am I perfect? No. Do I make mistakes? Yes. Have I made
+mistakes? Absolutely. I'm going to pay the consequences for it.
+ But all I would like to do is be able to get my life back,
+to protect my wife and my children, support, and grow old.
+That's pretty much where I'd like to be.
+ Mr. Amash. And you feel you're following a different set of
+principles now than you followed throughout your life?
+ Mr. Cohen. I do. And I'm trying. I'm trying very hard. I
+thank you for your questions. Some of the other ones really
+make it difficult to try to, you know, show some redemption.
+But, you know, I am trying. I am trying.
+ Mr. Amash. All right. Thank you.
+ Mr. Cohen. Thank you.
+ Chairman Cummings. Ms. Hill.
+ Ms. Hill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ I want to mention really quick a clarification on the truth
+and testimony form. The mention was around whether it talks
+about foreign entities at all. And the question is, in fact,
+whether witnesses have any contracts or payments originating
+with a foreign government. It does not cover all foreign
+entities, just foreign government entities.
+ So, Mr. Cohen, what I'd like to ask you to do is review
+this issue over lunch with your attorneys. And if you need to
+amend your form, we ask that you do that before the conclusion
+of today's hearing.
+ Also, I represent a purple district. I did not come here
+for partisan bickering. In fact, I actively wanted to avoid it.
+So when I ask these questions today, it is not as someone who
+has a vendetta against the President. It's as someone who comes
+from generations of servicemembers who swore an oath to obey
+the orders of the President of the United States and who, along
+with myself and every single other person up here, swore to
+uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States.
+ My forefathers served their country, they served their
+Commander in Chief, and they served the idea that America is
+free and just and that the law of the land rules us all,
+especially those in the highest levels of our government.
+ So I ask these questions to help determine whether our very
+own President committed felony crimes while serving in the Oval
+Office, including efforts to conceal payments that were
+intended to mislead the public and influence the outcome of an
+election. I hope to God that is not the case.
+ So, Mr. Cohen, on January 22, 2018, just days after the
+Wall Street Journal broke the story that Mr. Cohen paid
+$130,000 to Stephanie Clifford to silence her during the 2016
+Presidential campaign, a nonprofit watchdog called Common Cause
+filed a complaint with the Department of Justice and FEC
+alleging the payment to Ms. Clifford may have represented an
+illegal in-kind contribution to the Trump campaign. I ask that
+their complaint be entered into the record.
+ Chairman Cummings. So ordered.
+ [The information referred to follows:]
+ [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
+
+ Ms. Hill. On February 13, 2018, Mr. Cohen, you sent a
+statement to the reporters that said, quote, ``I used my own
+personal funds to facilitate a payment of $130,000 to Ms.
+Stephanie Clifford, and neither The Trump Organization nor the
+Trump campaign was party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford
+and neither reimbursed me for the payment either directly or
+indirectly.'' Was the statement false?
+ Mr. Cohen. The statement is not false. I purposefully left
+out Mr. Trump individually from that statement.
+ Ms. Hill. OK. Why did you say it that way?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because that's what was discussed to do between
+myself, Mr. Trump, and Allen Weisselberg.
+ Ms. Hill. So it was carefully worded?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, ma'am.
+ Ms. Hill. Great.
+ Mr. Cohen, a reporter for the magazine Vanity Fair has
+reported that she interviewed you the very next day, on
+February 14, 2018, about the payment and reimbursement. And she
+wrote, quote, ``Last February 14, I interviewed Cohen in his
+office about the statement he gave the FEC in which he said
+Trump didn't know about the Stormy payment or reimbursed him
+for it.''
+ Do you recall this meeting with the reporter?
+ Mr. Cohen. I do.
+ Ms. Hill. The reporter also wrote, ``Trump called while I
+was there. I couldn't hear much, but he wanted to go over what
+the public messaging would be.''
+ Is that accurate?
+ Mr. Cohen. It is.
+ Ms. Hill. Did the President call you while you were having
+a meeting with the reporter?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Hill. Did the President call you to coordinate on
+public messaging about the payments to Ms. Clifford in or
+around February 2018?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Hill. What did the President ask or suggest that you
+say about the payments or reimbursements?
+ Mr. Cohen. He was not knowledgeable of these
+reimbursements, and he wasn't knowledgeable of my actions.
+ Ms. Hill. He asked you to say that?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, ma'am.
+ Ms. Hill. Great.
+ In addition to the personal check for $35,000 in July 2017,
+is there additional corroborating evidence that Mr. Trump,
+while a sitting President of the United States, directly
+reimbursed you hush money as part of a criminal scheme to
+violate campaign finance laws?
+ Mr. Cohen. There are 11 checks that I received for the
+year. The reason why 11, because, as I stated before, one had
+two checks.
+ Ms. Hill. And you have copies of all of those?
+ Mr. Cohen. I can get copies. I'd have to go to the bank.
+ Ms. Hill. So we will be able to get copies of all 11 checks
+that Mr. Trump provided to you as part of this criminal scheme?
+ Mr. Cohen. It's either from his personal account, as what
+was demonstrated in the exhibit, or it would come from the
+Donald J. Trump account, the trust account.
+ Ms. Hill. Thank you, Mr. Cohen.
+ I yield back the remainder of my times.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Gibbs.
+ Mr. Gibbs. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ You know, I've just been sitting here. I'm new to the
+committee. I'm not an attorney. Sometimes, Mr. Cohen, it sounds
+like, from your answers, you are either incompetent or are a
+liar. I think maybe I can be a better attorney. I don't know.
+ I'm looking through this. You come in here, and you rail on
+the President of the United States, Commander in Chief, while
+he's over across the Pacific Ocean trying to negotiate a deal
+to make this world safer.
+ And, Mr. Chairman, just having this committee at this time
+when the Commander in Chief is out of the country is just --
+it's just -- I think is a new precedent.
+ But you call him a racist, a cheat, and, you know, you
+attacked his character. And I've been with the President a
+little bit and I didn't see that in the President. I see a
+President who's very sincere, who's trying to make this country
+better for every American.
+ And for you to come in here and do that, repentance on your
+part is really unbelievable. Real repentance would be go serve
+your time and don't come back here and make allegations toward
+a man you can't substantiate.
+ Now, I'm looking here from the remarks from the prosecutor
+of the Southern District of New York. False statements to bank
+three, which Cohen pleaded guilty, was far from an isolated
+event. It was one of a long series of self-serving lies Cohen
+told numerous financial institutions.
+ Earlier in your testimony, I think I heard you say it only
+is a home equity loan. But apparently the prosecutors in New
+York think that there's other financial things that you did.
+ You also, they said, managed to commit a series of crimes
+all with holding himself out as a licensed attorney and
+upstanding member of the bar.
+ Also, the Southern District prosecutor said that -- wrote
+that your consciousness of wrongdoing is fleeting, that your
+remorse is minimal, and that your instinct to blame others is
+strong.
+ So I'm kind of left here why--you worked for the President
+for 10 years before he was President. If you have any sense of
+integrity like you're trying to tell us you have now, if it was
+that bad, why didn't you leave? You weren't stuck there because
+of financial reasons. You had ways to leave. You're an
+attorney.
+ And so that's just kind of, you know -- the President's
+working tirelessly, and you come and make these allegations,
+and you could have left any time you want. It looks like to me
+you're trying to save face.
+ And with the other questions that came out here was it
+looks like to me you're going to have a very lucrative deal at
+some point in your life, because you don't look like you're
+close to retirement. You're going to have some type of
+lucrative deal.
+ And so one of my questions is, and it's come up a little
+bit, talks with you and your attorney. And there's been talks
+about Members of Congress and staff. And you said there was
+some discussions.
+ Was any of those discussions that you or your attorneys had
+with Members of Congress or staff or prosecutors to give
+considerations to favor or other considerations to you or your
+family in the future?
+ Mr. Cohen. No. The conversations were about the topics,
+because there were things that originally we could not speak
+about at the request of -- whether it was the special counsel's
+office or the Southern District or any of the other agencies,
+including the House Select Intel or the Senate Select Intel.
+ Sir, just for your personal edification here, I was asked
+to come here. Your chairman sent a letter to Mr. Davis, and I
+accepted. So I'm here voluntarily.
+ Mr. Gibbs. I understand that.
+ Mr. Cohen. And if you believe that I'm----
+ Mr. Gibbs. It's my time. I understand. I think it's a
+political theater.
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, if you believe -- it's not political
+theater for me. And I take no pleasure in saying anything
+negative about Mr. Trump.
+ You've met him for a short period of time. I've been with
+him for over a decade. I've traveled with him internationally.
+I've spent dinners with him. It doesn't make me feel good about
+what's going on here.
+ And as far as saving face, I'm not sure how being in front
+of the world, being called a tax cheat----
+ Mr. Gibbs. Well, this world today, with these lucrative
+book deals, movies that come about, I think you'll be pretty
+good in about five years.
+ I yield the rest of my time to the ranking member.
+ Mr. Jordan. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
+ Earlier you said you started the campaign?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct, in 2011.
+ Mr. Jordan. You started the campaign for President of the
+United States for Donald Trump?
+ Mr. Cohen. I certainly did, sir.
+ Mr. Jordan. Now, that's news.
+ Mr. Cohen. ShouldTrumpRun.com.
+ Mr. Jordan. Wow.
+ Mr. Cohen. 2011. It was my idea. I saw a document in the
+newspaper that said, Who would you vote for in 2012? Six
+percent of the people said----
+ Mr. Jordan. Michael Cohen. Michael Cohen.
+ Mr. Cohen. Michael Cohen.
+ Six percent of the people turned around and said they'd
+vote for Donald Trump.
+ Mr. Jordan. The reason Donald Trump is President is because
+of Michael Cohen?
+ Mr. Cohen. So I went into his office, and I said to him,
+``Mr. Trump, take a look at this.''
+ And he goes, ``Wow, wouldn't that be great.'' And with that
+is where it all started.
+ Mr. Jordan. Yes. OK. Like, I'm sure -- I'm sure he had
+never thought of anything like that until you came along.
+ Mr. Cohen. No, I didn't say that either.
+ Mr. Jordan. Let me ask you one question. I got eight
+seconds. I got eight seconds.
+ What did you talk to Mr. Schiff about?
+ Mr. Cohen. I spoke to Mr. Schiff about topics that were
+going to be raised at the upcoming hearing.
+ Mr. Jordan. Whoa. Not just what time to show up. Actually
+what you're going to talk about?
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ Mr. Jordan. Wow.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Sarbanes. Mr. Sarbanes.
+ Mr. Sarbanes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Thank you, Mr. Cohen.
+ I know the other side is suggesting that you are an
+incorrigible liar and that you're lying here today. I can't
+think of anything you have to gain at this point from lying. I
+mean, they talk about book deals and other things that you want
+to do. But I see a lot more that you could lose by telling the
+truth today given the threats and other things that have been
+made against you and your family. So that's how I'm
+interpreting it. And, of course, you brought documents with you
+as well to bolster the credibility of your testimony.
+ I did want to go back to an earlier line of questioning
+regarding the preparation of your testimony before you came
+before the Intelligence Committee. You talked about a meeting
+at the White House where the testimony was being reviewed. And
+I think you said there it was at least one White House
+attorney, Jay Sekulow, who was there, and you acknowledged that
+there was some edits that were made to your testimony.
+ So on that topic, who at the White House reviewed your
+testimony?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know the answer to that. The document
+was originally created by myself along with my attorney at the
+time from McDermott Will & Emery. And there was a joint defense
+agreement, so the document circulated around. I believe it was
+also reviewed by Abbe Lowell, who represents Ivanka and Jared
+Kushner.
+ Mr. Sarbanes. Why did you provide the testimony to the
+White House?
+ Mr. Cohen. It was pursuant to the joint defense agreement
+that we were all operating under.
+ Mr. Sarbanes. What were the edits that came back
+substantively on the testimony?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry. I don't know, sir. I'd have to take a
+look at the document.
+ Mr. Sarbanes. Did you have a--do you have a reaction to why
+there might not have been, in a sense, a protest to what was
+going to be false testimony that was going to be provided?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir, because the goal was to stay on
+message. It's just limit the relationship whatsoever with
+Russia. It was short. There's no Russian contacts. There's no
+Russian collusion. There's no Russian deals. That's the
+message. That's the same message that existed well before my
+need to come and testify.
+ Mr. Sarbanes. So it's an example of where this idea, this
+mentality of you toe the line, whatever the story line or the
+narrative of the day or the month or the year is going to be,
+you toe that line whether it results in false testimony or not.
+ Mr. Cohen. I toed the party line, and I'm now suffering.
+And I'm going to continue to suffer for a while, along with my
+family, as a result of it. So yes.
+ Mr. Sarbanes. Let me switch gears quickly before my time
+expires. And you may not have direct knowledge of some of these
+things, but you're offering us some very helpful perspective on
+how the Trump world operates.
+ And, frankly, another reason I find your testimony fairly
+compelling and credible is because a lot of the things you're
+describing, a lot of the behavior you're describing, is very
+consistent with what we all see every single day. So it's not a
+leap for us to arrive in the same place and perspective that
+you have presented.
+ I'm interested in some of the activities around the
+inaugural committee, the inauguration of the President. There
+was an article that appeared in ProPublica, it's a watchdog
+group, about some negotiation on pricing of things at the Trump
+Hotel, where it looks like the rental that was being quoted was
+substantially even double what you would expect to pay
+according to what the market should bear. And so, in a sense,
+the Trump Hotel was up-charging to the inaugural committee.
+ Mr. Cohen. Even I couldn't afford to stay there.
+ Mr. Sarbanes. Yeah.
+ And so I'm just curious. Do you have a sense of whether
+that kind of a practice is something that is consistent or
+inconsistent? Is it possible that that kind of up-charging
+could be done inside a Trump operation?
+ Mr. Cohen. It did happen.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ Mr. Cohen. And what I can say to you is I wasn't part of
+the inaugural committee. I raised a lot of money for the
+inauguration, but I was not part of it. And there was a lot of
+things in that actually, that issue is something that's also,
+obviously, we've read about in the paper being investigated at
+the current moment.
+ Mr. Sarbanes. Thank you.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Higgins.
+ Mr. Higgins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Mr. Cohen, it's on my heart to tell you, sir, that -- and
+I'm sorry for what your family is going through. I feel for
+your family.
+ Mr. Cohen. Thank you.
+ Mr. Higgins. The word tells us clearly that a man's mouth
+is his destruction and his lips are the snare of his soul. And
+I see you, a man trapped in that.
+ However, I must tell you that I've arrested several
+thousand men and you remind me of many of them. The ones that
+immediately become humble and remorseful at the time they're
+actually booked, and while they're incarcerated they're quite
+penitent, and then return to their former selves when they're
+back on the street.
+ So respectful to your family and what they're going
+through, I owe you the honesty to tell you that that's my sense
+of you, good sir.
+ I'm going to give you another opportunity to respond to
+what you brushed off earlier regarding your own statement
+during this testimony from C-SPAN notation at 2 hours and 50
+seconds in.
+ You stated regarding your credibility that you're being
+accused of having no credibility, that it is exactly for that
+reason I spent the last week searching boxes to find the
+information that I did so that you don't have to take my word
+for it. I want you to look at the documents and make your own
+decisions.
+ Now, the documents you're referring to, Mr. Cohen, are the
+documents that you submitted in your -- with your testimony
+today. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That is correct.
+ Mr. Higgins. You believe those documents to be worthy of
+evidence for this oversight hearing today?
