Summary

0930 COHEN HRG DEM ISO FS7 88 UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM HEARING: Michael Cohen, Former Attorney to President Donald Trump Date: Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 10:00am Location: 2154 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 WITNESS: Michael Cohen Former Attorney for Donald Trump 10:01:50 Mr. Cummings >> The committee will come to order. Without objection the chair is authorized to declare a recess of the committee at any time. The full committee hearing will hear the testimony of Michael Cohen, former attorney to president Donald Trump. Mr. Meadows >> Mr. Chairman, I have a point of order. Mr. Cummings >> State your point of order. Mr. Meadows >> Rule F, rule 9 F of the committee rules say that any testimony from your witness needs to be here 24 hours in advance. The committee, the chairman knows well that at 10:08 we received the written testimony and then we received evidence this morning at 7:54. Now, if this was just an oversight, Mr. Chairman, I could look beyond it, 100242 but it was an intentional effort by this witness and his advisors to once again show his disdain for this body. And with that, I move that we postpone this hearing. >> Second. Mr. Cummings >> I want to thank the gentleman. 100307 Mr. Cummings >> Let me say this, that we got the testimony late last night. We did. And we got it to you all pretty much the same time that we got it. I want to move forward with this hearing. Mr. Meadows >> Mr. Chairman, with all due respect, Mr. Chairman, this is a violation of the rule and if it was not intentional, I would not have a problem. I'm not saying it was intentional on your part. 100337 I'm saying it's intentional on his part, because Mr. Dean last night on a cable news network actually made it all very evident. John Dean. And I'll quote, Mr. Chairman. He said, as a former committee council in the house judiciary 100356 committee and then a long-term witness sitting alone at the table is important. Quote, holding your statement as long as you can so the other side can't chew it up is important as well, close quote. So it was advised that our witness got for this particular body -- and Mr. Chairman, when you were in the minority, you wouldn't have stood for it and I can tell you that we should not stand for it as a body. 100424 Mr. Cummings >> Let me say this. >> Mr. Chairman -- Mr. Cummings >> Yes. Ms. Hill >> I move to table. >> Mr. Chairman? Mr. Cummings >> Is there a second? >> Mr. Chairman, I was asked to be recognized before the motion. 100440 Mr. Cummings >> The vote is so in tabling the motion -- >> You know who had this material before all the members of the committee? CNN had it before we did. Mr. Cummings >> Sir -- >> CNN had the excerpts before we did. Mr. Cummings >> Sir. >> I just want to be recognized. Mr. Cummings >> Yeah. Well, the vote is on tabling the motion to postpone. All in favor, say aye. >> Aye. 100457 Mr. Cummings >> All opposed say no. >> No. Mr. Cummings >> The ayes have it. Mr. Meadows >> I appeal the ruling of the chair. >> It's not a ruling of the chair. Mr. Meadows >> I can assure you it's in the rules. I appeal the ruling of the chair. >> Do the rules matter, Mr. Chairman? 100511 Mr. Cummings >> I recognize the gentle lady. Mr. Hill >> Move to waive the rules, move to table. >> Chairman -- Mr. Cummings >> The vote -- >> She made two motions. What's the motion? Mr. Cummings >> The vote is on tabling -- 100529 >> I move to table the appeal to the ruling of the chair. Mr. Cummings >> The vote is on that. All in favor say aye. >> Aye. Mr. Cummings >> All opposed say no. >> No. Mr. Cummings >> The ayes have it. Mr. Meadows >> I ask for a recorded vote, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Cummings >> Very well. The clerk will call the role. 100558 Mr. Cummings >> Yes. Clerk >> Mr. Cummings votes yes. Ms. Maloney? Ms. Maloney >> Yes. >> Ms. Maloney votes yes. Ms. Norton? Ms. Norton >> Yes. Clerk >> Ms. Norton votes yes. Mr. Clay? Mr. Clay >> Yes. Clerk >> Mr. Clay votes yes. Mr. Lynch? Mr. Lynch >> Aye. Clerk >> Mr. Lynch votes yes. Mr. Cooper? Mr. Cooper >> Aye. Clerk >> Mr. Cooper votes yes. Mr. Connolly? Mr. Connolly >> Aye. Clerk >> Mr. Connolly votes yes. Mr. Krishnamoorthi? Mr. Krishnamoorthi >> Aye. Clerk >> Mr. Christian Murphy votes yes. Mr. Raskin? Mr. Raskin >> Aye. Clerk >> Mr. Raskin votes yes. Mr. Rouda. Mr. Rouda >> Aye. Clerk >> Mr. Rouda votes yes. Ms. Hill? 100632 Ms. Hill >> Yes. Clerk >> Ms. Hill votes yes. Ms. Wasserman Shultz Ms. Wasserman Shultz >> Yes. Clerk >> Ms. Wasserman Shultz votes yes. Mr. Sarbanes? Mr. Sarbanes >> Yes. Clerk >> Mr. Sarbanes votes yes. Mr. Welch? Mr. Welch >> Mr. Welch votes yes. Ms. Speier? Ms. Speier >>Yes. Clerk >> Ms. Speier votes yes. Ms. Kelly? Ms. Kelly >> Yes. Clerk >> Ms. Kelly votes yes. Mr. DeSaulnier? Mr. DeSaulnier >> Yes Clerk >> Mr. DeSaulnier votes yes. Ms. Lawrence? Ms. Lawrence >> Aye. Clerk >> Ms. Lawrence votes yes. Ms. Plaskett? Ms. Plaskett >> Yes. Clerk >> Ms. Plaskett votes yes. Mr. Khanna? Mr. Khanna >> Yes 100659 Clerk >> Mr. Khanna votes yes. Mr. Gomez? Mr. Gomez >> Aye. Clerk >> Mr. Gomez votes yes. Ms. Ocasio Cortez? Ms. Ocasio Cortez >> Aye. Clerk >> Ms Ocasio Cortez votes yes. Ms. Pressley? Ms. Pressley >>Yes Clerk >> Ms Pressley votes yes. Ms. Tlaib? Ms. Tlaib >> Yes Clerk >> Ms. Tlaib votes yes. Mr. Jordan? Mr. Jordan >> No. Clerk >> Mr. Jordan votes no. Mr. Amash? Mr. Amash >> No Clerk >> Mr. Amash votes no. Mr. Gosar? Mr. Gosar >> No Clerk >> Mr. Gosar votes no. Ms. Foxx? Ms. Foxx >> No. Clerk >> Ms. Foxx votes no. Mr. Massie? Mr. Massie >> No. Clerk >> Mr. Massie votes no. Mr. Meadows? 100731 Mr. Meadows >> No. Clerk >> Mr. Meadows votes no. Mr. Hice? Mr. Hice >>No. Clerk >> Mr. Hice votes no. Mr. Grothman? Mr. Grothman >> No Clerk >> Mr. Grothman votes no. Mr. Comer? Mr. Comer >> No Clerk >> Mr. Commer votes no. Mr. Cloud? Mr. Cloud >> No. Clerk >> Mr. Cloud votes no. Mr. Gibbs? Mr. Gibbs >> No Mr. Gibbs >> No Clerk >> Mr. Gibbs votes no. Mr. Higgins? Mr. Norman? Mr. Norman >> No Clerk >> Mr. Norman votes no. Mr. Roy Mr. Roy >> No. Clerk >> Mr. Roy votes no. Ms. Miller? Ms. Miller >> No Clerk >> Ms. Miller votes no. Mr. Green? Mr. Green >> No 100800 Clerk >> Mr. Green votes no. Mr. Armstrong? Mr. Armstrong >> No Clerk >> Mr. Armstrong votes no. Mr. Steube? Mr. Steube >> No. Clerk >> Mr. Steube votes no. 100816 Clerk >> On this vote we have 24 yes's, 17 no's. Mr. Cummings >> Motion to table is agreed to. Let me say this. You've made it clear that you do not want the American people to hear what Mr. Cohen has to say. But the American people are right to hear him. 100842 >> So we're going to proceed. The American people can judge his credibility for themselves. Now - >> Mr. Chairman? Mr Cummings >> Yes? >> We did not say that. We just said we wanted to follow the rules. We didn't say stop the hearing we just said postpone it so we could get his testimony and the exhibits when we were supposed to get them according to the rules of this committee. That's all we said. We didn't say we didn't want to hear from the guy. 100907 Mr. Cummings >> Reclaiming my time. Reclaiming my time. I now recognize myself for five minutes to give an opening statement. Today the committee will hear the testimony of Michael Cohen, president Donald Trump's long-time personal attorney and one of his closest and most trusted advisors over the last decade. On August 21st, Mr. Cohen appeared in federal court and admitted to arranging secret payoffs of hundreds of thousands of dollars on the eve of the election to silence women alleged affairs with Donald Trump. Mr. Cohen admitted to violating campaign finance laws and other 101004 laws. He admitted to committing these felonies, quote, in coordination with and at the direction of, unquote, President Trump. And he admitted, he admitted to lying about his actions to protect the president. Some will certainly ask if Mr. Cohen was lying then, why should we believe him now? This is a legitimate question. 101039 As a trial lawyer for many years, I have faced this situation over and over again and I asked the same question. Here is how I view our role. Every one of us in this room has a duty to serve as an independent check on the executive branch. Ladies and gentlemen, we are in search of the truth. 101108 The president has made many statements of his own, and now the American people have a right to hear the other side. They can watch Mr. Cohen's testimony and make their own judgment. We received a copy of Mr. Cohen's written statement late last night. It includes not only personal eyewitness accounts of meetings with Donald Trump as president inside the oval office, but it also includes documents and other corroborating evidence for some of Mr. Cohen's statements. 101150 For example, Mr. Cohen has provided a copy of a check sent while President Trump was in office with Donald Trump's signature on it to reimburse Mr. Cohen for the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. This new evidence raises a host of troubling legal and ethical concerns about the president's actions in the white house and before. Would you all close that door, please? Thank you. 101235 This check is dated August 1st, 2017. Six months later, in April of 2018, the president denied anything about it. In April of 2018, President Trump was flying on air force one when a reporter asked him the question: Did you know about $130,000 payment to stormy Daniels? 101311 The answer was, quote, no. A month after that, the president admitted to making payments to Mr. Cohen, but claimed they were part of a, quote, a monthly retainer, unquote, for legal services. This claim fell apart in August when federal prosecutors concluded, and I quote, in truth and in fact, there was no such retainer agreement, end of quote. Today, we will also hear Mr. Cohen's account of a meeting in 2016 in Donald Trump's office during which Roger Stone said over speakerphone that he had just spoken with Julian assange, 101400 who said there would be a, quote, massive dump of e-mails that would damage Hillary Clinton's campaign, end of quote. According to Cohen, Mr. Trump replied, quote, wouldn't that be great, end of quote. The testimony that Michael Cohen will provide today, ladies and gentlemen, is deeply disturbing and it should be troubling to all Americans. 