Michael Cohen postpones congressional testimony because of threats to family from Trump and Giuliani

[Chomsky]

President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen on Wednesday postponed his plan to testify before Congress in February because of concerns about his family’s safety, Cohen’s adviser Lanny Davis said.

Davis cited “ongoing threats” to Cohen’s family from Trump and the president’s current personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, in the decision to delay his appearance before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, where he was expected to talk at length about the president.

Source: (CNBC) Michael Cohen postpones congressional testimony because of threats to family from Trump and Giulianil

This is freshly breaking, so I can't extensively comment due to not having a lot of information.

However, on the surface this appears problematic for Cohen. I can't imagine this will look good for him in the public eye. I do believe the circumstances involving his decision is more complex than we might easily recognize.

 

[lwf]

Source: (CNBC) Michael Cohen postpones congressional testimony because of threats to family from Trump and Giulianil

This is freshly breaking, so I can't extensively comment due to not having a lot of information.

However, on the surface this appears problematic for Cohen. I can't imagine this will look good for him in the public eye. I do believe the circumstances involving his decision is more complex than we might easily recognize.

My initial reaction is that it's a good move for Cohen, if his goal is to damage Trump. He's playing the tampered witness card.

 

[Acadia]

I think you are alluding to Cohen wanting to rehabilitate his public image via testifying and I've maintained that's not happening. He's a liar and a felon and really, are Dems so desperate that they need to scrape the bottom of the barrel and pull out this chucklehead in order to "get" Trump?
I knew Cohen would never testify. He went through a very public tantrum period and I think he wants to destroy Trump, but knows he'll destroy his criminal family in the process.

 

[Acadia]

Further, Davis has offered no proof of his VERY serious allegations against Trump and my bet is that that proof will not be forthcoming. There needed to be a better reason for Cohen to announce he wouldn't be testifying so a) he announced that it's postponed (it's not, believe me) and b) they throw dirt at Trump so that's what the MSM will chomp on, instead of wondering if Cohen backed out in order to not incriminate his own family because they're criminals just like him.

 

[Fearandloathing]

My initial reaction is that it's a good move for Cohen, if his goal is to damage Trump. He's playing the tampered witness card.

At this point he seems to be trying to save his family and his life.

It is really low and desperate to attribute such feelings toward others.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

I assume the allegations of threats against his family and threats from Giuliani are two separate things. Giuliani is a sleeze, but I doubt he would make physical threats. Litigious threats, perhaps.

That said, I’m sure he is getting anonymous threats against his life. That has become the norm in high profile cases like this.

 

[HumblePi]

Source: (CNBC) Michael Cohen postpones congressional testimony because of threats to family from Trump and Giulianil

This is freshly breaking, so I can't extensively comment due to not having a lot of information.

However, on the surface this appears problematic for Cohen. I can't imagine this will look good for him in the public eye. I do believe the circumstances involving his decision is more complex than we might easily recognize.

This story will change by the hour, if not by the minute. There's going to be verbal attacks and accusations made on both sides. There's one thing that could end this standoff today. Trump has to end the shutdown by signing a CR that will keep the government open for 2 more week. TWO WEEKS!! That's all anyone is asking Trump to right now, but he won't because he's vindictive and is enjoying this more than anyone realizes.

 

[lwf]

At this point he seems to be trying to save his family and his life.

It is really low and desperate to attribute such feelings toward others.

From everything I read, the threats against his family were to open investigations, not to murder them. Still witness tampering though.

 

[Lutherf]

This is pure speculation on my part but I have a sneaking suspicion that Cohen and Schiff discovered that a lot of the questions they wanted asked/answered in the public forum will be disallowed because of their relevance to the Mueller investigation. Bear in mind that just this past weekend a Cohen story was pretty much debunked by the Mueller team and it's a fair bet that the Mueller team isn't a fan of possibly being put in the position of making more statements.

However, if Cohen isn't allowed to answer the deep, probing, thoughtful questions the Schiff panel is sure to ask he can at least make a statement suggesting that Trump is threatening his life and the life of his family.

 

[Fenton]

Source: (CNBC) Michael Cohen postpones congressional testimony because of threats to family from Trump and Giulianil

This is freshly breaking, so I can't extensively comment due to not having a lot of information.

However, on the surface this appears problematic for Cohen. I can't imagine this will look good for him in the public eye. I do believe the circumstances involving his decision is more complex than we might easily recognize.

:roll:

Cohen already being sentenced to 3 years is why that Buzzfeed story was such a joke, and its why this story is too. If Cohen had ANYTHING on Trump, he would have given it up prior to his sentencing, and if it was bad, ( or good for Democrats ) it would have been reflected in a lesser sentence or no sentence

 

[Cardinal]

Source: (CNBC) Michael Cohen postpones congressional testimony because of threats to family from Trump and Giulianil

This is freshly breaking, so I can't extensively comment due to not having a lot of information.

However, on the surface this appears problematic for Cohen. I can't imagine this will look good for him in the public eye. I do believe the circumstances involving his decision is more complex than we might easily recognize.

Cummings isn't happy about this one bit. He may very likely choose to just subpoena Cohen.