+ Mr. Cohen. I leave that to you to decide.
+ Mr. Higgins. And I ask you again sir, and please don't be
+incredulous, this is a serious question, where are those boxes
+that contain documents worthy of evidence to be presented to
+Congress? And why have they not been turned over to
+investigating authorities looking into some of the many
+criminal activities that you're allegedly cooperating in? Where
+are these boxes? Who knows--where is this treasure of evidence?
+ Mr. Cohen. The boxes that I'm referring to were boxes that
+were in my law office when the FBI entered and seized documents
+when I was moving----
+ Mr. Higgins. Mr. Chairman, I move that the investigating
+authorities have noted what the gentleman had just stated and
+that actions be taken for those boxes to be seized and reviewed
+based upon a proper warrant signed by a sitting judge.
+ You noted earlier today, Mr. Cohen, quite incredulously,
+one of my colleagues asked you regarding the television deal,
+you expressed wonderment that your predicament could possibly
+get you on television. It certainly got you on television
+today, has it not, sir?
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, I was on television representing Mr. Trump
+going back into 2011.
+ Mr. Higgins. Well, I didn't know who you were until today,
+really. Until the FBI raided your home, most of America didn't
+know who you were.
+ How many attorneys do you think Mr. Trump has had through
+the course of his career? Quite a few, I would imagine. You're
+just one that's in a trap right now. And I understand you're
+trying to get out of it. You're in a bind.
+ But I ask you, good sir, have you discussed film and book
+deals with your stated current attorney, Mr. Davis, Lanny
+Davis?
+ Mr. Cohen. With Mr. Davis?
+ Mr. Higgins. Yes.
+ Mr. Cohen. No. But I have been approached by many people
+who are looking to do book deals, movie deals, and so on. So
+the answer to that is yes.
+ Mr. Higgins. This is your right as an American. But it
+leads me back to my instinct that compares you to many of the
+men that I have arrested during the course of my career.
+ Mr. Cohen. With all due respect, sir----
+ Mr. Higgins. Mr. Chairman, I ask that our primary hearing
+to introduce the Oversight Committee, the 116th Congress, to
+the American people, has manifested in the way that it
+obviously is. This is an attempt to injure our President, lay
+some sort of soft cornerstone for future impeachment
+proceedings. This is the full intent of the majority.
+ I yield my remaining 30 seconds to the ranking member.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Cohen, earlier you said the United States
+Southern District of New York is not accurate in that
+statement.
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry. Say that again.
+ Mr. Jordan. Earlier you said that the United States
+Southern District of New York Attorney's Office, that statement
+is not accurate. You said it's not a lie. You said it's not
+accurate. Do you stand by that?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, I did not want a role in the new
+administration.
+ Mr. Jordan. So the court's wrong?
+ Mr. Cohen. Sir, can I finish, please?
+ Mr. Jordan. Sure.
+ Mr. Cohen. I got exactly the role that I wanted. There is
+no shame in being personal attorney to the President. I got
+exactly what I wanted. I asked Mr. Trump for that job, and he
+gave it to me.
+ Mr. Jordan. All I'm asking, if I could--and I appreciate
+it, Mr. Chairman -- you're saying that statement from the
+Southern District of New York attorneys is wrong.
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm saying I didn't write it, and it's not
+accurate.
+ Mr. Jordan. All right. Thank you.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Welch.
+ Mr. Welch. Thank you.
+ One of the most significant events in the last Presidential
+campaign, of course, was the dump of emails stolen from the
+Democratic National Committee, dumped by WikiLeaks.
+ Mr. Cohen, during your opening statement, which was at the
+height of the election, you testified you were actually meeting
+with Donald Trump in July 2016 when Roger Stone happened to
+call and tell Mr. Trump that he had just spoken to Julian
+Assange. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That is correct.
+ Mr. Welch. All right. And you said that Mr. Assange told
+Mr. Trump about an upcoming--quoting your opening statement--
+quote, ``massive dump of emails that would damage Hillary
+Clinton's campaign.''
+ So I want to ask you about Roger Stone's phone call to the
+President.
+ First of all, was that on Speakerphone? Is that what you
+indicated?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes. So Mr. Trump has a black Speakerphone that
+sits on his desk. He uses it quite often because with all the
+number of phone calls he gets.
+ Mr. Welch. All right. Now, in January of this year, 2019,
+the New York Times asked President Trump if he ever spoke to
+Roger Stone about these stolen emails, and President Trump
+answered, and I quote, ``No, I didn't. I never did.''
+ Was that statement by President Trump true?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, it's not accurate.
+ Mr. Welch. And can you please describe for us, to the best
+of your recollection, you were present, exactly what Mr. Stone
+said to Mr. Trump?
+ Mr. Cohen. It was a short conversation, and he said, Mr.
+Trump, I just want to let you know that I just got off the
+phone with Julian Assange, and in a couple of days there's
+going to be a massive dump of emails that's going to severely
+hurt the Clinton campaign.
+ Mr. Welch. And was Mr. Trump and Mr. Stone aware of where
+those emails came from?
+ Mr. Cohen. That, I'm not aware of.
+ Mr. Welch. Did Mr. Trump ever suggest then or later to call
+the FBI to report this breach?
+ Mr. Cohen. He never expressed that to me.
+ Mr. Welch. Did the President at that time or ever since, in
+your knowledge, indicate an awareness that this conduct was
+wrong?
+ Mr. Cohen. No.
+ Mr. Welch. The reason I ask is because on July 22, on the
+eve of the Democratic convention, WikiLeaks published, as you
+know, the 20,000 leaked internal DNC emails.
+ Could your meeting with Mr. Trump have been before that
+date?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Welch. So Mr. Trump was aware of the upcoming dump
+before it actually happened?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Welch. And is there any recollection----
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir, I don't know whether he knew or not,
+and I don't believe he did, what the sum and substance of the
+dump was going to be, only that there was going to be a dump of
+emails.
+ Mr. Welch. And he was aware of that before the dump
+occurred, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, sir.
+ Mr. Welch. All right. And are there any records that would
+corroborate the day of this meeting? Calendars, perhaps.
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not in possession. But I believe, again,
+this is part of the special counsel. And they are probably best
+suited to corroborate that information.
+ Mr. Welch. Was anyone else present in the room during the
+call?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't recall for this one, no, sir.
+ Mr. Welch. Is there anyone else the committee should talk
+to about the President's knowledge of the WikiLeaks email dump?
+ Mr. Cohen. Oh, again, when he called, Rhona Graff yelled
+out to Mr. Trump, Roger's on line 1, which was regular
+practice.
+ Mr. Welch. And that's his assistant?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's his -- yes.
+ Mr. Welch. All right. And during a news conference on July
+27, 2016, then candidate Trump publicly appealed to Russia to
+hack Hillary Clinton's emails and make them public. He stated,
+and I quote, ``Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able
+to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.''
+ Now, going back to Mr. Stone's phone call to the President,
+do you recall if Mr. Trump had knowledge of the WikiLeaks dump
+at the time of his direct appeal to Russia?
+ Mr. Cohen. I am not.
+ Mr. Welch. But the call with Mr. Stone, you believe, was
+before----
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Welch [continuing]. this 27th----
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes. I'm sorry. I thought you were talking about
+a different set of documents that got dumped.
+ So I was in Mr. Trump's office. It was either July 18th or
+19th. And, yes, he went ahead. I don't know if the 35,000--or
+30,000 emails was what he was referring to, but he certainly
+had knowledge.
+ Mr. Welch. All right. Thank you.
+ Just one last question.
+ Mr. Raskin had been asking you some questions. And one of
+the things in your answer was that Mr. Pecker expended other
+moneys to protect Mr. Trump.
+ Can you elaborate on what some of those other activities
+were?
+ Mr. Cohen. Sure. There was the story about Mr. Trump having
+a love child with an employee--with an employee. And, actually,
+the husband of that employee works for the company as well. And
+there was an elevator operator who claims that he overheard the
+conversation taking place between one of Mr. Trump's other
+executives and somebody. And he ended up paying like $15,000 in
+order to buy that story to find out whether it was true or not.
+ And that's just one example of things that David had done
+over the years. It was the reason why, in the recording, when
+David was looking to become the CEO of Time magazine, we were
+concerned about--we'll call it the treasure trove of documents
+that had been created over the years that, if he left, somebody
+could open up the key to a drawer and find all this
+information. So we were going to look to buy all of those life
+rights and so on.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ Mr. Norman.
+ Mr. Norman. Mr. Cohen, thank you for testifying. I join
+Congressman Higgins in feeling for your family. They have no
+part in this.
+ You know, I've heard all the testimony, and I'm trying to
+decide what Clay is trying to decide. Are you really sorry for
+what you did or you just got caught?
+ And the thing that amazed me is that in your opening
+statement--which, let me quote, ``Last fall I pled guilty in
+Federal court to felonies for the benefit of, at the direction
+of, and in coordination with Individual 1.'' Was that the
+President?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, sir.
+ Mr. Norman. OK. Your crimes were of your own to benefit
+yourself. Go through----
+ Mr. Cohen. Some of them, yes.
+ Mr. Norman. No. Go through all the ones with the real
+estate, with the banks. On your HELOC loan, you failed to
+disclose more than $20 million in debt. You failed to disclose
+$70,000 in monthly payments. On your $14 million line of
+credit, you failed to disclose that you had drawn on that.
+ So this was all for yourself. This wasn't for the benefit
+of President Trump. This was to benefit Michael Cohen. So
+that's my question. Did you just get caught?
+ And you worked for this man for 10 years, Mr. Cohen. You
+came in here with these -- with these -- he's a conman. He's a
+cheat.
+ This is the very man that -- didn't you wiretap him
+illegally? Did you not wiretap President Trump without his
+knowledge?
+ Mr. Cohen. I did record Mr. Trump in a conversation, yes.
+ Mr. Norman. Is that lawyer-client privilege? Is that
+something that an honest guy would do, an honest lawyer?
+ Mr. Cohen. I actually never thought that this was going to
+be happening and that that recording even existed. I had
+forgotten.
+ Mr. Norman. But you did it.
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, I did.
+ Mr. Norman. Have you ever----
+ Mr. Cohen. I had a reason for doing it.
+ Mr. Norman. What was your reason?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because I knew he wasn't going to pay that
+money. And David Pecker had already chewed me out on multiple
+occasions regarding other moneys that he expended.
+ Mr. Norman. But this is a man that you trusted, you'd take
+a bullet for, you secretly recorded.
+ Let me ask you this, Mr. Cohen. Have you done--have you
+legally or illegally recorded other clients?
+ Mr. Cohen. I have recordings of people, yes.
+ Mr. Norman. Legally or illegally?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe that they're legal.
+ Mr. Norman. Did you tell him?
+ Mr. Cohen. In New York State you don't have to do that.
+ Mr. Norman. So you did didn't tell him?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, I did not.
+ Mr. Norman. OK.
+ Mr. Cohen. Sometimes I also used the recordings for
+contemporaneous notetaking instead of writing it down. I find
+it easier.
+ Mr. Norman. If the shoe were reversed, would you like your
+trusted lawyer recording you?
+ Mr. Cohen. I probably would not, no.
+ Mr. Norman. No, sir. It's untrustworthy. It's something
+people just would not do.
+ Now, your bank loans that I just ran down, did you ever
+default on any of those loans?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir.
+ Mr. Norman. So the bank didn't take any loss?
+ Mr. Cohen. No bank has -- I am not in default. I have never
+filed a bankruptcy. The HELOC you're referring to, I replaced
+that from a different HELOC, paid it off. There is--I owe no
+banks any money.
+ Mr. Norman. How about your medallion taxicab. Did they--did
+you have to sell that?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm still -- well, the ones in Chicago, yes, I
+do have to sell. However, New York, the answer is no, I don't.
+And they are--the industry is going through a major, major
+correction because of ride sharing. It's changed a lot of
+things.
+ Mr. Norman. The value of it has.
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, sir.
+ Mr. Norman. Right.
+ Has the -- so no bank -- would the banks make you a loan
+again based on your record?
+ Mr. Cohen. Actually, they did. They did post the -- yes,
+the bank actually redid, and they refinanced the entire
+package----
+ Mr. Norman. Currently?
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. post this, yes.
+ Mr. Norman. OK. Have they never had to do loan loss reserve
+for the projected losses?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know what they did. But it's still the
+same amount. I didn't get the benefit of it, no, sir.
+ Mr. Norman. Most likely they did. I was on an audit
+committee.
+ Mr. Cohen. They may have -- they may have done that, sir.
+But that's for their own banking, not for me.
+ Mr. Norman. No, it's by law. They have to -- if they
+suspect you of lying, which you admitted to, if they suspect
+you of maybe not being able to make a loan payment, they have
+to have a loan loss reserve that's 125 percent of what you --
+if it's $20 million, they have to post in their account $20
+million plus. So they get no interest on it.
+ You know who pays for that? The American public who deals
+with that bank.
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, but, sir, I'm not in default. And I'm
+current on each and every one of those medallion loans. And
+I've never owed any money to First Republic Bank. In fact, at
+the time that I had the HELOC, I had more cash sitting in that
+same bank than----
+ Mr. Norman. OK. Last question. I'm out of time.
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. than the HELOC and my mortgage
+combined.
+ Mr. Norman. Have you ever been to Prague?
+ Mr. Cohen. I've never been to Prague.
+ Mr. Norman. Never have?
+ Mr. Cohen. I've never been to the Czech Republic.
+ Mr. Norman. Yield the balance of my time.
+ Chairman Cummings. Ms. Speier.
+ Ms. Speier. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ And thank you, Mr. Cohen.
+ On page five of your statement, you say, and I quote, ``You
+need to know that Mr. Trump's personal lawyers reviewed and
+edited my statement to Congress about the timing of the Moscow
+Tower negotiations.''
+ Who were those attorneys?
+ Mr. Cohen. Jay Sekulow -- from the White House?
+ Ms. Speier. Yes.
+ Mr. Cohen. Jay Sekulow. I believe Abbe Lowell as well.
+ Ms. Speier. And do you have a copy of your original
+statement that you can provide to the committee?
+ Mr. Cohen. I can try to get that for you.
+ Ms. Speier. All right. If you would do that.
+ The letter of intent for the Moscow tower was in the fall
+of 2015, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Correct.
+ Ms. Speier. Was there an expiration date on that letter of
+intent?
+ Mr. Cohen. There was no expiration date.
+ Ms. Speier. So it could technically still be in effect
+today?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, it's been terminated.
+ Ms. Speier. It has been terminated?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, ma'am.
+ Ms. Speier. OK. Did Mr. Trump tell you to offer Vladimir
+Putin a free penthouse?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, ma'am. That was----
+ Ms. Speier. So where did that come from?
+ Mr. Cohen. That was Felix Sater. It was a marketing stunt
+that he spoke about.
+ Ms. Speier. So Felix Sater had suggested to you that Mr.
+Trump offer a penthouse to Mr. Putin.
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, because it would certainly drive up the
+price per square foot. No different than in any condo where
+they start listing celebrities that live in the property.
+ Ms. Speier. In 2016, did you travel to Europe?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Speier. Did you meet with persons associated with the
+Moscow tower project?
+ Mr. Cohen. No.
+ Ms. Speier. It was for personal or----
+ Mr. Cohen. Personal. My daughter was studying at Queen Mary
+in London.
+ Ms. Speier. So you did not meet with any Russians?
+ Mr. Cohen. No.
