Michael Cohen Postpones Testimony Before Congress Citing Threats From Trump

Michael Cohen delaying testimony to congress

Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and longtime fixer for President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he was postponing his appearance before Congress on Feb. 7 because of threats from the president and his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. 

Lanny Davis, a spokesman for Cohen, released a statement about the postponement on Wednesday. 

"Due to ongoing threats against his family from President Trump and Mr. Giuliani, as recently as this weekend, as well as Mr. Cohen's continued cooperation with ongoing investigations, by advice of counsel, Mr. Cohen’s appearance will be postponed to a later date," said Davis. "This is a time when Mr. Cohen had to put his family and their safety first."

Cohen was scheduled to appear in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee next month. His testimony was hotly anticipated by many because the lawyer has been cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller's office and his probe into election interference. 

The former fixer for Trump worked as his most ardent legal defender for years until turning on his former boss after prosecutors honed in on his business and legal dealings. 

Trump has called Cohen a liar in the past saying he had been unaware of his fixer's criminal activities and was lying to reduce his jail time. The president also made veiled references about his former lawyer's father-in-law, warning people to "watch" him. 

The president said earlier this month that Cohen's testimony didn't concern him. 

"I'm not worried about it at all," Trump said while on a trip to the U.S. border. 

Cohen has acknowledge to arranging hush money payments to two women before the 2016 election, porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who have both claimed to have had affairs with Trump. Cohen implicated the president in the payments, saying he made them on Trump's orders. 

In August, Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations and bank fraud. As part of a plea deal that included cooperation with the special counsel's office, Cohen will spend at least three years in jail and has been ordered to pay $1.4 million in restitution. 

"My own weakness was blind loyalty to the man that caused me to choose the path of darkness," Cohen said at a sentencing hearing in New York last month. "Time and time again, I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds."

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), the chairman for the House Oversight Committee said earlier this month that Cohen had agreed to appear voluntarily. 

"Mr. Cohen wishes to thank Chairman Cummings for allowing him to appear before the House Oversight Committee and looks forward to testifying at the appropriate time," Davis said.

Photo: Getty Images


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