101431 We will all have to make our own evaluation of the evidence and Mr. Cohen's credibility. As he admits, he has repeatedly lied in the past. I agree with ranking member Jordan that this is an important factor we need to weigh, but we must weigh it and we must hear from him. But where I disagree fundamentally 101501 with the ranking member involves his efforts to prevent the American people from hearing from Mr. Cohen. Mr. Cohen's testimony raises grave questions about the legality of president Donald Trump's conduct and the truthfulness of statements while he was president. We need to assess and investigate this new evidence as we uphold our constitutional oversight responsibilities. 101536 And we will continue after today to gather many documents and testimony in our search for the truth. I have made it abundantly clear to Mr. Cohen that if he comes here today and he does not tell us the truth, I will be the first one to refer those untruthful statements to DOJ. So when people say he doesn't have anything to lose, he has a lot to lose if he lies. And the American people, by the 101612 way, voted for accountability in November, and they have a right to hear Mr. Cohen in public so they can make their own judgments. Mr. Cohen's testimony is the beginning of the process, not the end. Ladies and gentlemen, the days of this committee protecting the president at all costs are over. They're over. Before I close, I want to comment about the scope of today's hearing. 101648 At the request of the house intelligence committee and my very good friend Adam Schiff, congressman Adam Schiff, the chairman, I intended over the objections of the ranking member of our committee to limit the scope of today's hearing to avoid questions about Russia. However, Mr. Cohen's written testimony, in his written testimony, he's made statements 101715 relating to Russia. And these are topics that we understand do not raise concern from the department of justice. So in fairness to the ranking member and all committee members, we will not restrict questions relating to the witness's testimony or related questions he is willing to answer. 101739 Finally, I remind members that we will need to remain mindful of those areas where there are ongoing department of justice investigations. Those scoping limitations have not changed. Finally and to Mr. Cohen, Martin Luther King, Mr. Cohen, said some words that I leave with you today before you testify. He said, faith is taking the first step even when you can't 101815 see the whole staircase. There comes a time when silence becomes betrayal. Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that truly matter. In the end, he says, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. And with that, I yield to the distinguished gentleman, the ranking member of our committee, Mr. Jordan. 101851 Mr. Gosar (?) >> Mr. Chairman, point of parliamentary inquiry? >> Yes. Mr. Jordan is recognized for his opening statement. 101902 Mr. Jordan >> Mr. Chairman, here we go. Here we go. Your first big hearing, your first announced witness, Michael Cohen. I want everyone in this room to think about this. The first announced witness for the 116th congress is a guy who is going to prison in two months for lying to congress. Mr. Chairman, your chairmanship will always be identified with this hearing and we all need to understand what this is. This is the Michael Cohen hearing presented by Lanny Davis. That's right, Lanny Davis choreographed the whole darn thing, the Clintons' best friend, loyalist, operative, Lanny Davis put this all together. 101942 You know how we know? He told the committee staff. He said the hearing was his idea. He selected this committee. He had to talk Michael Cohen into coming. And most importantly, he had to persuade the chairman to actually have it. He told us it took two months to get that job done. But here we are. He talked him into it. This might be the first time someone convicted of lying to congress has appeared again so quickly in front of congress. Certainly it's the first time a convicted perjurer has been brought back to be a star witness in a hearing. 102016 And there's a reason this is a first, because no other committee would do it. Think about this. With Mr. Cohen here, this committee -- we got lots of lawyers on this committee. This committee is actually encouraging a witness to violate attorney/client privilege. Mr. Chairman, when we legitimize dishonesty, we delegitimize this institution. We're supposed to pursue the truth, but you have stacked the deck against the truth. We're only allowed to ask certain questions even with that amendment you just told us about, Russia is now on the table. 102049 You initially told us we can't ask questions about the special council, can't ask questions about the southern district of new York, can't ask questions about Russia. Nope, nope. Only subjects we can talk about are ones you think are going to be harmful to the president of the United States. And the answers to those questions are going to come from a guy who can't be trusted. Here's what the U.S. Attorney said about Mr. Cohen. While Mr. Cohen enjoyed a 102116 privileged life, his desire for ever greater wealth and influence precipitated an extensive course of criminal conduct. Mr. Cohen committed four distinct federal crimes over a period of several years. He was motivated to do so by personal greed and repeatedly, repeatedly used his power and influence for deceptive ends. But the Democrats don't care. 102142 They don't care. They just want to use you, Mr. Cohen. You're their Patsy today. They've got to find somebody somewhere to say something so they can try to remove the president from office. Because Tom Steyer told them to. Tom Steyer last week organized a town hall. Guess where? Chairman Nadler's district in Manhattan. Two nights ago Tom Steyer organized a town hall. Guess where? Chairman Cummings' district in Baltimore. 102214 The best they can find to start this process, Michael Cohen. Fraudster, cheat, convicted felon and in two months a federal inmate. Actually they didn't find him. Lanny Davis found him. I'll say one thing about the Democrats. They stick to the play book. Remember how all this started. The Clinton campaign hired Perkins Coie law firm, who hired Glenn Simpson who hired a foreigner Christopher Steele who put together the fake dossier that the FBI used to get a warrant to spy on the trump campaign. 102252 But when that whole scheme failed and the American people said we're going to make Donald Trump president, they said we've got to do something else. So now Clinton loyalist, Clinton operative Lanny Davis has persuaded the chairman of the oversight committee to give a convicted felon a forum to tell stories and lie about the president of the United States so they can all start their impeachment process. 102320 Mr. Chairman, we are better than this. We are better than this. I yield back. Mr. Cummings, Chairman 102331 >> I wanted to note -- Mr. Jordan >> Mr. Chairman, actually I have a motion. Mr. Cummings, Chairman >> You yielded back. Mr. Jordan >> I have a motion. I have a motion under rule 2 K 6 of rule 11. Mr. Cummings, Chairman >> You yielded back, sir. You yielded back. Mr. Jordan >> Mr. Chairman, you took seven minutes. I took four. Mr. Cummings, Chairman >> The gentleman yielded back. Mr. Jordan >> That's how you're going to operate? First you don't follow the rules. And now you're going to say- Mr. Cummings, Chairman >> Your point of order. 102358 Mr. Jordan >> You get to deviate from the rules. I just have a simple motion, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Cummings, Chairman >> Thank you. Mr. Jordan >> I wanted to order to have the testimony 24 hours in advance. Mr. Cummings, Chairman >> Excuse me. I wanted to note that under rule 11 clause 4 on media and photographers must be officially credentialed to record these proceedings and take photographs. I also wanted to briefly say to the spectators in the hearing room today. We welcome you and we respect your right to be here. We also ask in turn for your respect as we proceed with the business of the committee today. 102440 It is the intention of the committee to proceed without any disruptions, any disruptions of this committee will result in the United States capitol police restoring order and protesters will be removed. We are grateful for your presence here today and your cooperation. Now I want to welcome Mr. Cohen and thank him for participating in today's hearing. Mr. Cohen, if you would please rise, I will begin to swear you in. Raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm that the testimony that you are about to give is the whole truth and 102521 nothing but the truth, so help you god? Let the record show that the witness answered in the affirmative. Thank you and you may be seated. The microphones are sensitive so please speak directly into them. Without objection, your written statement will be made a part of the record. With that, Mr. Cohen, you are now recognized to give an oral presentation of your testimony. Is your Mike on? MR. COHEN OPENING STATEMENT 102554 >> Yes. Chairman Cummings, ranking member Jordan and members of the committee, thank you for inviting me here today. I have asked this committee to ensure that my family be protected from presidential threats and that the committee be sensitive to the questions pertaining to ongoing investigations. I thank you for your help and for your understanding. I am here under oath to correct the record to answer the committee's questions truthfully and to offer the American people 102631 what I know about president Trump. I recognize that some of you may doubt and attack me on my credibility. It is for this reason that I have incorporated into this opening statement documents that are irrefutable and demonstrate that the information you will hear is accurate and truthful. 