+ Ms. Speier. There is an elevator tape that has been
+referenced as a catch and kill product. It was evidently of Mr.
+Trump and a woman, presumably Mrs. Trump. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Are we talking about in Moscow or the Trump
+Tower elevator tape?
+ Ms. Speier. There's an elevator tape that went up for
+auction----
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Speier [continuing]. ostensibly in 2016. Is that
+correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, I've heard about this.
+ Ms. Speier. And who is on that tape?
+ Mr. Cohen. It's Mr. Trump with Melania.
+ Ms. Speier. And what happened in that tape?
+ Mr. Cohen. The story goes that he struck Melania while in
+that elevator, because there's a camera inside, which I'm not
+so sure -- actually, I'm certain it's not true. I've heard
+about that tape for years. I've known four or five different
+people, including folks from AMI, who have----
+ Ms. Speier. So -- but there was some tape that went up for
+auction, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't believe that auction was real, and I
+don't believe anybody -- I don't believe Mr. Trump ever struck
+Mrs. Trump ever. I don't believe it.
+ Ms. Speier. And are you aware of anyone purchasing that
+tape, then?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't believe it was ever purchased.
+ Ms. Speier. So you never saw this tape?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, ma'am. And I know several people who went to
+go try to purchase it for catch and kill purpose. It doesn't
+exist. Mr. Trump would never--in my opinion, it's -- that's not
+something that he----
+ Ms. Speier. Good to know. Good to know.
+ Is there a love child?
+ Mr. Cohen. There is not, to my -- to the best of my
+knowledge.
+ Ms. Speier. So you would pay off someone to not report----
+ Mr. Cohen. It wasn't me, ma'am. It was AMI. It was David
+Pecker.
+ Ms. Speier. So he paid off someone about a love child that
+doesn't exist?
+ Mr. Cohen. Correct. It was about $15,000.
+ Ms. Speier. OK.
+ How many times did Mr. Trump ask you to threaten an
+individual or entity on his behalf?
+ Mr. Cohen. Quite a few times.
+ Ms. Speier. Fifty times?
+ Mr. Cohen. More?
+ Ms. Speier. A hundred times?
+ Mr. Cohen. More.
+ Ms. Speier. Two hundred times?
+ Mr. Cohen. More.
+ Ms. Speier. Five hundred times?
+ Mr. Cohen. Probably, over the -- over the 10 years.
+ Ms. Speier. Over the 10 years, he asked you----
+ Mr. Cohen. And when you say threaten, I'm talking with
+litigation or an argument with----
+ Ms. Speier. Intimidation?
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. a nasty reporter that has--is
+writing an article.
+ Ms. Speier. What do you know about--let's go to your tapes.
+You said there's probably 100 tapes?
+ Mr. Cohen. Voice recordings.
+ Ms. Speier. Voice recordings. And will you make them
+available to the committee?
+ Mr. Cohen. If you would really like them.
+ Chairman Cummings. We would.
+ Ms. Speier. Did Mr. Trump----
+ Mr. Cohen. Don't you have to gavel that, sir?
+ Sorry.
+ Chairman Cummings. We would.
+ Ms. Speier. Did Mr. Trump tape any conversations?
+ Mr. Cohen. Not that I'm aware of, no.
+ Ms. Speier. Were you involved in the $25 million settlement
+to Trump University?
+ Mr. Cohen. I had a role in that, yes.
+ Ms. Speier. Who paid the settlement?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe it was Mr. Trump. I don't know the
+answer to that.
+ Ms. Speier. You don't know the answer, but you were
+involved in the----
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, in a different aspect.
+ Ms. Speier. There's some reference to a businessman in
+Kansas being involved in that. Are you familiar with that?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not familiar with that, no.
+ Ms. Speier. All right. Finally, in my 13 seconds left, what
+do you want your children to know?
+ Mr. Cohen. That I am sorry for everything, and I am sorry
+for the pain that I've caused them, and I wish I can go back in
+time.
+ Ms. Speier. Thank you. I yield back.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentlelady's time has expired.
+ To the members of the committee, before we go to Ms.
+Miller, for your--so that you can plan--properly plan, there's
+a vote apparently coming up in about 10 to 20 minutes. And what
+we will do is we will recess, and we will come back -- listen
+up -- 30 minutes after the last vote begins. Got that? Not it
+ends, 30 minutes after it begins. And we'll do that promptly.
+All right?
+ All right. Mrs. Miller.
+ Mrs. Miller. I am very disappointed to have you in front of
+this committee today. Quite frankly, this isn't the reason the
+people of West Virginia sent me to Congress. I find this
+hearing not in the best interest of the American people. This
+is another political game with the sole purpose of discrediting
+the President.
+ If it was not already obvious, there are members here with
+the singular goal in Congress to impeach President Trump. To
+achieve this goal, they will waste not only precious taxpayer
+dollars, but also time in this committee and Congress as a
+whole. In fact, they will go so far as to bring a convicted
+felon in front of our committee.
+ We are supposed to take what you say, Mr. Cohen, at this
+time about President Trump as the truth. But you're about to go
+to prison for lying. How can we believe anything you say? The
+answer is we can't.
+ This begs the question, why are those in the majority
+holding this hearing?
+ I am appalled. We could be focused on actual issues that
+are facing America, like border security, neonatal abstinence
+syndrome, or improving our Nation's crumbling infrastructure.
+Instead, the Democrats are trying to grasp at straws.
+ Let's talk about this witness. From his sentencing hearing
+in the Southern District of New York, Judge Pauley stated,
+``Mr. Cohen pled guilty to a veritable smorgasbord of
+fraudulent conduct: Willful tax evasion, making false
+statements to a financial institution, illegal campaign
+contributions, and making false statements to Congress. Each of
+the crimes involved deception, and each appears to have been
+motivated by personal greed and ambition.''
+ This is who we have in front of us today in our committee,
+someone who is about to be sent to prison for three years for
+evading his taxes, deceiving a financial institution, lying to
+Congress, among other counts.
+ One of the most appalling facts about this hearing is that
+Mr. Cohen has used his experiences with President Trump, both
+before and after he was elected, for his own greed and profit.
+ I'd like some yes-or-no answers.
+ Isn't it true you tried to sell a book about your time with
+President Trump entitled ``Trump Revolution: From the Tower to
+the White House, Understanding Donald J. Trump''?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes. That happened early on when I was still
+even part, I believe, of the RNC.
+ Mrs. Miller. And this book deal, which you had with Hatchet
+Books, was worth around $500,000. Isn't that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, more, ma'am.
+ Mrs. Miller. How much more?
+ Mr. Cohen. I think it was about 750.
+ Mrs. Miller. Wow.
+ Mr. Cohen. I did turn it down.
+ Mrs. Miller. Mr. Cohen, given that you continue to profit
+publicly discussing your time with Mr. Trump, I worry that this
+committee hearing the majority has given you will only serve as
+a platform for you to continue to lie and sensationalize and
+exaggerate wherever it suits you.
+ Do you plan to pursue another book deal about your
+experiences?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mrs. Miller. I would presume this book would be a little
+different than your latest pitch. But your new angle might
+please some new fans. Anything to sell books.
+ Mr. Chairman, we've canceled hearings on child separation
+and on other issues that are close to my heart for this media
+circus. What a waste of time and money for a man who has gladly
+exploited the name of the President to promote his own name and
+fill his own pockets. It pains me that we are sitting here
+adding another chapter to his book.
+ Thank you. And I yield the remainder of my time to Mr.
+Jordan.
+ Mr. Jordan. I thank the gentlelady for yielding.
+ Earlier, Mr. Cohen, the gentlelady from California talked
+about this tape.
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, sir. I can't hear you.
+ Mr. Jordan. Earlier the gentlelady from California talked
+about this tape, this elevator tape, that you said does not
+exist.
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct. I do not believe it exists.
+ Mr. Jordan. But is it also your testimony that the Trump
+team was willing to pay to make sure a story about a
+nonexistent tape never became public?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir, that's not what -- that's not what I
+said.
+ Mr. Jordan. They were willing to stop a false tape?
+ Mr. Cohen. We looked--we learned that this tape was
+potentially on the market and that it existed. And so what we
+did is exactly what we did with all the other catch and kill.
+We looked for it. And if, in fact, that it did exist, we would
+have tried to stop it. That's what I would have done.
+ Mr. Jordan. It's a false tape. Is it not?
+ Mr. Cohen. But it's a false tape. I've never----
+ Mr. Jordan. Got it.
+ Mr. Cohen [continuing]. heard it. And I can assure you one
+thing about Mr. Trump. Many things, he would never ever do
+something like that. I don't see it.
+ Chairman Cummings. Ms. Kelly.
+ Ms. Kelly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
+ Mr. Cohen, I'd like to ask you more about the details of
+the $130,000 payment you made to Stephanie Clifford, the adult
+film actress known as Stormy Daniels, in order to purchase her
+silence shortly before the 2016 election.
+ First, according to documents filed by Federal prosecutors
+in New York, you created a shell company called Essential
+Consultants, LLC. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. It's correct.
+ Ms. Kelly. And you created this company for the purpose of
+making the payment to Ms. Clifford. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Amongst other things, yes.
+ Ms. Kelly. You then used a home equity line of credit to
+fund the account in the name of Essential Consultants, LLC. Is
+that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Ms. Kelly. You then wired $130,000 to the attorney
+representing Ms. Clifford at that time and wrote in the memo
+field for the wire the word, quote, ``retainer.'' Is that
+correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Correct.
+ Ms. Kelly. Can you tell us why you decided to use this
+complicated process to make this payment?
+ Mr. Cohen. Well, starting an LLC is not a sophisticated
+means. LLC, you call up a company, you pay for it, and they
+open it for you.
+ And the reason that I used the home equity line of credit
+as opposed to cash that I had in the same exact bank was I
+didn't want my wife to know about it, because she handles all
+of the banking. And I didn't want her coming to me and asking
+me what was the $130,000 for.
+ And then I was going to be able to move money from one
+account to the other and to pay it off, because I didn't want
+to have to explain to her what that payment was about.
+ I sent it to the IOLA account, the interest on a lawyer's
+account, to Keith Davidson in California, Ms. Daniel's
+attorney. He would hold it in escrow until such time as I
+received the executed NDA, nondisclosure agreement.
+ Ms. Kelly. Did Mr. Trump know you were going through this
+process to hide the payment?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Kelly. Why not just use Mr. Trump's personal or company
+bank account to make the payment? Why was the distraction so
+important beside you not wanting your wife to know?
+ Mr. Cohen. What his concern was was that there would be a
+check that has his very distinct signature onto it. And even
+after she cashed the check, all you need to do is make a
+photocopy of it and it's kind of proof positive on exactly what
+took place.
+ So here the goal was to keep him far away from it as
+possible.
+ Ms. Kelly. Can anyone corroborate what you have shared with
+us?
+ Mr. Cohen. Absolutely.
+ Ms. Kelly. And that is?
+ Mr. Cohen. Keith Davidson, Allen Weisselberg, President
+Trump.
+ Ms. Kelly. OK. Now, let's talk about the reimbursement.
+ According to Federal prosecutors, and I quote, ``After the
+election, Cohen sought reimbursement for election-related
+expenses, including the $130,000 payment.'' Prosecutors stated
+that you, and I quote, ``presented an executive of the company
+with a copy of a bank statement reflecting the $130,000 wire
+transfer.'' Is that accurate?
+ Mr. Cohen. That is accurate.
+ Ms. Kelly. Do you still have a copy of that bank statement?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes. It's actually made part of the exhibit.
+ Ms. Kelly. So you will provide it to the committee?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, ma'am.
+ Ms. Kelly. According to Federal prosecutors, executives at
+the company then, and I quote, ``agreed to reimburse Cohen by
+adding $130,000 and $50,000, grossing up that amount to
+$360,000 for tax purposes, and adding a $60,000 bonus such that
+Cohen would be paid $420,000 in total. Executives of the
+company decided to pay the $420,000 in monthly installments at
+$35,000 over the course of a year.'' Is that accurate?
+ Mr. Cohen. That is accurate.
+ Ms. Kelly. What was the purpose of grossing up the amount,
+essentially doubling what you had paid to Ms. Clifford and
+others?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because if you pay $130,000 and you live in New
+York where you have a 50 percent tax bracket, in order to get
+you 130 back, you have to have 260. Otherwise, if he gave me
+back 130, I would only -- then I'd be out 65,000.
+ Ms. Kelly. What was the purpose of spreading the
+reimbursements to you over the 12 monthly installments?
+ Mr. Cohen. That was in order to hide what the payment was.
+I obviously wanted the money in one shot. I would have
+preferred it that way. But in order to be able to put it onto
+the books, Allen Weisselberg made the decision that it should
+be paid over the 12 months so that it would look like a
+retainer.
+ Ms. Kelly. And did Mr. Trump know about this reimbursement
+method?
+ Mr. Cohen. Oh, he knew about everything, yes.
+ Ms. Kelly. Well, thank you, Mr. Cohen.
+ So the President not only knew about the payments, he knew
+and helped to hide the payments and the reimbursements to you.
+ Mr. Cohen. We discussed it. Everything had to go through
+Mr. Trump, and it had to be approved by Mr. Trump.
+ Ms. Kelly. And now you're going to prison and he's----
+ Mr. Cohen. And I'm going to prison, yes, ma'am.
+ Ms. Kelly. I yield back.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Armstrong.
+ Mr. Armstrong. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Ms. Kelly. Yes, I yield my time.
+ Mr. Armstrong. Earlier you had said -- I'm assuming New
+York a one-party consent state. One person can record the other
+one without it being illegal?
+ Mr. Cohen. Correct.
+ Mr. Armstrong. But you also were a member of the New York
+Bar?
+ Mr. Cohen. I was, yes.
+ Mr. Armstrong. How would you rate recording clients in the
+ethical realm of being a lawyer?
+ Mr. Cohen. It's not illegal, and I do----
+ Mr. Armstrong. I'm not asking if it's illegal. I'm asking
+if it's ethical.
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know.
+ Mr. Armstrong. OK.
+ Mr. Cohen. That we'd have to leave to the judgment of the
+Bar Association.
+ Mr. Armstrong. Well, I think every other lawyer in here
+knows exactly where it is on the ethical standard.
+ When you said you had 100 tapes, were any of those tapes of
+other clients?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Armstrong. And I think this is pretty amazing. I really
+do. Did any of them waive privilege?
+ Mr. Cohen. No.
+ Mr. Armstrong. So five minutes ago, in the middle of our
+hearing on oversight, you just immediately responded that you
+would hand over tapes to this committee without any of your
+previous clients' waiving privilege.
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not the only one in possession of those
+documents. Those documents are in the hands of all----
+ Mr. Armstrong. Whoever else is in charge of those documents
+is not my concern. My concern is, I know lawyers that would go
+to jail before they would violate attorney-client privilege.
+And in a matter of a second, you just said, absolutely, I will
+turn those over.
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm just trying to cooperate, sir.
+ Mr. Armstrong. At the expense of clients who have never
+waived privilege.
+ Mr. Cohen. They're already in the hands, sir, of all of the
+agencies. I didn't ask people----
+ Mr. Armstrong. What law enforcement determines to do with
+something and what you determine to do with something, the
+client privilege and attorney trust accounts are about the two
+most sacred things that you can ever do in your entire career
+as a lawyer.
+ Mr. Cohen. And, by the way, sir----
+ Mr. Armstrong. And in a matter of a second you completely--
+--
+ Mr. Cohen. And by the way, sir, and the tape with Mr.
