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For more than five hours on Wednesday, February 27, the former lawyer Donald Trump delivered a portrait vitriol of his former boss. But the testimony of Michael Cohen is not likely to tip the Republican camp, which remains united behind the president, and he has not provided the formal proof of his accusations. The former lawyer of the president will be heard this Thursday again, this time by the intelligence committee of the House of Representatives. But this hearing will take place in the secret of the closed session.
From our correspondent in Washington,
" A racist, a crook, a cheater ": Michael Cohen's lapidary formula caused a sensation. Throughout his hearing, the former lawyer of the president painted a portrait of an unscrupulous man , preoccupied above all by his own interests, and accused him of a series of actions likely to lead him before the justice: tax evasion, fraud, threats ... But during his long testimony before the House of Representatives Control Committee, the former lawyer of the president was not able to provide concrete evidence to support its many accusations.
Michael Cohen has brought a copy of a check signed by Donald Trump after his accession to the White House, but there is no evidence that this $ 35,000 actually correspond to the reimbursement of sums paid by his lawyer to buy the silence of two of his old mistresses supposed, as he claimed.
Another key statement of the hearing concerns a phone call from Roger Stone, about the upcoming release of Hillary Clinton's hacked emails by Wikileaks . Michael Cohen claims to have heard Donald Trump's former sulphurous campaign adviser on loudspeaker, announce the imminence of the release of these documents, and predict that they will carry a serious blow to the campaign of his Democratic opponent. Donald Trump would have openly congratulated.
This statement is potentially explosive: in a letter to the special prosecutor investigating the Russian interference in his campaign, the president said he knew nothing about the theft of e-mails by Russian pirates and their publication by Julien's website Assange. But again, no proof: the conversation was not recorded, and Roger Stone, recently indicted, strongly denied having made this phone call.
Michael Cohen also claimed to have five hundred times threatened with prosecution those who could harm his former client, but he only produced a copy of a letter he sent to schools and universities frequented by the president, to warn them that the publication of his report cards would lead to an immediate response in court.
Doubtful credibility
Throughout the testimony of Michael Cohen, elected Republicans denounced his lack of credibility. Sentenced to three years in prison for tax fraud, violation of the electoral law and perjury, the deposed lawyer was, it is true, an easy target for his detractors, who have not failed to exploit his past. They tried to uncover the contracts Michael Cohen was able to sign with foreign powers, denounced the betrayal of the confidentiality of his exchanges with his client, and called him a " false witness ".
Rather than bounce back on Michael Cohen's inflammatory statements about the president, Republican politicians effectively re-enacted the language elements used the day before by the White House spokeswoman, who called the former lawyer a " pathological liar. " ". They also questioned his motives, saying he was acting out of spite after failing to get a job at the White House.
For his part, the president said on Twitter from Vietnam that Michael Cohen was only trying to reduce his prison sentence. The Republicans have offered a united front, and for good reason: even if they are shattering, the statements of a man who will soon be incarcerated will not shake the electoral base of Donald Trump, who remains faithful to him whatever the damages crossed by the President.
No proof, but tracks to exploit
The inflammatory testimony of Michael Cohen confirms the portrait already painted in several books and by a number of former advisers of the White House: Donald Trump unscrupulous and very egocentric. " He has introduced a man he has known for ten years, I believe in the veracity of his words, " Elijah Cummings, the Democratic Chair of the House Committee, said after the hearing. And even though he has not provided any decisive evidence to prove the criminal conduct of the President, Michael Cohen has suggested several avenues to be explored for the various commissions of the Chamber, which have subpoena power to sworn benefits.
Asked in detail by the charismatic Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , the youngest elected to Congress, the former lawyer has for example assured that the president had regularly underestimated his property in order to obtain tax benefits. Michael Cohen could not confirm his claims, but cited the names of people who should be able to provide Congress with the necessary information, including that of Allen Weisselberg, the very discreet accountant of Donald Trump who heads the finances of his organization and which remains so far of unfailing loyalty.
Still in response to questions from New York's Democrat, Michael Cohen also said it would be wise to compare Donald Trump's financial statements with his tax sheet, which Congress has not yet managed to get. Michael Cohen also implicated the president's son, Donald Trump Junior, who signed one of two checks he produced in front of the commission, which he said he intended to repay the money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels to buy his silence on his supposed connection with the president.
The lawyer recently removed from the bar also revealed that the New York District was working on illegal activities related to Donald Trump: " I can not say anything more because the investigation is ongoing " he simply specified.
On the crucial issue of the Russian meddling in the campaign finally, the former president's lawyer confirmed that negotiations on a tower construction project in Moscow continued throughout the campaign. But he did not reveal anything that could suggest a collusion with the Russian authorities. If he has additional information, and not to interfere with the ongoing investigation, Michael Cohen probably reserves them to the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, which hears it on Thursday, in the privacy of the closed session .