102658 Never in a million years did I imagine when I accepted a job in 2007 to work for Donald Trump that he would one day run for the presidency, to launch a campaign on a platform of hate and intolerance and actively win. I regret the day I said yes to Mr. Trump. I regret all the help and support I gave him along the way. 102726 I am ashamed of my own failings and publicly accepted responsibility for them by pleading guilty in the southern district of New York. I am ashamed of my weakness and my misplaced loyalty, of the things I did for Mr. Trump in an effort to protect and promote him. I am ashamed that I chose to take part in concealing Mr. Trump's elicit acts, rather than listening to my own conscience. 102758 I am ashamed because I know what Mr. Trump is. He is a racist, he is a conman, and he is a cheat. He was a presidential candidate who knew that Roger Stone was talking with Julian Assange about a wikileaks drop on democratic national committee e-mails. I will explain each in a few moments. 102830 I am providing the committee today with several documents. These include a copy of the check Mr. Trump wrote from his personal bank account after he became president to reimburse me for the hush money payments I made to cover up his affair with an adult film star and to prevent damage to his campaign. Copies of financial statements from 2011, 2012 and 2013, that he gave to such institutions such as Deutsche Bank. 102905 A copy of an article with Mr. Trump's handwriting on it that reported on the auction of a portrait of himself that he arranged for the bidder ahead of time and then reimbursed the bidder from the account of his nonprofit charitable foundation with the picture now hanging in one of his country clubs. And copies of letters I wrote at Mr. Trump's direction that threatened his high school, colleges and the college board not to release his grades or S.A.T. Scores. 102944 I hope my appearance here today, my guilty plea and my work with law enforcement agencies are steps along a path of redemption that will restore faith in me and help this country understand our president better. And before going further, I want to apologize to each member, to you as congress as a whole. The last time I appeared before congress, I came to protect Mr. Trump. Today I am here to tell the truth about Mr. Trump. 103021 I lied to congress when Mr. Trump stopped negotiating the Moscow tower project in Russia. I stated that we stopped negotiating in January of 2016. That was false. Our negotiations continued for months later during the campaign. Mr. Trump did not directly tell me to lie to congress. That's not how he operates. In conversations we had during the campaign, 103054 at the same time I was actively negotiating in Russia for him, he would look me in the eye and tell me there's no Russian business and then go onto lie to the American people by saying the same thing. In his way, he was telling me to lie. There were at least a half a dozen times between the Iowa caucus in January of 2016 and the end of June when he would ask me, how's it going in Russia? 103127 referring to the Moscow tower project. You need to know that Mr. Trump's personal lawyers reviewed and edited my statement to congress about the timing of the Moscow tower negotiations before I gave it. So to be clear, Mr. Trump knew of and directed the Trump Moscow negotiations throughout the campaign and lied about it. He lied about it because he never expected to win. 103159 He also lied about it because he stood to make hundreds of millions of dollars on the Moscow real estate project. And so I lied about it too, because Mr. Trump had made clear to me through his personal statements to me that we both knew to be false and through his lies to the country that he wanted me to lie. And he made it clear to me because his personal attorneys reviewed my statement before I gave it to congress. 103234 Over the past two years, I have been smeared as a rat by the president of the United States. The truth is much different. Let me take a brief moment to introduce myself. My name is Michael Dean Cohen. I am a blessed husband of 24 years and a father to an incredible daughter and son. When I married my wife, I promised her that I would love her, I would cherish her and I would protect her. 103308 As my father said countless times throughout my childhood, you my wife and you my children are the air that I breathe. So to my Laura and my Sammy and my Jake, there's nothing I wouldn't do to protect you. I have always tried to live a life of loyalty, friendship, generosity and compassion. It's qualities my parents ingrained in my siblings and me since childhood. 103338 My father survived the holocaust thanks to the compassion and selfless acts of others. He was helped by many who put themselves in harm's way to do what they knew was right. And that is why my first instinct has always been to help those in need. Mom and dad, I am sorry I let you down. As the many people that know me best would say, I am the person that they call at 3:00 A.M. If they needed help. 103414 And I proudly remember being the emergency contact for many of my children's friends when they were growing up because their parents knew that I would drop everything and care for them as if they were my own. Yet last fall I plead guilty in federal court to felonies for the benefit of, at the direction of and in coordination with individual number one. And for the record, individual number one is president Donald J. Trump. 103455 It is painful to admit that I was motivated by ambition at times. It is even more painful to admit that many times I ignored my conscience and acted loyal to a man when I should not have. Sitting here today, it seems unbelievable that I was so mesmerized by Donald Trump that I was willing to do things for him that I knew were absolutely wrong. For that reason, I have come here to apologize to my family, to my government and to the American people. 103532 Accordingly, let me now tell you about Mr. Trump. I got to know him very well, working very closely with him for more than ten years as his executive vice president and special counsel and then as personal attorney when he became president. When I first met Mr. Trump, he was a successful entrepreneur, a real estate giant and an icon. Being around Mr. Trump was intoxicating when you were in his presence, you felt like you were involved in something greater than yourself, that you were somehow changing the world. 103613 I wound up touting the trump narrative for over a decade. That was my job, always stay on message, always defend. It monopolized my life. At first, I worked mostly on real estate developments and other business transactions. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Trump brought me into his personal life and private dealings. Over time I saw his true character revealed. Mr. Trump is an enigma. 103648 He is complicated, as am I. He is both good and bad, as do we all. But the bad far outweighs the good. Since taking office, he has become the worst version of himself. He is capable of behaving kindly, but he's not kind. He is capable of committing acts of generosity, but he is not generous. He is capable of being loyal, but he is fundamentally disloyal. Donald Trump is a man who ran for office to make his brand great, 103725 not to make our country great. He had no desire or intention to lead this nation, only to market himself and to build his wealth and power. Mr. Trump would often say, this campaign was going to be the greatest infomercial in political history. He never expected to win the primary. He never expected to win the general election. The campaign for him was always a marketing opportunity. 103800 I knew early on in my work for Mr. Trump that he would direct me to lie to further his business interests. I am ashamed to say that when it was for a real estate mogul in the private sector, I considered it trivial. As the president, I consider it significant and dangerous. But in the mix, lying for Mr. Trump was normalized and no one around him questioned it. In fairness, no one around him today questions it either. 103834 A lot of people have asked me about whether Mr. Trump knew about the release of the hacked documents, the democratic national committee e-mail ahead of time. And the answer is yes. As I earlier stated, Mr. Trump knew from Roger Stone in advance about the wikileaks drop of e-mails. In July of 2016, days before the democratic convention, I was in Mr. Trump's office when his secretary announced that Roger Stone was on the phone. 103908 Mr. Trump put Mr. Stone on the speakerphone. Mr. Stone told Mr. Trump that he had just gotten off the phone with Julian Assange and that Mr. Assange told Mr. Stone that within a couple of days there would be a massive dump of e-mails that would damage Hillary Clinton's campaign. Mr. Trump responded by stating to the effect, wouldn't that be great. 103937 Mr. Trump is a racist. The country has seen Mr. Trump court white supremacists and bigots. You have heard him call foreign countries shitholes. His private, in private, he is even worse. He once asked me if I could name a country run by a black person that wasn't a shithole. This was when Barack Obama was president of the United States. 104006 While we were once driving through a struggling neighborhood in Chicago, he commented that only black people could live that way. And he told me that black people would never vote for him because they were too stupid. And yet I continued to work for him. Mr. Trump is a cheat. As previously stated I am giving to the committee today three 104037 years of Mr. Trump's personal financial statements from 2011, 2012 and 2013, which he gave to Deutsche Bank to inquire about a loan to buy the Buffalo bills and to Forbes. These are exhibits 1a, 1b and 1c to my testimony. It was my experience that Mr. Trump inflated his total assets when it served his purposes, such as trying to be listed among the wealthiest people in portion. And deflated his assets to reduce his real estate taxes. 