+Trump, the reason that it is out there is because Rudy Giuliani
+waived the privilege.
+ Mr. Armstrong. I'm not talking about Rudy Giuliani. I'm
+talking about you. I don't know who's on those tapes. Only you
+know who's on those tapes. There's 100 of them.
+ Mr. Cohen. The other one is also subject to an ongoing----
+ Mr. Armstrong. My point is, within a matter of a second,
+one second, you took no, absolutely no calculation of your role
+as those clients' counselor, the role that plays in privacy,
+and in the role that plays in the solemn vow you took when you
+passed the bar, when you signed onto the bar, until recently
+were a member of the bar, and you just immediately said, if it
+helps me out today in front of TV, yes, absolutely, Mr.
+Chairman, you can have that. And that just goes into what we're
+going to talk about next briefly.
+ We talk about these indictments on tax fraud and bank fraud
+as if they are isolated incidents. But they're not isolated
+incidents of bad judgment. These were intricate, elaborate lies
+that created--that needed to be held with constant--I mean,
+just constant deceptions of banks, businesses, associates,
+accountants, potentially your family.
+ You received over 2.4 million in personal loans from taxi
+company--taxi medallion company one. And those were loan
+payments for a business loan, correct.
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir.
+ Mr. Armstrong. You weren't receiving----
+ Mr. Cohen. Those----
+ Mr. Armstrong. OK. Go ahead.
+ Mr. Cohen. Those were payments that were made by the
+management company that was operating the medallions.
+ Mr. Armstrong. To you.
+ Mr. Cohen. To me.
+ Mr. Armstrong. So and you -- those were deposited into your
+personal account or, in some instances, your wife's account.
+ Mr. Cohen. It was deposited into the joint checking account
+of my wife and I that's located at the base of the building
+that we reside in.
+ Mr. Armstrong. And were those disclosed on your tax
+returns?
+ Mr. Cohen. They are not--they were not disclosed on my tax
+returns.
+ Mr. Armstrong. And, in fact, when your accountant talked to
+you about those deposits, you told him you wouldn't pay for a
+memo that you didn't ask to be done?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's inaccurate.
+ Mr. Armstrong. So the sentencing court in New York has it
+wrong?
+ Mr. Cohen. OK. I don't know what Mr. Getzel wrote, my
+accountant. There are a series of issues regarding his memo,
+anyway, including the fact that he's almost directed me in an
+earlier memo to commit fraud.
+ But putting all that aside with Jeff Getzel, the answer to
+that is I pled guilty. All right? And I made my mistake, and
+I'm going, as I've said 100 times now.
+ I'm not so sure why this singular attack on my taxes. If
+you want to look at them, I'm more than happy to show them to
+you. But every single word that's been written about me----
+ Mr. Armstrong. If the chairman will give me 20 minutes,
+I've got plenty of other things to talk about.
+ Mr. Cohen. Every single word that's written about me is not
+100 percent accurate.
+ Mr. Armstrong. All right. I'm going to reclaim my time.
+ Mr. Cohen. And that's exactly why, when it comes to the
+credibility, why I asked Mr. Davis and Mr. Monaco to please
+let's figure out how to----
+ Mr. Armstrong. But that's my point with the credibility.
+These aren't isolated--there are not isolated incidents of
+attack. These were constant deceptions, whether it's rolling
+over a $20 million line of credit to a $14 million credit, you
+went through great lengths to conceal that from one bank while
+at the same time you are reducing your net income to another
+bank.
+ These aren't things that happened on January 1 of 1918,
+January 1 of 1917, January 1 of 1915. These are things that
+were constantly involved on a--my question is, was it
+exhausting keeping track of all the lies that you were telling
+all these people?
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ You may----
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't have an answer for him.
+ Chairman Cummings. Very well.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier.
+ Mr. Cohen. Thank you for continuing the narrative.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Mr. Cohen. Good luck on your road to redemption.
+ Mr. Cohen. Thank you. It's going to be a long way.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. Well, the opposite of that is perdition, as
+I remember, and that's particularly hard on your children. So I
+wish you well and I wish your family well.
+ Mr. Cohen, as you've sort of described your road to here,
+Mr. Cooper asked you when the moment was, or moments, when you
+decided you needed to change. It strikes me there is a
+transition that you have illuminated here. Your period of time,
+the 10 years working for somebody who you admired as a
+developer. And then when Charlottesville happened and, quite
+frankly, when the special counsel called you in, obviously, was
+a key part of it, or you wouldn't be here.
+ But the in-between part I find really interesting and
+troubling, at least in terms of appearances and confidence that
+the American people would have in this institution and
+democracy, quite frankly.
+ So during that period of time, I want to ask you about two
+specific, if we have enough time.
+ First, the Trump Tower. So you were negotiating for this.
+As you said, it was to be the tallest building in Europe. In
+your guilty plea with the special counsel, you quote, say, it
+quotes, ``Cohen asked Individual 1" -- is that President Trump?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. OK. ``--about the possibility of President
+Trump traveling to Russia in connection with the Moscow project
+and asked a senior campaign official about potential business
+travel to Russia.''
+ When did this conversation happen? Do you recall?
+ Mr. Cohen. Early on in the campaign.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. And who was the campaign official?
+ Mr. Cohen. Corey Lewandowski.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. What did you discuss in this meeting?
+ Mr. Cohen. The possibility of which dates that Mr. Trump
+would have availability if, in fact, that we were going to go
+over to Russia to take a look at the project. Unfortunately --
+I'm sorry, sir?
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. So go ahead. Sorry.
+ Mr. Cohen. Unfortunately, it never came to fruition because
+we were never successful in getting the first prong of what I
+needed, which was ownership or control over a piece of
+property. And until such time, there was no reason to come up
+with a date.
+ But when I first received the information request to go to
+Russia what I decided to do is I spoke to Mr. Trump about it.
+He told me to speak to Corey and see what dates might be
+available if I got the information I needed.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. So it stopped because of appearances, or
+did it stop because the parties decided not to pursue it?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm so sorry, I don't understand your question.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. So why did the pursuit of the Trump Tower
+that Mr. Trump has now said, of course, he pursued it, because
+he thought he might be going back into the development
+business, why was the reason that the deal stopped?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because he won the Presidency.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. OK. So in that interim period of time, you
+must admit it looks troubling that now that we know what
+foreign influence was attempting to do, whether there was
+collusion or not, it certainly appears troubling that you were
+-- Mr. Trump was part of this negotiation at the same time,
+what we know, perhaps separately, that the Russians were
+engaged in our election.
+ Mr. Cohen. Well, I don't know about them being engaged in
+the election. I can only talk for myself. Here I would say to
+Mr. Trump, in response to his question, ``What's going on with
+Russia?'' is I'm still waiting for documents. And then that
+night at a rally, he would turn around and do his battle cry of
+no Russia, no collusion, no involvement, witch hunt.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. OK. On a separate subject but somewhat
+related, on January 17 of this year The Wall Street Journal
+published a story stating that your hired John Gauger, the
+owner of a consulting company who works for Liberty University
+in Virginia, to rig at least two online polls related to Donald
+Trump.
+ Did you hire him?
+ Mr. Cohen. Those were back in, I believe, 2015?
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. 2014.
+ Mr. Cohen. 2014.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. 2014. So you did hire him?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, I spoke with Mr. Gauger about manipulating
+these online polls.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. And did he use bots to manipulate the poll?
+ Mr. Cohen. He used algorithms. And if that includes bots,
+then the answer is yes.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. Yes, that's accurate.
+ Did the President have any involvement?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. In directing you to do this?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. What were the results of the poll?
+ Mr. Cohen. Exactly where we wanted them to be. In the CNBC
+poll we came in at No. 9. And the Drudge Report, he was top of
+the Drudge Report as well, poll.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. OK.
+ Mr. Cohen. Please understand also, the CNBC poll, it was
+called The Contenders, and it was the top 250 people that they
+named. And it was supposed to be the top ten most influential
+people.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. Let me just finish with earlier today you
+directed a comment to my colleagues, and I'm quoting, so
+correct me if I got this wrong. You said: The more people who
+follow Mr. Trump, the more people will be where I am.
+ Is it your expectation that people in the administration
+will end up where you are?
+ Mr. Cohen. Sadly, if they follow blindly, like I have, I
+think the answer is yes.
+ Mr. DeSaulnier. Thank you.
+ Mr. Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ Mr. Steube.
+ Mr. Steube. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ When I ran for Congress I talked about how Washington was
+broken, but I certainly did not expect the level of political
+gamesmanship, partisanship, and sheer stagnation of policies
+that would improve the lives of Americans that I'm witnessing
+today.
+ It is terribly disappointing to me that this committee and
+its chairman chose to spend our time in questioning an
+individual that has zero probative value and zero credibility
+instead of spending our limited time focusing on improving the
+lives of Americans, creating jobs, or streamlining the
+functioning of our Federal Government.
+ Yet here we are taking testimony from a convicted liar, and
+not someone who has just lied to his clients or family or
+friends, but testimony from an individual who deliberately and
+premeditatedly lied to this body. He lied to Congress through
+false statements and written statements. He lied to Congress
+through his testimony. He then amplified his false statements
+by releasing and repeating his lies to the public, including
+the other potential witnesses.
+ Yet now we on this committee and the American people are
+expected to believe Mr. Cohen's testimony. I don't know a juror
+in America that would believe anything Mr. Cohen says given his
+past actions and lies.
+ Mr. Cohen, you stood before multiple congressional
+committees before today and raised your right hand and swore an
+oath to be honest. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That is correct.
+ Mr. Steube. And you lied to those congressional committees.
+Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Previously?
+ Mr. Steube. Correct.
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, sir.
+ Mr. Steube. You stated that Trump never directed you to lie
+to Congress. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Mr. Steube. Therefore, you lied to Congress on your own
+accord and then admitted to lying to Congress, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. I have already stated my piece on that. I knew
+what he wanted me to do. I was staying on party line.
+ Mr. Steube. But he never directed you to lie to Congress?
+ Mr. Cohen. He did not use those words, no.
+ Mr. Steube. In your evidence that you provided this
+committee a mere 2 hours before the hearing started were
+payments paid made to you by Mr. Trump, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Amongst other things, yes.
+ Mr. Steube. Yet other than your testimony here today
+there's absolutely no proof that those specific payments were
+for those specific purposes. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. It's my testimony that the check that I produced
+as part of this testimony, the $35,000 and then the second
+check that's signed by Allen Weisselberg and Don Trump, Jr.,
+were 2 checks out of the 11 that were meant for the
+reimbursement of the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels.
+ Mr. Steube. So in your testimony, on page 13, you claim,
+and I quote, ``Mr. Trump directed me to use my own personal
+funds from a home equity line of credit to avoid any money
+being tracked back to him that could negatively impact his
+campaign.'' Do you have any proof of this direction?
+ Mr. Cohen. Just the payment, sir.
+ Mr. Steube. So no email?
+ Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump doesn't have email.
+ Mr. Steube. So no recording?
+ Mr. Cohen. I do not have recordings, no.
+ Mr. Steube. No text message?
+ Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump doesn't text message.
+ Mr. Steube. So no direction other than your testimony today
+that that's what the payment was for?
+ Mr. Cohen. And the fact that I paid on his behalf, at his
+direction, the money to Keith Davidson's IOLA account. You're
+right, there's no other documentation I have.
+ Mr. Steube. So nothing that you produced as part of your
+exhibits proved that President Trump directed you in any way to
+make that payment?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't even know how to answer that, sir.
+ Mr. Steube. Well, it's pretty simple. There's nothing in
+the evidence that shows, in the exhibits that you provided
+today, that show that Trump directed you to make those
+payments.
+ Mr. Cohen. Other than the nondisclosure agreement that has
+been seized by government authorities and is widely shown. I
+don't believe there's anybody out there that believes that I
+just decided to pay $130,000 on his behalf.
+ Mr. Steube. Well, you were his attorney for over 10 years.
+ Mr. Cohen. That doesn't mean that I'd pay $130,00.
+ Mr. Steube. Well, it doesn't also mean that he wasn't
+paying you for representation of counsel.
+ Mr. Cohen. OK.
+ Mr. Steube. How did President Trump even know you had a
+HELOC?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm so sorry, sir?
+ Mr. Steube. How did President Trump even know had you a
+HELOC?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because we discussed it. Because I told him the
+same thing, that I didn't want my wife to find out about it.
+ And one additional. Rudy Giuliani himself came out and
+expressed that Mr. Trump reimbursed me for the money that was
+spent to pay Stormy Daniels.
+ Mr. Steube. And did you tell Chris Cuomo that you had no
+access to Mr. Trump during October and November 2016?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, I don't know what you're referring
+to.
+ Mr. Steube. Your interview with Chris Cuomo.
+ Mr. Cohen. I would need to see the document.
+ Mr. Steube. Did you also tell Chris Cuomo that you made
+these payments without telling Mr. Trump because you wanted to
+protect Mr. Trump?
+ Mr. Cohen. And I was protecting Mr. Trump.
+ Mr. Steube. And you told him that you made these payments
+without telling him?
+ Mr. Cohen. When I said that--if that's what I said to Chris
+Cuomo, yes, that was my line.
+ Mr. Steube. And if this unsupported claim was true then it
+would be part of an ongoing investigation as evidence of a
+crime and the Department of Justice would not let you discuss
+it during your testimony here today. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentleman's time has expired.
+ Did you answer?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, I did want to say one last thing.
+ Not only did I lie to the American people, I lied to the
+First Lady, when the President called me and I was sitting in a
+car with a friend of mine and he had me speak to her and
+explain to the First Lady.
+ So the answer is you're not accurate, and I don't feel good
+about any of this, and this was not my intention.
+ Sorry.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mrs. Lawrence.
+ Mrs. Lawrence. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ I just want to put on the record, as being a Black American
+and having endured the public comments of racism from the
+sitting President, as being a Black person, I can only imagine
+what's being said in private. And to prop up one member of our
+entire race of Black people and say that that nullifies that is
+totally insulting. And in this environment of expecting a
+President to be inclusive and to look at his administration
+speaks volumes.
+ So I have some questions. I want to talk to you about this
+intimidation of witness. Mr. Cohen, you were initially
+scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee on
+February the 7th, but your legal team delayed your testimony,
+quoting ongoing threats against your family from the President
+and attorney Giuliani. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, ma'am.
+ Mrs. Lawrence. And then, on November 29, after you admitted
+that the President's negotiations over a real estate project in
+Russia continued well through the summer before the 2016
+election, President Trump called you, quote, ``a weak person''
+and accused you of lying.
+ And then, on December 16, 2018, after you disclosed that it
+was the President who directed you to arrange hush money
+payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal to conceal his
+extramarital affairs, he called you, the President of the
+United States, a rat.
+ Mr. Cohen, why do you feel or believe that the President is
+repeatedly attacking you? You are stating that you feel
+intimidated, asking us to protect you, following your
+cooperation with law enforcement.
+ Mr. Cohen. When you have access to 60-plus million people
+that follow you on social media and you have the ability within
+which to spark some action by individuals that follow him, and
+from his own words that he can walk down Fifth Avenue, shoot
+someone, and get away with it, it's never comfortable when the
+President of the United States----
+ Mrs. Lawrence. What do you think he can do to you?
+ Mr. Cohen. A lot. And it is not just him. It's those people
+that follow him and his rhetoric.
