This can’t be good news for Trump. It’s being reported now that in Cohen’s plea deal, he admits he committed crimes at the direction of ‘the candidate’:
JUST IN: Cohen tells court under oath that he violated campaign law *at the direction* of the candidate, Donald Trump; says he acted for the purpose of influencing the election, @CNN/@Reuters report.
— Mark Albert (@malbertnews) August 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/DrDenaGrayson/status/1032007697892343808
THIS IS BIG. @KaraScannell reports Michael Cohen just said in court that he he made the payments to the two women.... (Karen McDougal & Stormy Daniels) in coordination with and at the direction of candidate for federal office AKA Trump.
— Noah Gray (@NoahGrayCNN) August 21, 2018
Breaking news: President Trump’s longtime attorney Michael Cohen just pleaded GUILTY to 8 counts of campaign finance violations. Cohen admitted that he made hush money payments to women “in coordination with and at the direction of” an unnamed candidate (President Trump).
— Javi Morgado (@javimorgado) August 21, 2018
hooboy
*COHEN SAYS HE VIOLATED CAMPAIGN LAW AT DIRECTION OF CANDIDATE
*COHEN SAYS HE ACTED FOR PURPOSE OF INFLUENCING ELECTION
*COHEN: VIOLATED CAMPAIGN LAW AT DIRECTION OF UNNAMED CANDIDATE
— Justin Sink (@justinsink) August 21, 2018
And…
Cohen will be sentenced Dec. 12th
— Joshua Green (@JoshuaGreen) August 21, 2018
Holy cow. It sound like he totally implicated Trump in his plea deal. So much for ‘no cooperation’.
UPDATE:
Here’s more from Bloomberg:
In acknowledging the charges against him, Cohen said he was directed to violate campaign law at the direction of a candidate for federal office. At the same candidate’s direction, he said he paid $130,000 to somebody to keep them quiet, which was later repaid by the candidate. He didn’t identify the candidate or the person who was paid, but those facts match Cohen’s payment to Clifford and Trump’s repayment.
The prosecutor told the judge the purpose of the payments was to ensure that the individuals did not disclose “alleged affairs with the candidate.” Besides the $130,000 payment, Cohen admitted to making an illegal contribution of $150,000, which was how much McDougal received from the National Enquirer’s publisher to quash her story.
At no time was the candidate’s name mentioned.
Cohen was released on $500,000 bond, cosigned by his wife and a second person. The judge set sentencing for Dec. 12. Prosecutors plan to make a statement outside the courtroom.
Welp…