Giuliani ‘quite certain’ Trump didn’t know about Cohen deals
NEW YORK (AP) – Rudy Giuliani, one of President Donald Trump’s attorneys, says he is “quite certain” the president did not know Michael Cohen was trying to sell his insight into the president.
Giuliani told The Associated Press on Friday that Trump was “surprised” to learn that Cohen, his longtime attorney and self-described fixer, brokered deals with companies looking to gain his knowledge about the president.
Asked if the president was aware that Cohen was trying to sell influence and knowledge of the president, Giuliani said: “The answer is that I am quite certain he didn’t.”
The former New York City mayor, who is part of the outside legal team representing Trump in the Russian election meddling investigation, said he asked Trump about one of Cohen’s clients, a firm with ties to a Russian oligarch, the day the story broke.
“He knew nothing about it,” Giuliani said, adding that he had yet to ask Trump about some of the other corporations that paid Cohen, including telecom giant AT&T.
“I haven’t talked to him in detail except for the first day it came out. When it first came out, he was surprised,” Giuliani said.
Giuliani also said it not appear Cohen took any steps to advance the interests of the companies that paid him and did not speak to the president on their behalf.
“There doesn’t seem to be any involvement with us,” he said.
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