+ Mrs. Lawrence. What is a lot?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know. I don't walk with my wife if we go
+to a restaurant or we go somewhere, I don't walk with my
+children, I make them go before me, because I have fear. And it
+is the same fear that I had before when he initially decided to
+drop that tweet in my cell phone.
+ I receive some, and I'm sure you'll understand, I receive
+some tweets, I receive some Facebook Messenger, all sorts of
+social media attacks upon me, whether it's to private direct
+message, that I have had to turn over to Secret Service,
+because they are the most vile, disgusting statements that
+anyone can ever receive. And when it starts to affect your
+children, that's when it really affects you.
+ Mrs. Lawrence. On January 20, 2019, Mr. Giuliani called
+your father-in-law, quote, ``a criminal'' and said that he may
+have ties to organized crime.
+ Mr. Cohen, do you believe that the President and Mr.
+Giuliani publicly targeted your father-in-law as an effort to
+intimidate you? Can you elaborate, why is your father-in-law
+being pulled into this?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know the answer to that. My father-in-
+law was in the clothing business, came to this country because
+in 1972-73 the expulsion of Jews from the Ukraine. He came here
+to this country. He worked hard, and he is now enjoying his
+retirement.
+ Never in my life did I think that Mr. Trump would do
+something so disgraceful, and he is attacking him because he
+knows I care about my family. And to hurt me, he is trying to
+hurt them.
+ Interestingly enough, my father-in-law's biggest
+investments happen to be in a Trump property. So it just
+doesn't make any sense to me.
+ Mrs. Lawrence. I want to be clear, any efforts to prevent a
+witness from testifying in front of Congress is against the
+law. I want to be real clear about that. And as the chairman
+has said, retaliating against witnesses and threatening their
+family and members is a textbook mob tactic that does not
+benefit the President of the United States or this country.
+ And I want to be on the record, this hearing is not about
+discrediting the President. It is about the oath of office that
+we take as Members of Congress to have checks and balances and
+to meet the laws and the policies of this country to serve.
+ Thank you, and I yield back.
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Roy.
+ Mr. Roy. Mr. Cohen, I, too, want to offer my heartfelt
+thoughts for your family and what they're going through. I know
+it's tough. And for your time here today. I know it's tough for
+you to stand here in front of this committee.
+ The chairman suggested you volunteered to come here. You
+testified that you were asked to come here. Is it correct you
+were asked to come here, yes or no?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Roy. The combined total of the crimes for which you
+were sentenced would bring a maximum of 70 years, yes or no?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Roy. Yet you are going to prison for three years, yes
+or no?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Roy. The prosecutors of the Southern District of New
+York say: To secure loans, Cohen falsely understated the amount
+of debt he was carrying and omitted information from his
+personal financial statements to induce a bank to lend on
+incomplete information. You told my colleague here today that
+you did not committee bank fraud.
+ Not parsing different statutes, which I understand could be
+only for clarify, are you or are you not guilty of making false
+statements to a financial institution, yes or no?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, I pled guilty.
+ Mr. Roy. You said clearly to Mr. Cloud and Mr. Jordan that
+the Southern District of New York lawyers were being untruthful
+in characterizing your desire to work in the administration. Do
+you say again that the lawyers of the Southern District of New
+York are being untruthful in making that characterization, yes
+or no?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm saying that's not accurate.
+ Mr. Roy. OK. So you're saying they're being untruthful.
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not using the word untruthful, that's yours.
+I'm saying that that's not accurate. I did not want a role or a
+title in the administration.
+ Mr. Roy. I'm sure the lawyers----
+ Mr. Cohen. I got the title that I wanted.
+ Mr. Roy. I'm sure the lawyers at the SDNY appreciate that
+distinction.
+ Question, you testified today you have never been to Prague
+and have never been to the Czech Republic. Do you stand behind
+that statement?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, I do.
+ Mr. Roy. I offer into the record an article in known
+conservative news magazine Mother Jones by David Corn in which
+he says he reviewed his notes from a phone call with Mr. Cohen,
+and Mr. Cohen said, quote, ``I haven't been to Prague in 14
+years. I was in Prague for one afternoon 14 years ago,'' end
+quote.
+ Question, you, as my friend Mr. Armstrong rightly inquired,
+offered to the committee taped information involving clients
+with the bat of an eye. Do you stand behind that, yes or no?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, I don't understand. You said it so
+fast.
+ Mr. Roy. You, as my friend Mr. Armstrong rightly inquired,
+offered to this committee taped information involving your
+clients with the bat of an eye. Do you stand behind that offer?
+ Mr. Cohen. If the chairman asks me, I'll take it under
+advisement now, and it is not a problem in terms of attorney-
+client privilege, yes, I will turn it over.
+ Mr. Roy. You, as my friend Mr. Meadows pointed out, misled
+this committee even today in a written submission that
+contradicted your testimony. You have suggested you are going
+to review that. Are you going to review it in our next break to
+correct the record, yes or no?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Roy. Question, you helped out the President's campaign
+or were involved in the campaign as a representative, as a
+spokesman, even in your words today. It was your idea for the
+campaign dating back to 2011. Is that accurate, yes or no?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Roy. 2011 is a year that sticks in my head, for it's
+the year my daughter was born, and it was the year I was
+diagnosed with cancer. I was not then pushing for Donald Trump
+to be President. I was fighting cancer.
+ Even in 2016, I was publicly backing a certain Republican
+from Texas. Some might guess who it was. But you, you were all
+in. And you either wanted Donald Trump to be your President
+because it would be good for the country or you did it for your
+own personal advancement or both. Sort of the two options.
+ Real Americans in my district and across the country wanted
+the President to be President not in any way because he's
+perfect, but rather because they are sick and tired of this
+hellhole. They supported the President because they are sick
+and tired of the games that we are seeing here today. They are
+sick and tired of politicians who refuse to secure the border,
+balance our budget, restore healthcare freedom, and then get
+the hell out of their way so they can lead their life. They are
+mystified that we amass about $100 million of debt per hour,
+which means we have blown through $300, $400, $450 million
+during this charade in amassing debt--$450 million. They're
+sick and tired of a Democrat Party that willfully ignores
+cartel-driven asylum crisis on our border that endangers
+American citizens and the migrants who seek to come here.
+ Just yesterday in Eagle Pass, Texas, Border Patrol agents
+arrested an MS-13 gang member. In McAllen, Texas, Federal
+authorities are offering a reward for a man tied to Mexico's
+Gulf Cartel for his alleged roles in various murders,
+kidnappings, and home invasions in south Texas. A mass Honduran
+migrant rush at the Texas border forced brief closure of the
+Laredo port.
+ This is this week. This is what we're ignoring. This is not
+what we are doing for the American people while we engage in
+this charade. This is not what the American people send us here
+to do. This is an embarrassment for our country.
+ I talked to my beautiful wife back in Dripping Springs,
+Texas, just before the hearing. I said, ``Don't bother
+watching.'' She said, as I roughly expected, ``Don't worry, I
+won't. I have more important things to do.'' And she, like the
+rest of the American people, have a hell of a lot more
+important things to do than to watch this. I said, ``Amen,
+darling.''
+ I can't help but think that that is what the majority of
+the American people are thinking while watching this
+unbelievable circus.
+ I yield back.
+ Chairman Cummings. Ms. Plaskett.
+ Ms. Plaskett. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ I have got a lot to do, as well. I have got houses and
+schools to help rebuild in the Virgin Islands, expansion of
+voting rights, educational opportunities, criminal justice
+reform. Thank God the Democratic majority can walk and chew gum
+at the same time. So we're here with you right now.
+ Mr. Cohen, you learned well in the 10 years that you worked
+with Donald Trump. What was your position with the GOP in the
+-- up to eight months ago?
+ Mr. Cohen. I was vice chair of the RNC Finance Committee.
+ Ms. Plaskett. You were vice chair of finance of the
+Republican National Committee, right?
+ Mr. Cohen. Correct.
+ Ms. Plaskett. OK.
+ Mr. Cohen. I do want to say, I was a Democrat until Steve
+Wynn found out I was a Democrat and made me switch parties.
+ Ms. Plaskett. That would be the smart thing to do.
+ Mr. Cohen. He said it wasn't right for a Democrat to be the
+vice chair.
+ Ms. Plaskett. Good. Let's get to--I only have a little bit
+of time.
+ On behalf of the many Members here who have expressed to
+your family our apologies to your family, but I want to
+apologize for the inappropriate comments and tweets that have
+been made by other Members of this body. And as a former
+prosecutor and as former counsel on House Ethics, I think that
+at the very least there should be a referral to the Ethics
+Committee of witness intimidation or tampering under U.S.C.
+1512 of my colleague Matt Gaetz, and it may be possibly him
+being referred for a criminal prosecution. So I want to put
+that on the record.
+ On May 2, 2018, the President's personal attorney, Rudy
+Giuliani, who was his personal attorney like you, appeared on
+FOX News and referred to the President's reimbursement to you
+for the $130,000 payment for Stephanie Clifford as part of a
+retainer.
+ And on May 3, 2018, one day after Mr. Giuliani's
+appearance, the President tweeted, and I quote, ``Mr. Cohen, an
+attorney, received a monthly retainer not from the campaign and
+having nothing to do with the campaign, from which he entered
+into through reimbursement a private contract between two
+parties known as a nondisclosure agreement or NDA.''
+ The Office of Government Ethics, which is the agency which
+the Federal Government with responsibility over what the
+President needs to report publicly about his assets, was
+puzzled by this, it seems, and they were skeptical that a
+retainer was actually in place and asked to see the retainer
+agreement on call of May 8 with the President.
+ The President's personal counsel, Sheri Dillon, replied
+that she would, and I quote, ``not permit OGE staff to read the
+agreement because it is privileged.'' Ms. Dillon would not even
+let OGE staff come to her office to review the retainer
+agreement.
+ Mr. Cohen, in a court filing made in August of last year
+Federal prosecutors stated that, quote, ``In truth and in fact,
+there was no such retainer agreement.'' Mr. Cohen, did you ever
+have a retainer agreement in place with the President for the
+payment to Ms. Clifford?
+ Mr. Cohen. No.
+ Ms. Plaskett. So was Mr. Giuliani's statement inaccurate?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Plaskett. Was Ms. Dillon's statement about the retainer
+agreement inaccurate?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm sorry, Ms. Dillon's statement is?
+ Ms. Plaskett. About the retainer agreement, is it
+inaccurate?
+ Mr. Cohen. And her statement is what?
+ Ms. Plaskett. And her statement to them was, quote, ``not
+to permit OGE staff to read the agreement because it is
+privileged.''
+ Mr. Cohen. There was no agreement.
+ Ms. Plaskett. And is the President's tweet or his statement
+accurate?
+ Mr. Cohen. And I'm sorry, one more time?
+ Ms. Plaskett. And his statement was, Mr. Cohen, an
+attorney, received a monthly retainer not from the campaign and
+having nothing to do with the campaign from which he entered
+into through a reimbursement.
+ Mr. Cohen. That's not accurate.
+ Ms. Plaskett. You have mentioned some individuals to my
+colleague from New York, Mr. Connolly, and also in your
+testimony about Mr. Weisselberg and other individuals, Ms.
+Rhona. Who are those individuals? Are they with The Trump
+Organization?
+ Mr. Cohen. They are.
+ Ms. Plaskett. Are there other people that we should be
+meeting with?
+ Mr. Cohen. So Allen Weisselberg is the chief financial
+officer in The Trump Organization.
+ Ms. Plaskett. You've got to quickly give us as many names
+as we can so we can get to them.
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, ma'am.
+ Ms. Plaskett. Is Ms. Rhona, what is Ms. Rhona's----
+ Mr. Cohen. Rhona Graff is the--Mr. Trump's executive
+assistant.
+ Ms. Plaskett. And would she be able to corroborate many of
+the statements that you have made here?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes. She was--her office is directly next to
+his, and she's involved in a lot that went on.
+ Ms. Plaskett. OK. Mr. Cohen, when the President's lawyers
+were having the discussions with the Office of Government
+Ethics in 2018 did they reach out to you to talk with you about
+these payments?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, ma'am.
+ Ms. Plaskett. And what did you--did you share anything with
+them otherwise in any other conversation?
+ Mr. Cohen. I do not recall, no.
+ Ms. Plaskett. Can the committee obtain more information
+about these facts by obtaining testimony and documents from the
+White House, The Trump Organization, and the President's
+attorneys?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe so.
+ Ms. Plaskett. Mr. Chair, I think that those are the
+individuals that we should be speaking with. And I yield back
+at this time.
+ Chairman Cummings. The committee will now stand in recess
+again. We will come back -- listen up -- 35 minutes, 35 minutes
+after the last vote begins.
+ So for Mr. Cohen, Mr. Cohen, we are talking about probably
+about an hour or so.
+ Mr. Cohen. Thank you so much.
+ [Recess.]
+ Chairman Cummings. Ladies and gentlemen, we will come to
+order.
+ Mr. Cohen, I want to finalize this issue relating to your
+truth in testimony form. The form requires you to list your
+contracts or payments originating from a foreign government,
+not from all foreign entities.
+ We said we would give you a chance to consult with your
+attorneys. Have you done that, and do you have any additional
+information?
+ Mr. Cohen. So my four attorneys continue to believe, as
+they did before, that the language of the truth in testimony
+form, which I was given and signed just right before this
+hearing and which requires disclosure of any contracts or
+payments from foreign governments in the last two years, did
+not apply to my work for BTA Bank, which is a Kazakh-owned
+entity.
+ They advised that had entities been intended for disclosure
+that word would have been in the disclosure definition.
+However, if the committee's counsel has a different view, that
+I should disclose my contract with BTA Bank, we'd be willing to
+do that.
+ Chairman Cummings. All right. Now----
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman?
+ Chairman Cummings. Let me finish.
+ Mr. Meadows. Sure.
+ Chairman Cummings. I want to understand clearly. You sought
+the advice of your counsel. Is that right?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Chairman Cummings. And your counsel advised you to say what
+you just said. Is that right?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Chairman Cummings. And you know that to be the truth. Is
+that right?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, sir.
+ Chairman Cummings. I will yield to the gentleman from North
+Carolina.
+ Mr. Meadows. I thank the chairman for his courtesy.
+ Mr. Chairman, instead of making points of order and going
+back and forth on this, perhaps a way to solve this is for the
+chairman to request Mr. Cohen give to this committee all the
+foreign payments that he has received over the last two years,
+whether they're an entity or a government. Because we have a
+strong belief, Mr. Chairman, there's over $900,000 that came
+from the Government of Kazakhstan on behalf of Mr. Cohen, and
+it is either the truth, the whole truth, or nothing but the
+truth.
+ And the rules, Mr. Chairman, really look at foreign
+payments that come from or with foreign governments. And the
+bank he is talking about is owned 81 percent by the Kazakhstan
+Government.
+ Chairman Cummings. Reclaiming my time, reclaiming my time,
+and then we're going to move on.
+ What I will take -- first of all, let me be clear, I said
+to Mr. Cohen that if he came in here and lied I would nail him
+to the cross.
+ Didn't I, did I tell you that?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, you did more than once.
+ Chairman Cummings. All right. So if there's any ambiguity I
+want that to be cleared up.
+ I have no problem in working with you to make sure that's
+straightened out, because I don't want it to be a thing where
+he thinks one thing, we think one thing. And we can clear that
+up, all right?
+ All right. We have a number of members that have been
+waiting.
+ Mr. Jordan. But just on that subject -- thank you, Mr.
+Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. I yield.