104117 I'm sharing with you two newspaper articles side by side that are examples of Mr. Trump inflating and deflating his assets, as I said, to suit his financial interests. These are exhibit 2 to my testimony. As I noted, I am giving the committee today an article he wrote on and sent to me that reported on an auction of a portrait of Mr. Trump. This is exhibit 3a to my testimony. Mr. Trump directed me to find a straw bidder 104153 to purchase a portrait of him that was being auctioned off at an art Hamptons event. The objective was to ensure that this portrait, which was going to be auctioned last, would go for the highest price of any portrait that afternoon. The portrait was purchased by the fake bidder for $60,000. Mr. Trump directed the trump foundation, which is supposed to be a charitable organization, to repay the fake bidder despite keeping the art for himself. 104227 Please see exhibit 3b to my testimony. And it should come as no surprise that one of my more common responsibilities was that Mr. Trump directed me to call business owners, many of whom are small businesses that were owed money for their services and told them that no payment or a reduced payment would be coming. 104253 When I asked Mr. Trump or when I told Mr. Trump of my success, he actually revelled in it. And yet I continued to work for him. Mr. Trump is a conman. He asked me to pay off an adult film star with whom he had an affair and to lie about it to his wife, which I did. And lying to the first lady is one of my biggest regrets, because she is a kind, good person, and I respect her greatly. 104329 And she did not deserve that. And I'm giving the committee today a copy of the $130,000 wire transfer from me to Ms. Clifford's attorney during the closing days of the presidential campaign that was demanded by Ms. Clifford to maintain her silence about her affair with Mr. Trump. This is exhibit 4 to my testimony. Mr. Trump directed me to use my own personal funds from a home equity line of credit to avoid any money being traced back to him that could negatively impact his campaign. 104411 And I did that too without bothering to consider whether that was improper, much less whether it was the right thing to do or how would it impact me, my family or the public. And I am going to jail in part because of my decision to help Mr. Trump hide that payment from the American people before they voted a few days later. As exhibit 5a to my testimony shows 104443 I am providing a copy of a $35,000 check that president Trump personally signed from his personal bank account on August 1st of 2017, when he was president of the United States, pursuant to the cover-up which was the basis of my guilty plea to reimburse me. The word used by Mr. Trump's TV lawyer for the illegal hush money I paid on his behalf. 104515 This $35,000 check was one of 11 check installments that was paid throughout the year while he was president. Other checks to reimburse me for the hush money payments were signed by Donald Trump Jr. And Alan weisselberg. See for that example 5b. 104540 The president of the united States thus wrote a personal check for the payment of hush money as part of a criminal scheme to violate campaign finance laws. You can find the details of that scheme directed by Mr. Trump in the pleadings in the U.S. District court for the southern district of New York. Picture this scene. In February of 2017, one month into his presidency, I'm visiting president Trump in the oval office for the first time, and it's truly awe inspiring. 104620 He's showing me all around and pointing to different paintings. And he says to me something to the effect of, don't worry, Michael, your January and February reimbursement checks are coming. They were fed exed from New York. And it takes a while for that to get through the white house system. As he promised, I received the first check for the reimbursement of $70,000 not long thereafter. 104650 When I say conman, I'm talking about a man who declares himself brilliant, but directed me to threaten his high school, his colleges and the college board to never release his grades or S.A.T. Scores. As I mentioned, I'm giving the committee today copies of a letter I sent at Mr. Trump's direction threatening these schools with civil and criminal actions if Mr. Trump's grades or S.A.T. Scores were ever disclosed without his permission. 104726 These are under exhibit 6. The irony wasn't lost on me at the time that Mr. Trump in 2011 had strongly criticized president Obama for not releasing his grades. As you can see in exhibit 7, Mr. Trump declared, let him show his records after calling president Obama a terrible student. The sad fact is that I never heard Mr. Trump say anything in private that led me to believe he loved our nation or wanted to make it better. 104805 In fact, he did the opposite. When telling me in 2008 or 2009 that he was cutting employee salaries in half, including mine, he showed me what he claimed was a $10 million irs tax refund, and he said that he could not believe how stupid the government was for giving someone like him that much money back. During the campaign, Mr. Trump said that he did not consider Vietnam veteran and prisoner of war 104839 senator John McCain to be a hero because he likes people who weren't captured. At the same time, Mr. Trump tasked me to handle the negative press surrounding his medical deferment from the Vietnam draft. Mr. Trump claimed it was because of a bone spur. But when I asked for medical records, he gave me none and said that there was no surgery. He told me not to answer the specific questions by reporters, 104913 but rather offer simply the fact that he received a medical deferment. He finished the conversation with the following comment: you think I'm stupid, I'm not going to Vietnam. And I find it ironic, Mr. President, that you are in Vietnam right now. And yet I continued to work for him. Questions have been raised about whether I know of direct evidence that Mr. Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia. I do not. 104949 And I want to be clear, but I have my suspicions. Sometime in the summer of 2017, I read all over the media that there had been a meeting in Trump Tower in June of 2016 involving don junior and others from the campaign with Russians, including a representative of the Russian government. 105011 In an e-mail setting up the meeting with the subject line "Dirt on Hillary Clinton." Something clicked in my mind. I remembered being in a room with Mr. Trump probably in early June of 2016 when something peculiar happened. Don trump Jr. Came into the room and walked behind his father's desk, which in and of itself was unusual. People didn't just walk behind Mr. Trump's desk to talk to him. And I recalled Don Junior leaning over to his father and speaking in a low voice, 105047 which I could clearly hear and saying, "The meeting is all set." I remember Mr. Trump saying, "Okay, good, let me know." What struck me as I look back and thought about the exchange between Don Junior and his father was, first, that Mr. Trump had frequently told me and others that his son Don Junior 105113 had the worst judgment of anyone in the world, and also that Don Junior would never set up any meeting of significance alone and certainly not without checking with his father. I also knew that nothing went on in Trump world, especially the campaign, without Mr. Trump's knowledge and approval. So I concluded that Don Junior was referring to that June 2016 trump tower meeting about dirt on Hillary with the Russian 105148 representatives when he walked behind his dad's desk that day. And that Mr. Trump knew that was the meeting Don Junior was talking about when he said, "That's good, let me know." Over the past year or so, I have done some real soul searching and I see now that my ambition and the intoxication of Trump power had much to do with the bad decisions in part that I made. 105220 And to you, Chairman Cummings and ranking member Jordan and the other members of this committee, the members of the house and senate, I am sorry for my lies and for lying to congress and to our nation, I am sorry for actively working to hide from you the truth about Mr. Trump when you needed it most. For those who question my motives for being here today, I understand. I have lied, but I am not a liar. I have done bad things, but I am not a bad man. 105258 I have fixed things, but I am no longer your fixer, Mr. Trump. And I am going to prison and have shattered the safety and security that I tried so hard to provide for my family. My testimony certainly does not diminish the pain that I have caused my family and my friends. Nothing can do that. And I have never asked for it, nor would I accept a pardon from President Trump. 105330 And by coming today, I have caused my family to be the target of personal, scurrilous attacks by the President and his lawyer trying to intimidate me from appearing before this panel. Mr. Trump called me a rat for choosing to tell the truth, much like a mobster would do when one of his men decides to cooperate with the government. As exhibit 8 shows, I have provided the committee with copies of tweets that Mr. Trump posted, attacking me and my family. 