Originally, Michael Cohen wanted to testify in the Russia affair on February 7 before a congressional committee. But then his legal representative Lanny Davis canceled the appointment. Now Cohen, former lawyer of President Donald Trump, has received a binding subpoena: he has to testify before the US Senate.
Davis confirmed corresponding media reports. The subpoena came from the intelligence committee of the US Senate and took the form of a so-called subpoena, which has mandatory character. The panel overruled Cohen's refusal to appear before Congress at the present time.
The original panel that Cohen wanted to testify to was a congressional committee responsible for general government control. Davis justified the cancellation of the appointment on February 7 with the fact that his client's family "threats" by Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani was exposed - a serious charge, which Davis but did not substantiate.
AFP
Donald Trump
However, Davis did not provide any information on whether Cohen's hearing should be public or closed-door. According to information of the transmitter CNN the former Trump coworker is to appear in the middle of February before the senate committee.
Cohen's statement on Wednesday in the House Committee should be public. From its statements in Congress, observers in Washington expect new explosive revelations about the President and the Trump Group.
Cohen already weighs heavily on Trump
Because Cohen has broken with his longtime boss and put him with his previous information significantly under pressure. So he gave false statements to parliamentarians to the project of a Trump Tower in Moscow. The high-rise project was therefore pursued much longer than originally stated by Cohen - namely until at least June 2016, when Trump was already almost certainly as a Republican presidential candidate.
Trump attorney Giuliani even said a few days ago that his mandate would have had talks on the project until the autumn of 2016 - but quickly regressed these statements. The chronology is highly explosive in that it is about whether Trump pursued business interests in Russia at an advanced stage of his election campaign.
AP
Rudy Giuliani
Among other things, because of his false statements about the construction project Cohen was sentenced by a New York court to three years in prison. The 52-year-old had to take the detention but so far not. A media report that Trump had even asked his former employee to lie, denied special investigator Robert Mueller, who directs the investigations in the Russian affair.
The core of Russia's investigation is whether the presidential elections of 2016 were influenced by foreign powers, especially Russia. And if Trump's campaign team had something to do with such an influence. He rejects that and speaks of a "witch hunt".