+ Mr. Jordan. I don't think we should limit to just it the
+BTA Bank which has the affiliation with Kazakhstan. I think we
+should also look at Korea Aerospace Industries, one of his
+other clients, and any other client that's foreign that may
+have some connection to that respective country's government. I
+hope him and his attorneys look at all those and we get the
+form exactly right as Mr. Meadows wants.
+ Chairman Cummings. Reclaiming my time. We will take that
+certainly under advisement. I am a man of my word. We will do--
+we will work with you and see what we can do to come up with
+that. I don't think that it's an unreasonable request.
+ Mr. Khanna. Hello? Mr. Khanna.
+ Mr. Khanna. Yes.
+ Mr. Cohen, I want to focus my questions on the smoking gun
+document you have provided this committee. This document is
+compelling evidence of Federal and State crimes, including
+financial fraud.
+ You provided this committee with a check from President
+Donald J. Trump's revocable trust account, which is marked as
+exhibit 5B. It is a check for $35,000, and it is dated March
+17, 2017, after the President took office. It is right now on
+the screen. Do you see it, sir?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, sir.
+ Mr. Khanna. To be clear, the Trump revocable trust is the
+trust the President set up to hold his assets after he became
+President. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe so.
+ Mr. Khanna. Do you know why you were paid from the trust as
+opposed to the President's personal account?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know the answer to that.
+ Mr. Khanna. Did you think it was odd that he paid you once
+from his personal account and then he's paying you through the
+scheme of a trust?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'll be honest, I was just happy to get the
+check.
+ Mr. Khanna. Today you testified that the check was signed
+by Donald Trump, Jr., and The Trump Organization CFO, Allen
+Weisselberg. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That is correct.
+ Mr. Khanna. According to the criminal charges against you,
+you sent monthly invoices containing false information to an
+individual identified as executive one. Weisselberg is
+Executive 1, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Khanna. The criminal charge against you then states
+that Executive 1 forwarded your invoice to someone referred to
+as Executive 2. Presumably Donald Trump, Jr., who is signing
+this check, is Executive 2, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe so.
+ Mr. Khanna. As Federal prosecutors laid out in their
+criminal charges, payments like this check resulted in numerous
+false statements in the books and records of The Trump
+Organization. And it's important for the American public to
+understand there's nothing to do with collusion, this is
+financial fraud, garden variety financial fraud. It was
+disguised as a payment for legal services to you, but this was
+not a payment for legal services, was it, Mr. Cohen?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, sir.
+ Mr. Khanna. It could give rise to serious State and Federal
+criminal liability if a corporation is cooking its books.
+ Based on your testimony today, Donald Trump, Jr., and Allen
+Weisselberg directed this payment to you and approved this
+payment. Is that right?
+ Mr. Cohen. Mr. Trump initially acknowledged the obligation,
+the debt. Myself and Allen Weisselberg went back to his office,
+and I was instructed by Allen at the time that we were going to
+do this over 12 installments. And what he decided to do then
+was to have me send an invoice, in which case they can have a
+check cut. And then, yes, the answer would be yes to your
+followup.
+ Mr. Khanna. And Donald Trump, Jr., obviously signed off on
+this?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes. Well, it would either be Eric Trump, Donald
+Trump, Jr., and/or Allen Weisselberg, but always Allen
+Weisselberg on the check.
+ Mr. Khanna. And you think Executive 2 is Donald Trump, Jr.?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Khanna. They knew that this payment was false and
+illegal, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. I can't make that conclusion.
+ Mr. Khanna. You told Representative Kelly that the
+President was aware of this scheme. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Mr. Khanna. I just want the American public to understand
+the explosive nature of your testimony and this document. Are
+you telling us, Mr. Cohen, that the President directed
+transpection in conspiracy with Allen Weisselberg and his son,
+Donald Trump, Jr., as part of a civil -- criminal -- as part of
+a criminal conspiracy of financial fraud? Is that your
+testimony today?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Khanna. And do you know if this criminal financial
+scheme that the President, Allen Weisselberg, and Donald Trump,
+Jr., are involved in is being investigated by the Southern
+District of New York?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'd rather not discuss that question because it
+could be part of an investigation that's currently ongoing.
+ Mr. Khanna. But I just want the American public to
+understand that solely apart from Bob Mueller's investigation
+there is garden variety financial fraud, and your allegation
+and the explosive smoking gun document suggests that the
+President, his son, and his CFO may be involved in a criminal
+conspiracy. And isn't it true, Mr. Cohen, that this criminal
+conspiracy that involves four people, that there's only one
+person so far who has suffered the repercussions, and that's
+why you're in jail?
+ Mr. Cohen. Will be going to jail, yes.
+ Mr. Khanna. There are three other people, though, who were
+equally involved in this conspiracy.
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Mr. Khanna. Is that true?
+ Mr. Cohen. It is true.
+ Mr. Khanna. Thank you, Mr. Cohen.
+ I yield back my time.
+ Chairman Cummings. Thank you very much.
+ Mr. Gomez.
+ Mr. Gomez. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
+ Mr. Cohen, I'm going to tackle the President's tax returns.
+ During the 2016 campaign you said you personally wouldn't,
+quote, ``allow him to release those returns until the audits
+are over,'' unquote.
+ For the record, nothing prevents individuals from sharing
+their own tax returns even while under audit by the IRS. Mr.
+Cohen, do you know whether President Trump's tax returns were
+really under audit by the IRS in 2016?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know the answer. I asked for a copy of
+the audit so that I could use it in terms of my statements to
+the press, and I was never able to obtain one.
+ Mr. Gomez. OK. So do you have any inside knowledge about
+what was in the President's tax returns that he refused to
+release?
+ Mr. Cohen. I do not.
+ Mr. Gomez. Can you give us any insight into what the real
+reason is that the President has refused to release his tax
+returns?
+ Mr. Cohen. The statements that he had said to me is that
+what he didn't want was to have an entire group of think tanks
+that are tax experts run through his tax return and start
+ripping it to pieces and then he'll end up in an audit and
+he'll ultimately have taxable consequences, penalties, and so
+on.
+ Mr. Gomez. So that's an interesting point, that basically
+he said he didn't want to release his tax returns because he
+might end up in an audit. So could you presume from that
+statement that he wasn't under audit?
+ Mr. Cohen. I presume that he is not under audit.
+ Mr. Gomez. And the reason why I bring this up, because I'm
+also the only Democrat on this committee that also serves on
+the Committee of Ways and Means. That's the chief tax-writing
+committee in the House of Representatives, and it is the only
+committee in the House of Representatives that has jurisdiction
+to request an American's tax return, and that includes the
+President of the United States.
+ My constituents need to know whether the President has
+financial ties that are causing him to protect his own bottom
+line rather than the best interests of this country. Can he be
+blackmailed because of his financial and business ventures,
+including by a foreign government?
+ And I know the opposition, the first thing they're going to
+ask or say is that he released his financial disclosure form.
+But I believe that there's other things we can learn from his
+taxes.
+ Do you have any idea what we can learn in his tax returns
+if we actually--we got our hands on them?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, I have actually--I have seen them, I just
+have never gone through them. They're quite long.
+ Mr. Gomez. Quite long.
+ One of the things I also find ironic is the way they're
+kind of attacking you is to undermine your credibility is--one
+of the ways--is by saying that you committed bank fraud and tax
+evasion. And the reason why it is a big deal is that it really
+goes down to a person's character when it comes to taxes. But
+yet, the Republican minority has never asked to see his taxes,
+right? Something that for 40 years, Democrats and Republicans
+alike, have released their tax returns to prove to the American
+people that they didn't have financial interests that would be
+leverageable by a foreign government, but this minority refuses
+to ask for his tax returns.
+ I also want to kind of go on. I'm noticing a pattern, I'm
+noticing a pattern about the President and those in his inner
+circle. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team has indicted or
+received guilty pleas from 34 people and three companies that
+we know of, the latest being long-term Trump adviser Roger
+Stone. That group includes six former Trump advisers.
+ It appears that the President has a fondness for entrusting
+those who will, one, lie for him, two, break the law for him,
+three, cheat the system for him. Essentially he wants to
+surround himself with people who are just like him. Would you
+agree with that statement?
+ Mr. Cohen. From the facts and circumstances, it appears so.
+ Mr. Gomez. Mr. Cohen, the American people have a lot of
+questions when it comes to this President and his conduct, when
+he went to Helsinki and he bowed before Vladimir Putin, and
+nobody can really understand why he acts the way he acts. And
+we believe that the way we get those answers is really looking
+at everybody that surrounds him, who he has been associated
+with, and his tax returns, because that is the only way that we
+can get down to the bottom line.
+ Thank you, and I yield back.
+ Chairman Cummings. Thank you.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman? Mr. Chairman, I have a unanimous
+consent request.
+ Chairman Cummings. All right. Go ahead.
+ Mr. Meadows. I ask unanimous consent that we read into--or
+for the record a tweet from Dr. Darrell Scott, which says,
+``Michael Cohen asked, no, begged me repeatedly, to ask POTUS
+to give him a job in the administration. He is still lying
+under oath.'' I ask unanimous consent.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection.
+ [The information referred to follows:]
+ [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
+
+ Mr. Meadows. I have one more from Bo Dietl: ``Getting sick
+watching these hearings. I know Michael Cohen personally for
+many years and he told me several times that he was very angry
+and upset that he didn't get a post in the White House and that
+he,'' quote, ``'would do what he has to do now to protect his
+family,' '' close quote. I ask that be----
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection.
+ [The information referred to follows:]
+ [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
+
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Chairman?
+ Mr. Meadows. I thank you.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Chairman, two quick ones.
+ Chairman Cummings. And then, if we have got other ones,
+we're going to do you, Mr. Ranking Member, and then we'll do
+the other ones they send, because I have things, too, that I
+want to get in.
+ Mr. Jordan. I ask unanimous consent that an article in
+Salon magazines written by Stanley Brand, former House counsel
+to Tip O'Neill, title of the article is, ``Oversight committee
+session with Michael Cohen looks like an illegitimate show
+hearing.''
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+
+ [The article referenced above is available at: https://
+theconversation.com/oversight-committee-session-with-michael-
+cohen-looks-like-an-illegitimate-show-hearing-112253 ,
+reprinted in Salon Magazine]
+
+ Mr. Jordan. I ask unanimous consent that a letter that Mr.
+Meadows and I sent to you, the chairman, requesting that you
+call Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to testify at this
+hearing also be part of the record. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. It is part of the record.
+ [The information referred to follows:]
+ [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
+
+ Mr. Cohen. Mr. Chairman, can I respond?
+ Chairman Cummings. Just one second, all right?
+ The article that Mr. Brand, I just want to deal with this
+one right away. When we saw that article, Mr. Ranking Member,
+we knew that it was inaccurate. I mean, just on basics, I mean,
+that the case is that Mr. Brand's views are definitely
+distinguishable for what's going on here.
+ And so we got Irvin B. Nathan, former general counsel of
+the House from 2007 to 2010, and he says in short, the
+committee has ample jurisdiction and responsibility to hear and
+consider the upcoming voluntary testimony of Mr. Cohen. That's
+dated February 25, 2019.
+ And I want to enter that into the record. Without
+objection, so ordered. Where are we?
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
+ Mr. Cohen, I would like to quickly pick up on some previous
+lines of questioning before getting into my own. So I may go a
+little quickly to get it all in in five minutes.
+ First, my colleague from Vermont had asked you several
+questions about AMI, the parent company of the National
+Enquirer, and in that you mentioned a treasure trove, a, quote,
+treasurer trove of documents in David Pecker's office relating
+to information assembled from all these catch and kill
+operations against people who potentially had damaging
+information on the President. You also mentioned that the
+President was very concerned about the whereabouts of these
+documents and who possessed them.
+ Does that treasure trove of documents still exist?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't know. I had asked David Pecker for them.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. So you would say the person who knows
+the whereabouts of these documents would be David Pecker?
+ Mr. Cohen. David Pecker, Barry Levine, or Dylan Howard.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. OK. Thank you.
+ Second, I want to ask a little bit about your conversation
+with my colleague from Missouri about asset inflation. To your
+knowledge, did the President ever provide inflated assets to an
+insurance company?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. Who else knows that the President did
+this?
+ Mr. Cohen. Allen Weisselberg, Ron Lieberman, and Matthew
+Calamari.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. And where would the committee find more
+information on this? Do you think we need to review his
+financial statements and his tax returns in order to compare
+them?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, and you would find it at The Trump Org.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. Thank you very much.
+ The last thing here. The Trump Golf organization currently
+has a golf course in my home borough of the Bronx, Trump Links.
+I drive past it every day going between The Bronx and Queens.
+In fact, The Washington Post reported on the Trump Links Bronx
+course in an article entitled ``Taxpayers Built This New York
+Golf Course and Trump Reaps the Rewards.''
+ That article is where many New Yorkers and people in the
+country learned that taxpayers spent $127 million to build
+Trump Links in a, quote, ``generous deal allowing President
+Trump to keep almost every dollar that flows in on a golf
+course built with public funds.'' And this doesn't seem to be
+the only time the President has benefited at the expense of the
+public.
+ Mr. Cohen, I want to ask you about your assertion that the
+President may have improperly devalued his assets to avoid
+paying taxes. According to an August 21, 2016, report by The
+Washington Post, while the President claimed in financial
+disclosure forms that Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter,
+Florida, was worth more than $50 million, he had reported
+otherwise to local tax authorities that the course was worth,
+quote, ``no more than $5 million.''
+ Mr. Cohen, do you know whether this specific report is
+accurate?
+ Mr. Cohen. It's identical to what he did at Trump National
+Golf Club at Briar Cliff Manor.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. To your knowledge, was the President
+interested in reducing his local real estate bills, tax bills?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. And how did he do that?
+ Mr. Cohen. What you do is you deflate the value of the
+asset, and then you put in a request to the tax department for
+a deduction.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. Thank you.
+ Now, in October 2018, The New York Times revealed that,
+quote, ``President Trump participated in dubious tax schemes
+during the 1990's, including instances of outright fraud that
+greatly increased the fortune he received from his parents.''
+It further stated for Mr. Trump, quote, ``He also helped
+formulate a strategy to undervalue his parents' real estate
+holdings by hundreds of millions of dollars on tax returns,
+sharply reducing his tax bill when those properties were
+transferred to him and his siblings.''
+ Mr. Cohen, do you know whether that specific report is
+accurate?
+ Mr. Cohen. I don't. I wasn't there in the 1990's.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. Who would know the answer to those
+questions?
+ Mr. Cohen. Allen Weisselberg.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. And would it help for the committee to
+obtain Federal and State tax returns from the President and his
+company to address that discrepancy?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe so.
+ Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. Thank you very much. I yield the rest of
+my time to the chair.
+ Chairman Cummings. Ms. Pressley.
+ Ms. Pressley. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ One more time, Mr. Chairman, I just want to thank you for
+your leadership and the way in which you comport yourself. And
+I know there are some that would have you believe that the more
+you say something the more true it is, but, in fact, this
+committee, thanks to your leadership and our Democratic
+majority, has been doing the work of the American people.
+Before this committee alone we looked at the issue of making
+election day a Federal holiday, reducing drug pricing, and
+pursued subpoenas to reunite families, and just recently,
+before we returned here, tried to pass a universal background
+check gun bill.
+ So we are doing the business of the American people,
+including today. It has been said that the best sunlight--
+sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants. Electric
+light is the most efficient policeman. Well, let there be
+light, because the point of oversight is for us to pursue the
+trust, to pursue the truth and justice for the American people,
+to understand if lies, deceit, and corruption are threatening
+American democracy and indeed our safety.
