Tuesday, March 5, 2019

No pardon for Michael Cohen

An attorney representing Michael Cohen broached the idea of a pardon for the longtime Trump associate during a conversation last year with lawyers for the president, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

The news outlet reported that Stephen Ryan allegedly discussed the possibility of a pardon with Trump attorneys Jay Sekulow, Rudy Giuliani and Joanna Hendon. The conversations reportedly took place in the weeks after the FBI raided Cohen's home, hotel room and office while the group reviewed seized files that may have qualified for attorney-client privilege.

Ryan hinted that Cohen would consider cooperating with prosecutors if he did not receive a pardon, according to The Wall Street Journal.

[...]

There's no indication Cohen himself knew of the conversations or personally requested a pardon, The Journal reported.

  The Hill
I'm sure he did, though. And this is going to be a talking point for the Trump team: you can't believe Cohen because he's acting out of revenge. Unfortunately for them, he has receipts so we don't have to believe him.
Trump's attorneys rejected the idea of pardoning Cohen at the time, The Journal reported, but Giuliani left the door open to a pardon down the road. The former New York City mayor has consistently said the president is unlikely to pardon associates amid ongoing investigations.
No doubt Cohen had seen and heard that before in his days of fixing things for Trump and knew the outcome.
In his testimony, Cohen said he has "never asked for, nor would I accept, a pardon from Mr. Trump."
HE didn't ask. His attorneys did. And before he realized he wasn't getting one, I'd be willing to bet he would have gladly accepted one.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

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