Ex-Trump lawyer Cohen delaying testimony to Congress, says family received threats
President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer is postponing his public testimony to Congress.
Michael Cohen won’t appear as scheduled before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Feb. 7.
Cohen’s adviser Lanny Davis says the delay is on the advice of Cohen’s lawyers because Cohen’s still cooperating in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
Davis also says Cohen has received threats.
“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,” Cohen’s attorney Lanny Davis said in a statement. “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 added, “This is a time where Mr. Cohen had to put his family and their safety first.”
Cohen’s decision raises questions about whether he will ultimately testify publicly. He reports to prison for a three-year sentence on March 6. Cohen has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about his role in a Trump business proposal in Russia considered during the campaign.
The Democratic-led committee is investigating hush-money payments during the 2016 campaign to silence women who claimed to have had sex with Trump. Prosecutors say Trump directed Cohen to make the payments as a way to quash potential scandals during the campaign.
Trump’s denied having an affair.
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