Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen has announced that he is postponing his testimony before Congress indefinitely, citing threats he alleges were made against him and his family by President Donald Trump and Trump's current lawyer, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
What? A threat from the president?
In a statement, Cohen's lawyer, Lanny Davis, said that:
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.
Davis added that Cohen "looks forward to testify at the appropriate time" but that "[t]his is a time where Mr. Cohen had to put his family and their safety first."
Davis did not specify what these alleged threats were.
On Dec. 3, Trump tweeted that Cohen had made a deal to get his "wife and father-in-law (who has the money?) off Scott[SIC] Free." In a Jan. 18 tweet, he accused Cohen of "[l]ying to reduce his jail time" and told readers to "[w]atch the father-in-law!"
“Michael Cohen asks judge for no Prison Time." You mean he can do all of the TERRIBLE, unrelated to Trump, things having to do with fraud, big loans, Taxis, etc., and not serve a long prison term? He makes up stories to get a GREAT & ALREADY reduced deal for himself, and get.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
....his wife and father-in-law (who has the money?) off Scott Free. He lied for this outcome and should, in my opinion, serve a full and complete sentence.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
Kevin Corke, @FoxNews “Don't forget, Michael Cohen has already been convicted of perjury and fraud, and as recently as this week, the Wall Street Journal has suggested that he may have stolen tens of thousands of dollars...." Lying to reduce his jail time! Watch father-in-law!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2019
Cohen had previously agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 7.
What did Trump say?
Asked about Cohen's comments, Trump told a reporter on Wednesday that Cohen was "only threatened by the truth.
No, I would say he's been threatened by the truth. He's only been threatened by the truth. And he doesn't want to do that [the hearing] probably for me, or other of his clients, he has other clients also I assume, and he doesn't want to tell the truth for me or other of his clients.