+ Mr. Chairman, charities should not be abused as personal
+piggy banks. It is both against the law and extremely unfair to
+charities that play by the rules. A line of questioning that we
+have not yet addressed and have been glaringly absent in
+tackling is that of the abuses of the Trump Foundation.
+ Now, the President's charitable foundation agreed to
+dissolve in response to an ongoing investigation and lawsuit by
+the New York attorney general. The New York attorney general
+found what it called, quote, ``clear and repeated violations of
+State and Federal law, including, quote, repeated and willful
+self-dealing by the Trump administration''--my apologies, by
+the foundation.
+ If I understand your opening statement correctly, in mid-
+2013 you arranged for a straw purchaser to bid $60,000 for a
+portrait of Mr. Trump painted by the artist William Quigley at
+a charity auction. Is that correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Ms. Pressley. Why would the President want to bid up the
+price of something that he was ultimately paying for?
+ Mr. Cohen. It was all about ego.
+ Ms. Pressley. How was it paid for?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe it was paid for by a check from the
+trust.
+ Ms. Pressley. An abuse. And again, you know, this is not a
+partisan pursuit here. I think ultimately what we're
+demonstrating is patriotism. This is about what is right and
+just for the American people.
+ Did the straw purchaser purchase the painting and then the
+foundation funds reimbursed the straw purchaser? Can you
+explain the mechanics of that payment?
+ Mr. Cohen. I'm not involved with the foundation.
+ Ms. Pressley. OK. Did the President know what was
+happening?
+ Mr. Cohen. Oh, yes.
+ Ms. Pressley. And how did you know he knew what was
+happening?
+ Mr. Cohen. Because he tasked me to find the straw bidder to
+ensure that his painting, which was going last in the auction,
+would go for the highest amount of any of the paintings that
+had been put on the auction block for the day.
+ Ms. Pressley. And what happened to the painting?
+ Mr. Cohen. I believe it's in one of the clubs.
+ Ms. Pressley. Okay.
+ According to the New York attorney general, in March 2014
+Mr. Trump again used the foundation to pay $10,000 for the
+winning bid on another portrait of Mr. Trump that ended up as
+decor in one of his golf courses in Miami.
+ Mr. Cohen, are you familiar with that transaction?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Pressley. Are you aware of any other instances where
+the Trump Foundation was used to benefit the Trump family?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Pressley. Could you elaborate?
+ Mr. Cohen. So there was a contract that I ended up creating
+on Mr. Trump's behalf for a Ukrainian oligarch by the name of
+Victor Pinchuk, and it was that Mr. Trump was asked to come and
+to participate in what was the Ukrainian-American economic
+forum.
+ Unfortunately, he wasn't able to go, but I was able to
+negotiate 15 minutes by Skype where they would have a camera,
+very much like the television camera, very much like that one,
+and they would translate Mr. Trump to the questioner and then
+he would respond back.
+ And I negotiated a fee of $150,000 for 15 minutes. I was
+directed by Mr. Trump to have the contract done in the name of
+the Donald J. Trump Foundation, as opposed to Donald J. Trump
+for services rendered.
+ Ms. Pressley. Thank you.
+ Any other abuses of the foundation that you would like to
+share? Again, it is against the law and again extremely unfair
+to charities that are playing by the rules.
+ Mr. Cohen. Not at this time, but if I think of one I'll
+pass it along.
+ Ms. Pressley. OK. And then for the balance of my time,
+would you agree that someone could deny rental units to African
+Americans, lead the birther movement, refer to the diaspora as
+shithole countries, and refer to White supremacists as fine
+people, have a Black friend, and still be racist?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Pressley. I agree.
+ Chairman Cummings. The gentlelady's time has expired. You
+may answer the question.
+ Mr. Cohen. I did. Yes.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman, I have two unanimous consent.
+Since we're finishing up, before we get done I want to go
+ahead.
+ Chairman Cummings. Okay. Just give me one second.
+ Mr. Meadows. Yes, sir.
+ Chairman Cummings. I wanted to get to Ms. Tlaib and then
+I'll come to you, OK? They have been waiting here all day.
+ Ms. Tlaib.
+ Ms. Tlaib. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Thank you, all of you, for centering this committee on our
+sole purpose, is exposing the truth. And some of my colleagues
+can't handle the truth, and this is unfortunate because it's
+the center of what is protecting our country right now.
+ The people at home are frustrated, Mr. Cohen, and they want
+criminal schemes to stop, especially those from the Oval
+Office.
+ Mr. Cohen, I am upset and know that my residents feel the
+same way that a man you worked for for the past 10 years is
+using the most powerful position in the world to hurt our
+country solely for personal gain. We are upset that some of our
+colleagues here are so disconnected of what it means to have
+this President of the United States sending checks to cover
+bribe payments, not hush payments, bribe payments you made on
+his behalf, one in 2017 of March and another August 2017 after
+he was sworn in as President.
+ They are upset that while my colleagues are trying to
+discredit your testimony by some of your own unlawful acts and
+lies, that they are disconnected with the fact that you were
+the personal lawyer for this President of the United States,
+that this President chose you as his legal counsel.
+ My stance has always been the same, Mr. Chairman, based on
+the facts, not on future reports that we're all waiting on. My
+residents back home don't need a collusion clause with a
+foreign government to know this President, Individual 1, has
+disregarded the law of the land, the United States
+Constitution, and that he has misused his pardon powers.
+ In the sentencing memo, Mr. Cohen, filed by the Federal
+prosecutors in New York in December of last year they stated,
+quote, ``In particular, and as Cohen himself has now admitted
+with respect to both payments, he acted in coordination with
+and at the direction of Individual 1.''
+ Mr. Cohen, as you know, to President Donald J. Trump brand
+comes first, not the American people. Based on what you know
+now, based on what we know now, is that Individual 1 used his
+money, businesses, and platform to enrich himself, his brand,
+and in the process directed you, Mr. Cohen to commit multiple
+felonies, and you covered it up, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. That's correct.
+ Ms. Tlaib. You called it protecting his brand, correct?
+ Mr. Cohen. And him, as well.
+ Ms. Tlaib. Mr. Cohen, with this, do you think the President
+of the United States is making decisions in the best interests
+of the American people?
+ Mr. Cohen. No, I don't.
+ Ms. Tlaib. Especially those you said that he used horrible
+words about, like African Americans, Muslim Americans, and
+immigrants?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes.
+ Ms. Tlaib. Just to make a note, Mr. Chairman, just because
+someone has a person of color, a Black person working for them,
+does not mean they aren't racist. And it is insensitive that
+some would even say -- the fact that someone would actually use
+a prop, a Black woman in this Chamber, in this committee, is
+alone racist in itself.
+ Donald Trump is setting a precedent----
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman, I ask that her words be taken
+down.
+ Ms. Tlaib. Donald Trump is setting a precedent -- I reclaim
+my time.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman----
+ Ms. Tlaib. Donald Trump is setting a precedent----
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman----
+ Ms. Tlaib [continuing]. that the highest office can be
+attained through illegal activity----
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman, the rules are clear.
+ Ms. Tlaib [continuing]. cover up, and hold on to business
+assets to break campaign finance laws and constitutional
+clauses.
+ What we have here, Mr. Chairman, is criminal conduct in the
+pursuit of the highest public office by Mr. Cohen and
+Individual 1. I hope that the gravity of this situation hits
+everyone in this body and in Congress and across this country.
+ Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield the rest of my time.
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman, I ask that her words, when she
+is referring to an individual Member of this body, be taken
+down and stricken from the record. I'm sure she didn't intend
+to do this. But if anyone knows my record as it relates, it
+should be you, Mr. Chairman.
+ Mr. Jordan. Mr. Chairman, I would like -- I want the words
+read back.
+ Chairman Cummings. No, no.
+ Mr. Jordan. We want to know exactly what she said about my
+colleague.
+ Chairman Cummings. Excuse me.
+ Would you like to rephrase that statement, Ms. Tlaib?
+ Ms. Tlaib. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I can actually read it
+from here.
+ Just to make a note, Mr. Chairman, that just because
+someone has a person of color, a Black person working for them,
+does not mean they aren't racist. And it is insensitive that
+someone would even say racist -- say it is racist in itself and
+to use a Black woman as a prop to prove it otherwise.
+ And I can submit this for the record. If a colleague is
+thinking that that's what I'm saying, I'm just saying that's
+what I believe to have happened. And as a person of color in
+this committee that's how I felt at that moment, and I wanted
+to express that.
+ But I am not calling the gentleman, Mr. Meadows, a racist
+for doing so. I'm saying that in itself it is a racist act.
+ Mr. Meadows. Well, I hope not, Mr. Chairman, because I need
+to be clear on this particular -- Mr. Chairman----
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Meadows, wait a minute.
+ Mr. Meadows. I have defended you of -- with false----
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Meadows, I'm the chair.
+ Mr. Meadows. Yes, sir, you are.
+ Chairman Cummings. Thank you. I will clear this up.
+ Now, Ms. Tlaib, is it--I want to make sure I understand.
+You did not -- you were not intending to call Mr. Meadows a
+racist. Is that right?
+ Ms. Tlaib. No, Mr. Chairman, I do not call Mr. Meadows a
+racist.
+ Chairman Cummings. Wait a minute. Hold on.
+ Ms. Tlaib. I am trying as a person of color, Mr. Chairman,
+just to express myself and how I felt at that moment. And so
+just for the record, that's what was my intention.
+ Chairman Cummings. All right.
+ Is that all right, Mr. Meadows?
+ Mr. Meadows. Mr. Chairman, there's nothing more personal to
+me than my relationship -- my nieces and nephews are people of
+color. Not many people know that. You know that, Mr. Chairman.
+And to indicate that I asked someone who is a personal friend
+of the Trump family, who has worked for him, who knows this
+particular individual, that she is coming in to be a prop? It
+is racist to suggest that I asked her to come in here for that
+reason.
+ Mr. President--the President's own person, she is a family
+member, she loves this family. She came in because she felt
+like the President of the United States was getting falsely
+accused.
+ And, Mr. Chairman, you and I have a personal relationship
+that's not based on color, and to even go down this direction
+is wrong, Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. First of all, I want to thank the
+gentleman for what you have stated. If there's anyone who is
+sensitive with regard to race it is me, son of former
+sharecroppers that were basically slaves. So I get it.
+ I listened very carefully to Ms. Tlaib, and I think, and I
+don't want--I'm not going to put words in her mouth, but I
+think she said that she was not calling you a racist. And I
+thought that we could clarify that.
+ Because, Mr. Meadows, you know, and of all the people on
+this committee I have said it and got in trouble for it, that
+you're one of my best friends. I know that shocks a lot of
+people.
+ Mr. Meadows. And likewise, Mr. Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. Yes. But you are. And I would--and I
+could see and feel your pain. I feel it. And so--and I don't
+think Ms. Tlaib intended to cause you that, that kind of pain
+and that kind of frustration.
+ Did you have a statement, Ms. Tlaib? I'm going to yield to
+you. We can just straighten this up.
+ Ms. Tlaib. No. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ And to my colleague, Mr. Meadows, that was not my
+intention, and I do apologize if that's what it sounded like.
+But I said someone in general. And as everybody knows in this
+Chamber, I'm pretty direct. So if I wanted to say that I would
+have, but that's not what I said.
+ And thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing me to clarify.
+ But again, I said someone. And again, I was not referring
+to you at all as a racist.
+ Mr. Meadows. Well, I thank the gentlewoman for her
+comments. I thank the chairman for working to clarify this, and
+I appreciate the chairman's intervening.
+ Chairman Cummings. Now, to the gentleman, first of all,
+thank you for allowing us to resolve that.
+ The gentleman had asked a little bit earlier----
+ Mr. Meadows. I will withdraw my request.
+ Chairman Cummings. Oh, you don't want to do the unanimous
+consent?
+ Mr. Meadows. I need the unanimous consent, but I think I
+need to officially withdraw my request that it be stricken from
+the record.
+ Chairman Cummings. OK, withdraw it. You did it?
+ Mr. Meadows. I did.
+ Chairman Cummings. All right. Sounds good.
+ Now I will recognize you for your unanimous consent. I
+think you want to put in the record some documents.
+ Mr. Meadows. Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ I ask unanimous consent that we put forth in the record the
+Vanity Fair article which indicates that Michael Cohen must be
+the most gifted consultant in America, outlining his insights
+into government healthcare and policy and real estate,
+suggesting that he is not--it is not a real company, just like
+he is not a lawyer.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+ [The information referred to follows:]
+
+ [The article referenced above is available at: https://
+www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/05/michael-cohen-must-be-the-most-
+gifted-consultant-in-america]
+
+ Mr. Meadows. Thank you.
+ I ask unanimous consent that the L.A. Times article of July
+16, 2018, actually be put in the record, which outlines the
+$1.2 million payment and their misgivings thereafter.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+
+ [The article referenced above is available at:https://
+www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-novartis-cohen-
+20180716-story.html.]
+
+ Chairman Cummings. Any other unanimous consent requests?
+ Mr.Hice.
+ Mr. Hice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ I ask unanimous consent to make the February 9, 2019,
+Washington Post profile of Michael Cohen, titled ``Michael
+Cohen's Secret Agenda,'' part of the record. This story shows
+Cohen to be a selfish manipulator who is all about himself. It
+even has a false anecdote about how he once claimed to deliver
+his own son, his own baby.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+ [The article may be found at:https://
+www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/politics/michael-cohens-
+secret-agenda-as-trumps-fixer/?utm--term=.b39beefbdfce ]
+
+ Mr. Hice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ I ask unanimous consent to make the May 9, 2018, Washington
+Post article, ``South Korean Firm Paid Michael Cohen $150,000
+as it Sought Contract from U.S. Government,'' as part of the
+record. The article reported Korea Aerospace Industries paid a
+shell company run by Cohen.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+ [The article may be found at: https://
+www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/south-korean-firm-paid-
+michael-cohen-150000-as-it-sought-contract-from-us-government/
+2018/05/09/0ae31788-53b7-11e8-abd8-265bd07a9859--
+story.html?utm--term=.f63ad297b92d.]
+ Mr. Hice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ I ask unanimous consent to make Michael Cohen's sentencing
+statement to the Southern District of New York part of the
+record. The statement establishes that Michael Cohen continues
+to falsely blame his crimes on blind loyalty to the President,
+but only Cohen is to blame for his many false statements to
+financial institutions and the IRS.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+ [The information referred to follows:]
+ Michael Cohen - Sentencing Statement
+
+ Thank you, your Honor.
+ I stand before your Honor humbly and painfully aware that we are
+here today for one reason: Because of my actions that I pied guilty to
+on August 21, and as well on November 29.
+ I take full responsibility for each act that I pied guilty to, the
+personal ones to me and those involving the President of the United
+States of America. Viktor Frankl in his book, "Man's Search for
+Meaning," he wrote, "There are forces beyond your control that can take
+away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose
+how you will respond to the situation."
+ Your Honor, this may seem hard to believe, but today is one of the
+most meaningful days of my life. The irony is today is the day I am
+getting my freedom back as you sit at the bench and you contemplate my
+fate.
