Michael Cohen was Donald Trump's former personal lawyer. PHOTO: MATTHEW CAVANAUGH/GETTY IMAGES Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer, has agreed to testify publicly before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on February 7. Cohen is set to start a three-year prison term for tax and bank fraud and campaign finance violation about a month after testifying. Cohen committed the campaign violation at the behest of Trump when he paid two women to keep silent about their affairs with Trump.
But Cohen will be able to answer questions about much more than Trump’s role in the campaign violation felony. Cohen was Trump’s lawyer for about 12 years. At the very least, he will be able to answer questions about how many other payoffs Trump made to keep people quiet. But he will not be constrained by courtroom etiquette; no one will stand up and say “I object.” Cohen will answer any questions put to him about Trump, his Russian and mob connections, and crooked business deals. Above all, Cohen may be able to provide an all-encompassing narrative about Trump that the media and public can understand.
But Cohen will be able to answer questions about much more than Trump’s role in the campaign violation felony. Cohen was Trump’s lawyer for about 12 years. At the very least, he will be able to answer questions about how many other payoffs Trump made to keep people quiet. But he will not be constrained by courtroom etiquette; no one will stand up and say “I object.” Cohen will answer any questions put to him about Trump, his Russian and mob connections, and crooked business deals. Above all, Cohen may be able to provide an all-encompassing narrative about Trump that the media and public can understand.
John Dean testifying against Richard Nixon with wife Maureen watching But it is probably too optimistic to believe that Cohen testimony will shatter Trump in the same way that John Dean’s statement broke Nixon. Dean laid out Nixon’s involvement in a series of crimes and actions preceding Nixon’s resignation. After Dean testified Republicans heard tape recordings of Nixon that backed up Dean. Republicans then urged Nixon to resign,. Cohen may have some tapes of Trump, but unless they are as comprehensive and useful as those that implicated Nixon, they will not overcome Cohen’s credibility problem. The last time he testified to Congress, he lied.
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