105407 Only someone burying his head in the sand would not recognize them for what they are. It's encouragement to someone to do harm to me and my family. I never imagined that he would engage in vicious, false attacks on my family and unleash his TV lawyer to do the same. 105430 And I hope this committee and all members of Congress on both sides of the aisle make it clear that as a nation we should not tolerate attempts to intimidate witnesses before Congress and attacks on family are out of bounds and not acceptable. I wish to especially thank speaker Pelosi for her statements. That's exhibit 9. To protect this institution and me. 105500 And the chairman of the house permanent select committee on intelligence, Adam Schiff, and you Chairman Cummings for likewise defending the institution and my family against the attacks by Mr. Trump and also the many Republicans who have admonished the President as well. I am not a perfect man. I have done things I am not proud of and I will live with the consequences of my actions for the rest of my life. 105534 But today I get to decide the example that I set for my children and how I attempt to change how history will remember me. I may not be able to change the past, but I can do right by the American people here today. And I thank you for your attention and am happy to answer the committee's questions. 105557 Mr. Cummings >> Thank you very much, Mr. Cohen. I now recognize myself. Mr. Cohen, before I start, I want to make sure you really understand something. You have admitted lying to Congress, to this very body. And now you're going to prison for it. Do you, Mr. Cohen, recognize the gravity of your offenses? You are a lawyer, right? Mr. Cohen >> As of yesterday, I am no longer a lawyer. I have lost my law license amongst other things. 105631 Mr. Cummings >> But you understand the gravity of this moment? Mr. Cohen >> I most certainly do, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Cummings >> I want you to really hear this, Mr. Cohen. We will not tolerate lying to this congress by anybody. We're in search of the truth. Do you understand that? Mr. Cohen >> I do. Mr. Cummings >> Now, the president has also made numerous statements that turned out to be inaccurate. 105659 For example, he said he knew nothing about the hush money payments to Ms. Clifford. And his 2017 financial disclosure form said he never owed money to reimburse you for those payments. Yet, in your testimony, Mr. Cohen, you said that you met with the President in the oval office in February of 2017 and discussed his plans to reimburse you for money you paid. 105731 You say he told you, and I quote, "Don't worry, Michael, your January and February reimbursement checks are coming." Is that accurate? And was that in the oval office? Mr. Cohen >> The statement is accurate, but the discussions regarding the reimbursement occurred long before he became president. Mr. Cummings >> Would you explain that? 105801 Mr. Cohen >> Back in 2017 -- actually I apologize. In 2016 prior to the election, I was contacted by Keith Davidson, who was the attorney, or was the attorney for Ms. Clifford, for stormy Daniels. And after several rounds of conversations with him about purchasing her life rights 105830 for $130,000, what I did each and every time is go straight into Mr. Trump's office and discuss the issue with him. When it was ultimately determined -- and this was days before the election -- that Mr. Trump was going to pay the $130,000. In the office with me was Allen Weissleberg, the chief financial officer of the trump organization. 105900 >> He acknowledged to Allen that he was going to pay the 130,000 and that Allen and I should go back to his office and figure out how to do it. So yes, sir, I stand by the statement that I gave, but there was a history to it. Mr. Cummings >> In your testimony, you said you brought some checks, is that right? Mr. Cohen >> Yes, sir. Mr. Cummings >> Let me ask you about one of these. This 105930 >> This from the Trump Trust that holds the President's businesses, can you tell me who signed this check? Mr. Cohen >> I believe that the top signature is Donald Trump Jr. And that the bottom signature is, I believe, is Allen Weissleberg's. Mr. Cummings >> Can you tell me the date of that check? Mr. Cohen >> March 17th of 2017. 110001 Mr. Cummings >> Wait a minute. Hold up. The date on the check is after President Trump held his big press conference claiming that he gave up control of his businesses. How could the president have arranged for you to get this check if he was supposedly playing no role in his business? Mr. Cohen >> Because the payments were designed to be paid over the course of 12 months, and it was declared to be 110032 >> a retainer for services that would be provided for the year of 2017. Mr. Cummings >> Was there a retainer agreement? Mr. Cohen >> There was no retainer agreement. Mr. Cummings >> Would Don Junior or Mr. Weissleberg have more information about that? Mr. Cohen >> Mr. Weissleberg for sure about the entire discussions and negotiations prior to the election, and Don Junior would have cursory information. 110103 Mr. Cummings >> Now, here's another one. This one appears to be signed by Donald Trump himself. Is that his signature? Mr. Cohen >> That is Donald Trump's signature. Mr. Cummings >> So let me make sure I understand. Donald Trump wrote you a check out of his personal account while he was serving as President of the United States of America to reimburse you for hush money payments 110131 to Ms. Clifford. Is that what you are telling the American people today? Mr. Cohen >> Yes, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Cummings >> One final question. The President claimed he knew nothing about these payments. His ethics filing said he owed nothing to you. Based on your conversations with him, is there any doubt in your mind that President Trump knew exactly what he was paying for? 110201 Mr. Cohen >> There is no doubt in my mind and I truly believe there's no doubt in the people of the United States of America. Mr. Cummings >> These new documents appear to corroborate what you just told us. With that, I'll yield to the gentleman and ranking member. Mr. Jordan >> I will make sure that you and I meet one day while we're in the courthouse andly take you for every penny you still don't have and I will come after your daily beast and everybody else that you possibly know. 110232 So I'm warning you, tread very efing lightly because what I'm going to do to you is going to be efing disgusting, you understand me? Mr. Cohen, who said that? Mr. Cohen >> I did. Mr. Jordan >> And did you say that, Mr. Cohen, in your testimony on page two, you said you did things for Mr. Trump in an effort to protect him. Was that statement that I just read that you admitted to saying, did you do that to protect Donald Trump? 110301 Mr. Cohen >> I did it to protect Mr. Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump. Mr. Jordan >> In your sentencing statement back in December in front of the judge, you said this, Mr. Cohen, my weakness can be characterized as a blind loyalty to Donald Trump, a blind loyalty that led me to choose a path of darkness. Is that accurate, Mr. Cohen? Mr. Cohen >> I wrote that. Mr. Jordan >> You wrote that and said that in front of the judge, is that right? Mr. Cohen >> That's correct. 110329 Mr. Jordan >> Let me read a few other things here and let me ask you why you did some of these things. When you filed a false tax return in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, was all that out of blind loyalty to the president? Mr. Cohen >> No, it was not. Mr. Jordan >> When you failed to report 4 million in income to the internal revenue service, did you do that to protect Donald Trump? Mr. Cohen >> No, I did not. Mr. Jordan >> And when you failed to pay 1.4 million in taxes -- 110402 >> I got constituents who don't make that in a lifetime. When you failed to pay 1.4 million in taxes to the U.S. Treasury was that out of blind loyalty to the president of the United States? Mr. Cohen >> It was not. But the number was 1.38 and change and I have paid that money back to the IRS. Mr. Jordan >> I think the American people appreciate that 1.38. Mr. Cohen >> I would also like to say it was over a course of five years, approximately 260,000 a year. 110433 Mr. Jordan >> That's what I said, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, that's five years. Mr. Cohen >> Yes. Mr. Jordan >> Got it. When you made false statements to financial institutions concerning a home equity line of Credit, Taxi medallions on your Park Avenue apartment in 2013, 2014, and 2015 and you plead guilty to making those false statements to those banks, was that all done to protect the president? Mr. Cohen >> No, it was not. 110459 Mr. Jordan >> How about this one. When you created the fake Twitter account women for Cohen and paid a firm to post tweets like this one, "In a world of lies, deception and fraud, we appreciate this honest guy @Michael Cohen, #tgif #handsome #sexy. Was that done to protect the president? Mr. Cohen >> Mr. Jordan I didn't actually set that up. It was done by a young lady that worked for red finch. During the course of the campaign which you would know, is somewhat crazy and wild, 110535 we were having fun. That's what it was, sir. We were having fun. Mr. Jordan >> Was it done to protect the president? Mr. Cohen >> That was not done to protect the president? Mr. Jordan >> Was it a fake Twitter account? >> No. It was a real Twitter account. It exists. >> You paid a firm to create this-- Mr. Cohen >> I didn't pay the firm. It was done by a young lady that worked for the firm. Again, sir, we were having fun during a stressful time. Mr. Jordan >> The point is Mr. Cohen did you lie to protect the president or did you lie to help yourself? 110601 Mr. Cohen >> I'm not sure how that helped me, sir. Mr. Jordan >> I'm not sure how it did either. Mr. Cohen >> Right. And I would like to also note that more than half the people on that site are men. Mr. Jordan >> Here's the point. The chairman just gave you a 30-minute opening statement and you have a history of lying over and over and over again. Frankly, you don't have to take my word for it. Take what the court said, take what the southern district of New York said. Cohen. did crimes that were marked by a pattern of deception and that permeated his professional life. 110635 These crimes were distinct in their harms but very common set of circumstances. They each involved deception and were each, each motivated by personal greed and ambition. A pattern of deception for personal greed and ambition. And you just got 30 minutes of an opening statement where you trashed the president of the United States of America. Mr. Cohen, how long did you work for Donald Trump? 