Cohen Claims Trump Knew about 2016 Campaign Meeting with Russians
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The US President's former lawyer Michael Cohen claimed that he was in room when Trump was told about Kremlin offer of assistance and he is willing to testify.
Donald Trump's former lawyer has said that the US president knew in advance about a meeting between his aides and a Russian lawyer who is alleged to have promised dirt on Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election campaign, it has been claimed.
NBC News reported that Michael Cohen has said he is willing to testify this to the special counsel investigation into Russian election meddling.
The meeting at Trump Tower in New York City in June 2016 involved Donald Trump Jr, the President's son-in-law Jared Kushner, then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort and influential Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, ITV reported.
If Mr Cohen's statement is true, then it would be at odds with what Mr Trump Jr and Mr Kushner have testified - one to Congress and the other to the special counsel - that the President knew nothing about the meeting until details of it emerged a year later.
Cohen is under federal investigation for possible bank and tax fraud as well as possible violation of campaign laws in connection with a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels who has claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump.
Cohen has not been charged with a crime, but there are fears in the White House that the longtime attorney might “flip” on the president.
Earlier this week, CNN aired audio from a 2016 conversation between Cohen and Trump about another payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who also alleges an affair with Trump.
Cohen had secretly recorded the two-minute conversation two months before the 2016 election. The tape fell into the FBI’s possession during a raid on Cohen’s office earlier this year.