+ I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever
+since the fateful day that I accepted the offer to work for a famous
+real estate mogul whose business acumen I truly admired. In fact, I now
+know that there is little to be admired. I want to be clear. I blame
+myself for the conduct which has brought me here today, and it was my
+own weakness, and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a
+path of darkness over light. It is for these reasons I chose to
+participate in the elicit act of the President rather than to listen to
+my own inner voice which should have warned me that the campaign
+finance violations that I later pied guilty to were insidious.
+ Recently, the President Tweeted a statement calling me weak, and he
+was correct, but for a much different reason than he was implying. It
+was because time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his
+dirty deeds rather than to listen to my own inner voice and my moral
+compass. My weakness can be characterized as a blind loyalty to Donald
+Trump, and I was weak for not having the strength to question and to
+refuse his demands. I have already spent years living a personal and
+mental incarceration, which no matter what is decided today, owning
+this mistake will free me to be once more the person I really am.
+ Your Honor, I love my family more than anything in the world: My
+dad who is here today, my mom, my in-laws, siblings, love of my life,
+my wife Laura, my pride and joy, my daughter Samantha, my son, Jake.
+There is no sentence that could supersede the suffering that I live
+with on a daily basis, knowing that my actions have brought undeserved
+pain and shame upon my family. I deserve that pain. They do not.
+ I also stand before my children, for them to see their father
+taking responsibility for his mistakes, mistakes that have forced them
+to bear a shameful spotlight which they have done nothing to deserve,
+and this breaks my heart. For me, the greatest punishment has been
+seeing the unbearable pain that my actions and my associations have
+brought to my entire family. My mom, my dad, this isn't what they
+deserve to see in their older age, especially when as a child they
+emphasized to all of us the difference between right and wrong. And I'm
+sorry.
+ I believed during this process that there were only two things I
+could do to minimize the pain to my family: Admit my guilt and move
+these proceedings along. This is why I did not enter into a cooperation
+agreement. I have elected to be sentenced without asking for
+adjournment. I have given information during countless hours of
+meetings with prosecutors that have been cited as substantial,
+meaningful and credible. I have chosen this unorthodox path because the
+faster I am sentenced, the sooner I can return to my family, be the
+father I want to be, the husband I want to be, and a productive member
+of society again. I do not need a cooperation agreement to be in place
+to do the right thing. And I will continue to cooperate with
+government, offering as much information as I truthfully possess.
+ I stand behind my statement that I made to George Stephanopoulos,
+that my wife, my daughter, my son have my first loyalty and always
+will. I put family and country first. My departure as a loyal soldier
+to the President bears a very hefty price.
+ For months now the President of the United States, one of the most
+powerful men in the world, publicly mocks me, calling me a rat and a
+liar, and insists that the Court sentence me to the absolute maximum
+time in prison. Not only is this improper; it creates a false sense
+that the President can weigh in on the outcome of judicial proceedings
+that implicate him. Despite being vilified by the press and inundated
+with character assassinations over the past almost two years, I still
+stand today, and I am committed to proving my integrity and ensuring
+that history will not remember me as the villain of his story. I now
+know that every action I take in the future has to be well thought out
+and with honorable intention because I wish to leave no room for future
+mistakes in my life.
+ And so I beseech your Honor to consider this path that I am
+currently taking when sentencing me today. And I want to apologize to
+my entire family for what my actions have put them through. My family
+has suffered immeasurably in the home and the world outside. I know I
+have let them all down, and it will be my life's work to make it right,
+and to become the best version of myself.
+ Most all, I want to apologize to the people of the United States.
+You deserve to know the truth and lying to you was unjust. I want to
+thank you, your Honor, for all the time I'm sure you've committed to
+this matter and the consideration that you have given to my future.
+Again, I want to thank my family, my friends, many who are here today,
+who are with me, especially all the people who wrote letters on my
+behalf. In addition, I would like to thank the tens of thousands of
+strangers who despite not knowing me at all, not knowing me personally
+have shown kindness and empathy in writing letters to me and offering
+support and prayer. And I thank you, your Honor, I am truly sorry, and
+I promise I will be better.
+
+ Mr. Hice. I ask unanimous consent to make the August 20,
+2018, CNN article, ``Fed Scrutinizing Michael Cohen's Former
+Accountant and Bank Loans,'' part of the record. Cohen's
+accountant was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury and
+required a lawyer. In his sentencing memo prosecutors said
+Cohen attempted to blame his tax evasion on his accountant.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+
+ [The article referenced above is available at: https://
+www.cnn.com/2018/08/07/politics/michael-cohen-accountant-
+subpoena/index.html.]
+
+ Mr. Hice. Two more real quickly.
+ Chairman Cummings. Sure.
+ Mr. Hice. I ask unanimous consent to make the February 26,
+2019, order filed by the Appellate Division of the State of New
+York regarding disciplinary proceedings against Michael Cohen
+part of the record. This order, which proactively applies
+starting February 28, establishes Cohen committed a serious
+crime and ceased being an attorney when he was convicted of
+lying to Congress.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+ [The information referred to follows:]
+ [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
+
+ Mr. Hice. And finally, Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous
+consent to make the July 26, 2018, Washington Post article,
+``Michael Cohen Secretly Recorded Trump: Does That Make Him a
+Bad Lawyer,'' part of the record. The article describes
+potential ethical violations of a lawyer, Cohen, recording his
+client, Trump, without the client's knowledge.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+ [The article may be found on: https://
+www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/07/25/michael-
+cohen-secretly-recorded-trump-does-that-make-him-a-bad-lawyer/
+?utm--term=.a8b7b4b17413.]
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Norman.
+ Mr. Norman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ I ask unanimous consent to make the January 18, 2019,
+Huffington Post article, ``11 Tweets from the Fake Fan Account
+'Stud' Michael Cohen Paid to Fawn Over Him,'' part of the
+record. The account is described as a place for women who love
+and support Michael Cohen. ``Strong, pit bull, sex symbol, no
+nonsense, business oriented, ready to make a difference!"
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+
+ [The article referenced above is available at: https://
+www.huffpost.com/entry/michael-cohen-women-for-cohen-tweets--
+n--5c41a28ee4b0bfa693c22b39.]
+
+ Chairman Cummings. Mr. Roy.
+ Mr. Roy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
+ I would ask unanimous consent to make the April 20, 2018,
+article in Mother Jones titled ``Michael Cohen Says He Has
+Never Been to Prague, He Told Me a Different Story'' part of
+the record.
+ Chairman Cummings. Without objection, so ordered.
+
+ [The article referencedabove is available at: https://
+www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/04/michael-cohen-says-hes-
+never-been-to-prague-he-told-me-a-different-story/.]
+
+ Mr. Roy. Thank you, sir.
+ Chairman Cummings. Very well.
+ Mr. Cohen, I have some concluding remarks, but before I do
+that do you have anything you would like to say?
+ Mr. Cohen. Yes, yes, Mr. Chairman, I would. I have some
+closing remarks I would like to say myself. Is this an
+appropriate time?
+ Chairman Cummings. You can do it now.
+ Mr. Cohen. Thank you.
+ So first I want to thank you, Chairman, because I
+appreciate the opportunity to share some final thoughts.
+ I have acknowledged I have made my own mistakes, and I have
+owned up to them publicly and under oath, but silence and
+complicity in the face of the daily destruction of our basic
+norms and civility to one another will not be one of them.
+ I did things and I acted improperly, at times at Mr.
+Trump's behest. I blindly followed his demands. My loyalty to
+Mr. Trump has cost me everything, my family's happiness,
+friendships, my law license, my company, my livelihood, my
+honor, my reputation, and soon my freedom, and I will not sit
+back, say nothing and allow him to do the same to the country.
+ Indeed, given my experience working for Mr. Trump, I fear
+that if he loses the election in 2020, that there will never be
+a peaceful transition of power, and this is why I agreed to
+appear before you today.
+ In closing, I would like to say directly to the President:
+We honor our veterans even in the rain. You tell the truth even
+when it doesn't aggrandize you. You respect the law and our
+incredible law enforcement agents. You don't villainize them.
+You don't disparage generals, gold star families, prisoners of
+war, and other heroes who had the courage to fight for this
+country.
+ You don't attack the media and those who question what you
+don't like or what you don't want them to say. And you take
+responsibility for your own dirty deeds. You don't use your
+power of your bully pulpit to destroy the credibility of those
+who speak out against you.
+ You don't separate families from one another or demonize
+those looking to America for a better life. You don't vilify
+people based on the God they pray to, and you don't cuddle up
+to our adversaries at the expense of our allies. And, finally,
+you don't shut down the government before Christmas and New
+Year's just to simply appease your base. This behavior is
+churlish. It denigrates the office of the President, and it's
+simply un-American, and it's not you.
+ So to those who support the President and his rhetoric, as
+I once did, I pray the country doesn't make the same mistakes
+that I have made, or pay the heavy price that my family and I
+are paying. And I thank you very much for this additional time,
+Chairman.
+ Chairman Cummings. Thank you very much. The ranking member
+has a closing statement.
+ Mr. Jordan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We know Mr. Cohen has
+been dishonest in the past--that's why he's going to prison in
+two months--but there are things today that he said during the
+several hours of questioning that just don't add up either. He
+said he never defrauded any bank. He was having a conversation
+questioning from Mr. Comer. Obviously, that's not true, because
+he's going to prison for that very offense.
+ He said today he was a good lawyer who understood the need
+to represent his client--his client with legal advice, but in
+his written testimony, he said he never bothered to consider
+whether payments to women for improper--whether payments to
+women were improper, much less the right thing to do.
+ He attested in his signed truth in testimony form, that he
+did not have any reportable contracts with foreign-government
+entities. Earlier he admitted to having consulting agreements
+with at least two foreign entities owned, in part, by foreign
+governments BTA Bank of Kazakhstan and Korea Aerospace
+Industries of South Korea.
+ He said to Chairman Cummings that Donald Trump directed him
+and the Trump Organization CFO, Allen Weisselberg, to, quote,
+``go back to his office and figure out how to make a $130,000
+payment,'' but in his testimony, he says, Mr. Trump directed me
+to use my own personal funds from the home equity line of
+credit to avoid any money being traced back to him that could
+negatively impact the campaign.
+ And in response to a question about him paying to set up
+the fake Twitter account, @WomenForCohen, that he didn't direct
+the commission of that Twitter account. He says, I didn't set
+that up, and it was done by a young lady that works for the
+firm, when, in fact, he did ask the IT firm, RedFinch, to set
+it up, according to the owner of RedFinch. And, finally, he
+said he didn't want a job with the administration, even though
+the attorneys with the Southern District of New York stated
+that this was a fact. When asked about this, they said, I
+wouldn't call them liars, but that statement is not accurate.
+ Mr. Chairman, I think maybe more importantly is what we
+should have been doing today. Mr. Meadows and I sent you a
+letter asking us--asking you to have Mr. Rosenstein here. I
+think it's important to know that last week, when you announced
+that Mr. Cohen was coming this week, just happened to be the
+very same week that we learned the Deputy Attorney General of
+the United States was thinking about wearing a wire to record
+the Commander in Chief, was actually contemplating, talking to
+cabinet members and invoking the 25th Amendment.
+ That's what we should be focused on, not this sad display
+we've had to go through the last several hours. And, again,
+it's not my words. You can take the words of the former general
+counsel for the House of Representatives under Tip O'Neill.
+ So I hope we've learned some things here today. But, Mr.
+Chairman, as I said earlier, your first big hearing, the first
+announced witness of the 116th Congress, is a gentleman who is
+going to prison in two months for lying to Congress. I don't
+think that's what we should be focused on. I yield back.
+ Chairman Cummings. Thank you very much.
+ You know, I've sat here and I've listened to all of this,
+and it's very painful. It's very painful. You made a lot of
+mistakes, Mr. Cohen, and you've admitted that. And, you know,
+one of the saddest parts of this whole thing is that some very
+innocent people are hurting, too--and you acknowledged that--
+and that's your family. And so you come here today and you--
+deep in my heart, I have to--you know, when I practiced law, I
+represented a lot of lawyers who got in trouble, and you come
+saying, I have made my mistakes, but now I want to change my
+life. And, you know, if we--if we as a Nation, did not give
+people an opportunity, after they made mistakes, to change
+their lives, a whole lot of people would not do very well.
+ I don't know where you go from here. As I sat here and I
+listened to both sides, I just felt as if--and--and, you know,
+people are now using my words, that they took from me, that
+didn't give me any credit, we're better than this. We are so
+much--we really are. As a country, we are so much better than
+this.
+ And, you know, I told you, and, and, and, for some reason,
+Mr. Cohen, I tell my--my children, I say, when bad things
+happen to you, do not ask the question, Why did it happen to
+me? Ask the question, Why did it happen for me? I don't know
+why this is happening for you, but it is my hope that a small
+part of it is for our country to be better. If I hear you
+correctly, it sounds like you're crying out for a new normal,
+for us getting back to normal. It sounds to me like you want to
+make sure that our democracy stays intact. When I had the one
+meeting I had with President Trump, I said to him, the greatest
+gift that you and I, Mr. President, can give to our children,
+is making sure that we give them a democracy that is intact, a
+democracy better than the one that we came upon, and I'm hoping
+that the things you said today will help us begin to get back
+there.
+ You know, I mean, come on now, I mean, when you got,
+according to The Washington Post, our President has made at
+least 8,718--8,718 false or misleading statements. That's
+stunning. That's not what we teach our children. I don't teach
+mine that. And for whatever reason, you--it sounds like you got
+caught up in it. You got caught up in it. You got caught up in
+it. And some kind of way, I hope that you will--I know that
+it's painful going to prison. I know--I know it's got to be
+painful being called a rat.
+ And let me--let me explain. A lot of people don't know the
+significance of that, but I live in the inner city of
+Baltimore, all right? And when you call somebody a rat, that's
+one of the worse things you can call them, because when they go
+to prison, that means a snitch. I'm just saying. And so the
+President called you a rat. We're better than that. We really
+are.
+ And I'm hoping that all of us can get back to this
+democracy that we want and that we should be passing on our
+children, so that they can do better than what we did.
+ And so you wonder whether people believe you. I don't know.
+I don't know whether they believe you. But the fact is that you
+come, you have your head down, and this has got to be one of
+the hardest things that you could do.
+ Let me tell you the picture that really, really pained me.
+You were leaving the prison--you were leaving the courthouse,
+and I guess it's your daughter had braces or something on. Man,
+that thing--man, that thing hurt me. As a father of two
+daughters, it hurt me. And I can imagine how it must feel for
+you.
+ But I'm just saying to you, I want to, first of all, thank
+you. I know that this has been hard. I know that you face a
+lot. I know that you are worried about your family, but this is
+a part of your destiny. And hopefully this portion of your
+destiny will lead to a better--a better--a better Michael
+Cohen, a better Donald Trump, a better United States of
+America, and a better world. And I mean that from the depths of
+my heart.
+ When we're dancing with the angels, the question will be
+asked, in 2019, what did we do to make sure we kept our
+democracy intact? Did we stand on the sidelines and say
+nothing? Did we play games? And I'm tired of these statements
+saying--people come in here and say, Oh, oh, this is the first
+hearing. It is not the first hearing. The first hearing with
+regard to prescription drugs. Remember? A little girl, a lady
+sat there, Ms. Worsham, her daughter died because she could not
+get $333 a month in insulin. That was our first hearing.
+ Second hearing, H.R. 1, voting rights, corruption in
+government. Come on now. We can do more than one thing, and we
+have got to get back to normal. With that, this meeting is
+adjourned.
+ [Whereupon, at 5:20 p.m., the committee was adjourned.]
+
+ [all]
+