110701 Mr. Cohen >> Approximately a decade. Mr. Jordan >> Ten years? Mr. Cohen >> That is correct. Mr. Jordan >> You said all these bad things about the president there in that last 30 minutes, and yet you worked for him for ten years? All those bad things -- I mean, if it's that bad, I can see you working for him for ten days, maybe ten weeks, maybe even ten months. But you worked for him for ten years. Mr. Cohen, how long did you work in the white house? 110730 Mr. Cohen >> I never worked in the white house. Mr. Jordan >> That's the point, isn't it, Mr. Cohen? Mr. Cohen >> No, sir. Mr. Jordan >> Yes, it is. Mr. Cohen >> No, it's not, sir. Mr. Jordan >> You wanted to work in the white house and you didn't get brought to the dance. Mr. Cohen >> Sir, I was extremely proud to be personal attorney to the president of the United States of America. I did not want to go to the white house. I was offered jobs. I can tell you a story of Mr. Trump reaming out Reince Priebus because I had not taken a job where Mr. Trump wanted me to, which is working with Don McGahn 110801 at the white house general counsel's office. One second. What I said at the time -- and I brought a lawyer in who produced a memo as to why I should not go in, because there would be no attorney/client privilege. And in order to handle some of the matters that I talked about in my opening, that it would be best suited for me not to go in and that every president had a personal attorney. Mr. Jordan >> Here's what I see. I see a guy who worked for ten years and is here trashing the guy he worked for for ten years, didn't get a job in the white house, and now you're behaving just like everyone else who got fired or didn't get the job they wanted like Andy Mccabe, like James Comey, same kind of selfish motivation after you don't get the thing you want. 110848 That's what I see here today and I think that's what the American people see. Mr. Cohen >> Mr. Jordan, all I wanted was what I got, to be personal attorney to the president, to enjoy the senior year of my son in high school and waiting for my daughter who is graduating from college to come back to New York. I got exactly what I want. Mr. Jordan >> Exactly what you want? Mr. Cohen >> That's right. Mr. Jordan >> You're going to prison. Mr. Cohen >> I received exactly what I wanted. 110914 Mr. Cummings, Chairman >> The gentleman's time has expired. Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Ms. Schultz >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Cohen, thank you for being here today. As you likely know, I served as the chair of the democratic national committee at the time of the Russian hacks and when Russia weaponized the messages it had stolen. But I want to be clear, My questions are not about the harm done to my individual by wikileaks and the Russians. 110941 It's about the possible and likely harm to the United States of America and our democracy. I have a series of questions that I hope will connect more of these dots. Mr. Cohen, is it your testimony that Mr. Trump had advanced knowledge of the Russia wikileaks release of the DNC's e-mails? Mr. Cohen >> I cannot answer that in a yes or no. He had advanced notice that there was going to be a dump of e-mails, but at no time did I hear the specificity of what those e-mails were going to be. 111015 Ms. Schultz >> But you do testify today that he had advanced knowledge of their imminent release. Mr. Cohen >> That is what I had stated in my testimony. Mr. Schultz >> And that he cheered that outcome? Mr. Cohen >> Yes, ma'am. Ms. Shultz >> Did Mr. Trump likely share this information with his daughter ivanka, son don junior or Jared Kushner? Mr. Cohen >> I'm not aware of that. Ms. Schultz >> Was ivanka, Jared or don junior still involved in the Russian tower deal at that time? 111044 Mr. Cohen >> The company was involved in the deal, which meant that the family was involved in the deal. Ms. Schultz >> If Mr. Trump and his daughter ivanka and son Donald junior are involved in the Russian trump tower deal, is it possible the whole family is conflicted or compromised with a foreign adversary in the months before the election? Mr. Cohen >> Yes. Ms. Schultz >> Based on your experience with the president and knowledge of his relationship with Mr. Stone, do you have reason to believe that the president explicitly or implicitly authorized Mr. Stone to make contact with wikileaks and to indicate the campaign's interest in the strategic release of these illegally hacked materials? 111122 Mr. Cohen >> I'm not aware of that. Ms. Schultz >> Was Mr. Stone a free agent reporting back to the president what he had done? Or was he an agent of the campaign acting on behalf of the president and with his apparent authority? Mr. Cohen >> No. He was a free agent. Ms. Schultz >> A free agent that was reporting back to the president what he had done? Mr. Cohen >> Correct. He frequently reached out to Mr. Trump, and Mr. Trump was very happy to take his calls. It was free service. Ms. Schultz >> Roger stone says he never spoke with Mr. Trump about wikileaks. How can we corroborate what you are saying? Mr. Cohen >> I don't know. But I suspect that the special counsel's office and other government agencies have the information that you're seeking. 111209 Ms. Schultz >> Moving on to a little later in 2016, a major wikileaks dump happens hours after the access Hollywood tape is released. Do you believe or are you aware of Mr. Trump coordinating or signaling for this e-mail dump? Mr. Cohen >> I'm unaware of that. I actually was not even in the country at the time of the Billy bush tape. I was in London visiting my daughter. Ms. Schultz >> Knowing how Mr. Trump operates with his winning at all costs mentality, do you believe that he would cooperate 111242 or collude with a foreign power to win the presidency? Is he capable of that? Mr. Cohen >> It calls on so much speculation, ma'am. It would be unfair for me -- Ms. Schultz >> You have a tremendous amount of experience. Mr. Cohen >> Mr. Trump is all about winning. He will do what is necessary -- Ms. Schultz >> And in your opinion and experience, would he have the potential to cooperate or collude with a foreign power to win the presidency at all costs? 11-13-13 Mr. Cohen >> Yes. Ms. Schultz >> Based on what you know, would Mr. Trump or did he lie about colluding and coordinating with the Russians at any point during the campaign? Mr. Cohen >> As I stated in my testimony, I wouldn't use the word colluding. Was there something odd about the back and forth praise with president Putin? Yes. But I'm not really sure that I can answer that question in terms of collusion. 111351 I was not part of the campaign. I don't know the other conversations that Mr. Trump had with other individuals. There's just so many dots that all seem to lead to the same direction. Ms. Schultz >> Finally, before my time expires, Mr. Cohen, the campaign and the entire trump organization appeared to be filthy with Russian contact. There are Russian business contacts, there are campaign Russian contacts, there are lies about all of those contacts, 111427 and then we have Roger stone informing the president just before the democratic national convention that wikileaks was going to drop documents in the public arena that we knew at that point were hacked and stolen by Russia from the democratic national committee. Mr. Cummings, Chairman >> The gentle lady's time has expired. Ms. Schultz >> My question is, given all these connections, is it likely that Donald Trump was fully aware and had every intent of working with Russia to help make sure that he could win the presidency at all costs? 111506 Mr. Cohen >> Let me say this is a matter that's currently being handled by the house select and the senate select intelligence committees. So I would rather not answer that specific question other than just the tell you that Mr. Trump's desire to win would have him work with anyone. And one other thing that I had said in my statement is that when it came to the trump tower Moscow project, 111540 it was worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and we never expected to win the election. So this was just business as usual. Ms. Schultz >> Thank you, Mr. Cohen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Green >> Thank you Mr. Chairman, ranking member Jordan. The chairman in this committee promised members of the american people a fair and open process, yet the Democrats have vastly limited the scope of this hearing. They've issued a gag order to try to tell members of this committee what we can and cannot talk about. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim they want the truth, that they want transparency and fair oversight. 111616 Yet the Democrats' witness to testify before congress today is none other than a sworn scorned man who's going to prison for lying to congress. Let that sink in. He's going to prison for lying to congress and he's going to prison for lying to congress and he's the star witness, to congress. If you read the sentencing report on Mr. Cohen, words like deceptive and greedy are scattered throughout that report. It paints a picture of a narcissist, a bully who cannot tell the truth about the president or about his own personal life. 111648 But today he's the majority party's star witness. If the Democrats were after the truth, they'd have an honest person here testifying. And if they were really after the truth, they'd not restrict the questioning to just a few topics. But let's take a look at those restricted topics. Mr. Chairman, the first topic in your limited scope that I can ask Mr. Cohen is about the president's debts. But Mr. Chairman didn't Mr. Cohen plead guilty to lying to banks about his personal finances? We're asking a guy going to jail for lying about his debts to comment about the president's debts. 111729 He's the expert. Mr. Chairman,your next couple of topics say I can ask Mr. Cohen about the president's compliance with financial disclosures and campaign finance laws but didn't Mr. Cohen on two occasions break campaign finance law with his own donation? Again, the majority party star witness on the president's compliance is a guy who broke compliance laws himself. Mr. Chairman, you graciously allow us to ask questions of Mr. Cohen on the president's dealings with the irs and tax law. 111802 Your star witness here broke the law with regards to the irs at least five times. He pled guilty on cheating on his taxes, lying to the irs. He's the best witness you got? Next up with the permission of the chairman I get to ask Mr. Cohen about his perspective on the president's business dealings. Let me get this straight. The witness lied to multiple financial institutions to get loans to pay off other loans just to keep himself afloat and he's going to be the expert on business practices. 111836 Obviously, Mr. Chairman, the witness may produce documents that he suggests incriminates the president, yet he lies to banks. All of those lies were done on fraudulent documents, documents that he forged. Nothing he says or produces has any credibility. Apparently he even lied about delivering his own child, which his wife had to correct the record. Ladies and gentlemen, how on Earth is this witness credible? 111905 With all the lies and deception, the self-serving fraud, it begs the question, what is the majority party doing here? No one can see this guy as credible. He will say whatever he wants to accomplish his own personal goals. He's a fake witness. And his presence here is a travesty. I hope the American people see through this. I know the people back in Tennessee will. And with that statement, sir, I have a few questions of the witness. 111937 With your loss of your law license, I think you mentioned in your opening statement that you had been disbarred. What is your source of income in the future? Mr. Cohen >> I don't expect I'm going to have a source of income when I'm in the federal penitentiary. Mr. Green >> Is there a book deal coming? >> I have no book deal in the process. I have been contacted by many including for television, a movie. If you want to tell me who you would like to play you, I'm more than happy to write the name down. I would also like to turn around and just to correct your statement on me -- 112014 Mr. Green >> Let me ask one other question, though. I only have a limited amount of time. Mr. Cohen No individual -- Mr. Green >> One quick question. Who paid your expenses to be here today? Mr. Cohen >> Who's paid my expenses? Mr. Green >> To be here today. Mr. Cohen >> I paid my expenses. Mr. Green >> Mr. Chairman, I'd like to yield the remainder of my time to the ranking member. Mr. Jordan >> Mr. Cohen, how many times did you talk to the special counsel's office? Mr. Cohen >> Seven. Mr. Jordan >> Did they talk to you at all in preparation for today's hearing between the seven times you talked to them prior to your sentencing, have you had any conversations with the special counsel's office between sentencing and today? 112050 Mr. Cohen >> I'm sorry I don't understand your question. Mr. Jordan >> You talked to them seven times in the sentencing memorandums in front of the court back in December. What I'm asking is how many times you've talked to the special counsel's office since then up to today's appearance here in congress? Mr. Cummings, Chairman >> The gentleman's time has expired. You may answer the question now. Mr. Cohen >> I'm sorry I don't have the answer to that. Mr. Cummings, Chairman >> Ms. Maloney. Mr. Jordan >> I'll come back to that. 11:21:13 Ms. Maloney >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Cohen, in your ten years of working for Donald Trump, did he control everything that went on in the trump organization? And did you have to get his permission in advance and report back after every meeting of any importance? Mr. Cohen >> Yes. There was nothing that happened at the trump organization, whether it was a response as the daily beast story that you referred to, ranking member, that did not go through Mr. Trump with his approval and sign-off as in the case of the payments. 112200 Ms. Maloney >> How many times did the president, Michael, ask you or direct you to try to reach settlements with women in 2015 and 2016? Mr. Cohen >> I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't have the answer to that. I'd have to go back and try and recollect. It's certainly the two that we know about. Ms. Maloney >> Why do you think the president did not provide the accurate information in his 2017 financial disclosure form? What was he trying to hide? He corrected other forms, but he didn't correct this one. 112242 Mr. Cohen >> The payments on the reimbursement of the funds that I extended on his behalf. Ms. Maloney >> Can you elaborate more? Mr. Cohen >> Well, going back into the story, as I stated when Alan weissleberg and I left the office and went to his office in order to make the determination on how the money was going to be wired to the Iola, the interest on a lawyer's account for Keith Davidson in California, I had asked Alan to use his money. 112314 Didn't want to use mine. He said he couldn't. We then decided how else we can do it. He asked me whether or not I know anybody who wants to have a party at one of his clubs that could pay me instead or somebody who may have wanted to become a member of one of the golf clubs. And I also don't have anybody who was interested in that. It got to the point where it was down to the wire. It was either somebody wire the funds and purchase the life rights to the story from Ms. Clifford, or it was going to end up being sold to television, and that would have embarrassed the president and it would have interfered with the election. 112402 Ms. Maloney >> But the president has never amended his 2017 form to this day. While you're facing the consequences of going to jail, he is not. Mr. Cohen >> I believe they amended a financial disclosure form and there's a footnote somewhere buried. I don't recall specifically what it says, but there is a footnote buried somewhere. Ms. Maloney >> Can you describe, Michael, to the American people catch-and-kill? Mr. Cohen >> Catch-and-kill is a method that exists when you're working with a news outlet. 112439 In this specific case it was AMI, national enquirer, David pecker, Dylan Howard and others, where they would contact me or Mr. Trump or someone and state that there's a story that percolating out there that you may be interested in. Then what you do is you contact that individual and purchase the rights to that story from them. Ms. Maloney >> And you practiced this for the president? Mr. Cohen >> I was involved in several of these catch-and-kill episodes. But these catch-and-kill scenarios existed between David pecker and Mr. Trump long before I started working for him in 2007. 112525 Ms. Maloney >> Michael, can you suggest who else this committee should talk to for additional information on this or anything else? Mr. Cohen >> Yes. I believe David pecker, Dylan Howard, Barry Levine of Ami as well. Alan weissleberg, Alan Garton of the trump organization as well. Ms. Maloney >> Thank you very much for your testimony. And Mr. Chairman, this is a story of redemption. Mr. Cohen >> Thank you, ma'am. 112554 Mr. Cummings, Chairman >> Mr. Comer. Mr. Comer >> Mr. Cohen, in your testimony you stated that you began work for the trump organization as a lawyer dealing with real estate transactions, is that correct? Mr. Cohen >> That is correct. Mr. Comer >> Prior to coming to congress, I served as a director of two different banks so I've seen hundreds of loan applications and to try to determine your credibility here today, I just wanted to ask you a couple of real estate transaction questions just to see how in fact you operate. During to the southern district of New York prosecutors, you lied to banks to secure loans by falsing stating the amount of debt you were carrying. Mr. Cohen my question to you, was it Donald Trump's fault that you knowingly committed a crime of deception to defraud a bank? 112637 Mr. Cohen >> No, it's not. Mr. Comer >> Was that fraudulent loan you obtained for the trump organization or for you personally? Mr. Cohen >> It would be for me, though I'm not familiar with which loan you're referring to. I would like to say one thing. Sorry, I would like to respond. Mr. Comer >> The loan -- Mr. Cohen >> When we're talking about the home equity line of credit which is what I believe you're referring to -- Mr. Comer >> We're also referring -- I'm going to ask a question pertaining to your summer home you purchased too. 112706 Mr. Cohen >> I never purchased a summer home. No individual on no bank in the 22 years that I've had loans have ever lost a dollar with me. I owe no money to my bank. Mr. Comer >> The banks usually find out when someone's trying to deceive them. Mr. Cohen >> In 22 years I have no money owed to any individual or bank. Mr. Comer >> Mr. Cohen, did you so-called blind loyalty to the president cause you to defraud the bank for your own personal gain? Mr. Cohen >> Sir I take exception to that because I never defrauded any bank. 112740 Mr. Comer >> Let's dig a little deeper on that, on the bank fraud. According to the southern district of New York you failed to disclose $20 million in liabilities as well as tens of thousands of dollars of monthly expenses. That's according to the southern district of New York. Mr. Cohen, you being a lawyer, surely you knew you were breaking the law. Why would you have done that? Mr. Cohen >> Sir I'm not a cpa. I plead guilty. I'm going to prison as a result of it. Mr. Comer >> Because you're a con? Mr. Cohen >> No, sir. Because I plead guilty and I am going to be doing the time. I have caused tremendous, tremendous pain to my family. And I take no happiness -- 112822 Mr. Comer >> Let's go back to one last question about the bank. When the bank found out about the liabilities that you failed to disclose, you lied again to the bank, this is according to the southern district of new York, and said it had been expunged when in fact you just shifted the debt to another bank. Apparently, according to the information that we received,your intent to defraud the bank was for the desire to purchase the summer home for $8.5 million. Mr. Cohen >> No, sir. That would have been off an equity line. 112856 Considering I had less than a 50% loan to value on the assets and it was a pre existing line of credit that existed years before the date that you're referring to where this is all surrounding New York City taxi medallions. Mr. Comer >>But you understand that when you failed to disclose liabilities, especially $20 million in liabilities that is in fact fraud. Mr. Cohen >> Except even with $20 million in liability Mr. Comer >> How much was it? 112928 Mr. Cohen >> The medallions were at that time worth over $45 million Mr. Comer >> Mr. Cohen, you called Donald Trump a cheat in your open testimony. What would you call yourself? Mr. Cohen >> A fool. Mr. Comer >> You calling -- okay. Well, no comment on that. Mr. Cohen >> I appreciate that. Mr. Comer >> Mr. Chairman, we said we were in search of the truth. I don't believe that Michael Cohen is capable of telling the truth. And I would hope that as this committee moves forward, that when we have the opportunity to subpoena witnesses, 113002 we subpoena witnesses that are not recently disbarred, are not convicted felon, and witnesses that haven't committed bank fraud and tax fraud. That is how we're going to determine the truth. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the ranking member. Mr. Jordan >> I would just make one point. We just had a five-minute debate where Mr. Cohen dispute what is the southern district of new York found, what the judge found, that he was actually guilty of committing bank fraud. 113030 >> If this statement back here doesn't say it all, Cohen's consciousness of wrongdoing is fleeting, his remorse is minimal/ His instinct is to blame others is strong. There is only one thing wrong with that statement. His remorse is non-existent. He just debated a member of congress saying I really didn't do anything wrong with the false bank things that I'm guilty and going to prison for -- Mr. Cohen >> Mr. Jordan, that's not what I said. And you know that's not what I said. Mr. Jordan >> Will the gentleman yield? Mr. Cohen >> I said that I pled guilty and I take responsibility for my actions. WASH 11 MICHAEL COHEN HEARING WITNESS CSPAN POOL P2 TV 31PGM MICHAEL COHEN HEARING ABC DIGITAL P2 113101 Mr. Cummings >> The gentleman's time has expired. Mr. Cohen >> Shame on you, Mr. Jordan. That's not what I said. Shame on you. >> Mr. Chairman -- Mr. Cohen >> That's not what I said. What I said is I took responsibility and I take responsibility. What I was doing is explaining to the gentleman that his facts are inaccurate. I take responsibility for my mistakes. Alright? I am remorseful and I am going to prison. 113129 Mr. Cohen I will be away from my wife and family for years. So before you turn around and you cast more dispersion, please understand there are people watching you today that know me a whole lot better. I made mistakes. I own them and I didn't fight with the southern district of New York. I didn't put the system through an entire scenario. But what I did do is I pled guilty and I am going to be, again, going to prison. Mr. Cummings >> Ms. Ms. Norton? 113201 Ms. Norton >> Mr. Cohen, at the center of the reason you are going to prison is conviction for campaign finance violations. And they center around some salacious revelations. The "Washington post" reported or aired a "Access Hollywood" video. It set a record for the number of people who watched, crashed the newspaper's server. But this happened in early October on the cusp of the election. 113252 >> What was Mr. Trump's reaction to the video becoming public at that time? And was he concerned about the impact of that video on the election? Mr. Cohen >> The answer is yes. As I stated before, I was in London at the time visiting my daughter who was studying there for a Washington semester abroad. And I received a phone call during the dinner from Hope Hicks stating that she had just spoken to Mr. Trump and we need you to start making phone calls to the various different 113330 news outlets that you have relationships with, and we need to spin this. What we want to do is just to claim that this was men locker room talk. Ms. Norton >> Was the concern about the election in particular? Mr. Cohen >> The answer is yes. Then couple that with Karen Mcdougal, which then came out around the same time, and then on top of that the stormy Daniels matter. Ms. Norton >> Yeah. And these things happened in the month before the election 113403 >> and almost one after the other. The stormy Daniels revelation where prosecutors and officials learned of that matter and prosecutors stated that the officials at the magazine contacted you about the story. 113433 The magazine of course is "The national enquirer." That is correct that they did? Mr. Cohen >> Yes, ma'am. Ms. Norton >> -- Come to you. Were you concerned about this new story becoming public right after the "Access Hollywood" study in terms of impact on the election? 113500 Mr. Cohen >> I was concerned about it, but more importantly, Mr. Trump was concerned about it. Ms. Norton >> That was my next question. What was the president's concern about these matters becoming public in October as we were about to go into an election? Mr. Cohen >> I don't think anybody would dispute this belief that after the wildfire that encompassed the Billy bush tape that a second follow-up to it would have been 113531 pleasant and he was concerned with the effect that it had had on the campaign, on how women were seeing him and ultimately whether or not he would have a shot in the general election. Ms. Norton >> Until you negotiated the $130,000 payment -- Mr. Cohen >> The $130,000 number was not a number that was actually negotiated. It was told to me by Keith Davidson that this is a number that Ms. Clifford wanted. 113604 Ms. Norton >> You finally completed that deal, as it were, on October the -- Mr. Cohen >> 28th. Ms. Norton >> Days before the election. What happened in the interim? Mr. Cohen >> Contemplated whether or not to do it. Wasn't sure if she was really going to go public. There was, again, some communications back and forth between myself and Keith Davidson. 113631 >> And ultimately it came to either do it or don't, at which time, again, I had gone into Mr. Trump's office as I did after each and every conversation, and he had told me he had spoken to a couple friends, it's 130,000 and it's not a lot of money and we should do it. So go ahead and do it. And I was at the time with Allen Weissleberg where he directed us to go back to Weissleberg's office and figure this all out. Ms. Norton >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 113703 Mr. Cummings >> Mr. Meadows Mr. Meadows >> Mr. Cohen, do you know Lynn Patton? I'm right here. Do you know Lynn Patton? Mr. Cohen >> Yes, I do. Mr. Meadows >> I asked Lynn to come today in her personal capacity to actually shed some light. How long have you known Ms. Patton? Mr. Cohen >> I'm responsible for Ms. Patton joining the Trump organization in the job that she currently holds. Mr. Meadows >> I'm glad you acknowledge that because 113730 you made some very demeaning comments about the president that Ms. Patton doesn't agree with. In fact, it has to do with your claim of racism. She says that as a daughter of a man born in Birmingham, Alabama, that there is no way that she would work for an individual who was racist. How do you reconcile the two of those? Mr. Cohen >> As neither should I as the son of a holocaust survivor. 113802 Mr. Meadows >> But, Mr. Cohen, I guess what I'm saying is, is I've talked to the president over 300 times. I've not heard one time a racist comment out of his mouth in private. So how do you reconcile it? Do you have proof of those conversations? Do you have tape recordings of those conversations? Mr. Cohen >> I would ask you to - Mr. Meadows >> Do you have tape recordings of those conversations? Mr. Cohen >> No, sir. Mr. Meadows >> Well you've taped everybody else. Why wouldn't you - Mr. Cohen >> That's also not true, sir. That's not true. Mr. Meadows >> You haven't taped anybody. Mr. Cohen >> I have taped individuals. Mr. Meadows >> How many times have you taped individuals? 113832 Mr. Cohen >> Maybe 100 times over ten years. Mr. Meadows >> Is that a low estimate? Because I've heard it's over 200 times. Mr. Cohen >> No. It's approximately 100. From what I recall. But I would ask that you ask me a question, sir - Mr. Meadows >> Do you have proof, yes or no? Mr. Cohen >> I do. I do. Mr. Meadows >> Where's the proof? Mr. Cohen >> Ask Ms. Patton how many people who are black are executives at the Trump organization. The answer is zero. Mr. Meadows >> We can go through this. I would ask unanimous consent 113901 >> that her entire statement be put in the record. Mr. Cummings >> Without objection. Mr. Meadows >> Let me go on a little bit further. Did you collect $1.2 million or so from Navardas? Mr. Cohen >> I did. Mr. Meadows >> For access to the trump administration? Mr. Cohen >> No, sir. Mr. Meadows >> Why did you collect it? Mr. Cohen >> Because they came to me based upon my knowledge of the enigma Donald Trump, what he thinks -- Mr. Meadows >> Did they pay you 1.2 -- Mr. Cohen >> Please, sir, let me finish - 113929 Mr. Meadows >> No. Did they pay you 1.2 million dollars to give you advice? Mr. Cohen >> Yes, they did. They - A multibillion dollar conglomerate came to me looking for information, not something that's unusual here in D.C., looking for information. And they believed that I had a value. And that the value was the insight that I was capable of offering them and they were willing to pay. Mr. Meadows >> How many times did you meet with them