 

[chuckiechan]

Source: (CNBC) Michael Cohen postpones congressional testimony because of threats to family from Trump and Giulianil

This is freshly breaking, so I can't extensively comment due to not having a lot of information.

However, on the surface this appears problematic for Cohen. I can't imagine this will look good for him in the public eye. I do believe the circumstances involving his decision is more complex than we might easily recognize.

And screwing up his deal with Mueller by lying about other things to congress.

 

[HumblePi]

At this point he seems to be trying to save his family and his life.

It is really low and desperate to attribute such feelings toward others.

Fox News pundits are claiming that Cohen's testimony would be nothing but a repetition of what is already know so it's no big deal whether he testifies before Congress or not. But even if that were true, the fact that they're trying very hard to discourage Michael Cohen by going to the lengths of threatening or coercing in any way, then they must be afraid he's going to say a lot more than just repeating the same story all over again. There's just no other reason that Trump and Giuliani are so desperate to shut him up that they're willing to risk being accused of witness tampering to do it.

 

[HumblePi]

And screwing up his deal with Mueller by lying about other things to congress.

Robert Mueller has been consulted regarding this upcoming interview and he has stated to democrats in the House that Cohen is free to testify before them as long as his testimony doesn't impose into the investigation concerning Russia interference in the election. The House will meet in private with Cohen first to go over the questions with him before they go public. That way there can be no stepping on the toes of the FBI's investigation.

 

[Chomsky]

My initial reaction is that it's a good move for Cohen, if his goal is to damage Trump. He's playing the tampered witness card.

I'm not so sure. Throughout history many men have shouldered extreme risk to present their case to Congress. I think this makes Cohen look insincere, at least on the surface.

 

[Chomsky]

At this point he seems to be trying to save his family and his life.

It is really low and desperate to attribute such feelings toward others.

Perhaps. But this is big important stuff, and other men have risked personal safety to rise to the occasion to testify.

You may indeed be right. I don't know. But on the surface, this reflects poorly upon Cohen in my book.

I may withdraw my initial opinion as the story develops. But right now I'm doing basic political analysis, and that's what I think I see and how the public will receive it.

 

[joko104]

It is a lie that Trump or Giulani threatened Cohen's family. What they said is the Cohen was involved in illegal conduct that should be investigated and implied that if Cohen violates attorney-client privilege he is subject to being sued.

 

[MovingPictures]

Perhaps. But this is big important stuff, and other men have risked personal safety to rise to the occasion to testify.

You may indeed be right. I don't know. But on the surface, this reflects poorly upon Cohen in my book.

I may withdraw my initial opinion as the story develops. But right now I'm doing basic political analysis, and that's what I think I see and how the public will receive it.

Cohen's a worm.

 

[Chomsky]

I assume the allegations of threats against his family and threats from Giuliani are two separate things. Giuliani is a sleeze, but I doubt he would make physical threats. Litigious threats, perhaps.

That said, I’m sure he is getting anonymous threats against his life. That has become the norm in high profile cases like this.

Yeah, but throughout history men have taken great risk to testify in national matters before Congress, and for less things than the integrity & legitimacy of the Presidency.

I think Cohen needs to step-up and fully come clean, putting his fate in the hands of Congress and the American People.

 

[Chomsky]

This story will change by the hour, if not by the minute. There's going to be verbal attacks and accusations made on both sides. There's one thing that could end this standoff today. Trump has to end the shutdown by signing a CR that will keep the government open for 2 more week. TWO WEEKS!! That's all anyone is asking Trump to right now, but he won't because he's vindictive and is enjoying this more than anyone realizes.

Trump rests assured in the knowledge that he is more than willing to inflict more pain & harm than most Democrats, and that gives him thrust and solace.

We heard his statement claiming not to worry about employee collateral damage during the shutdown, "because federal employees are mostly Democrats"!

 

[JANFU]

Further, Davis has offered no proof of his VERY serious allegations against Trump and my bet is that that proof will not be forthcoming. There needed to be a better reason for Cohen to announce he wouldn't be testifying so a) he announced that it's postponed (it's not, believe me) and b) they throw dirt at Trump so that's what the MSM will chomp on, instead of wondering if Cohen backed out in order to not incriminate his own family because they're criminals just like him.

Taking up Rudy Gs talking points.

 

[Acadia]

I assume the allegations of threats against his family and threats from Giuliani are two separate things. Giuliani is a sleeze, but I doubt he would make physical threats. Litigious threats, perhaps.

That said, I’m sure he is getting anonymous threats against his life. That has become the norm in high profile cases like this.

Oh, absolutely, which is why singling out Trump is such a ridiculous move. But, we're talking about Lanny Davis here.

 

[Chomsky]

From everything I read, the threats against his family were to open investigations, not to murder them. Still witness tampering though.

I agree. It would on the surface appear to be witness tampering, indeed.

 

[Acadia]

Fox News pundits are claiming that Cohen's testimony would be nothing but a repetition of what is already know so it's no big deal whether he testifies before Congress or not. But even if that were true, the fact that they're trying very hard to discourage Michael Cohen by going to the lengths of threatening or coercing in any way, then they must be afraid he's going to say a lot more than just repeating the same story all over again. There's just no other reason that Trump and Giuliani are so desperate to shut him up that they're willing to risk being accused of witness tampering to do it.

Where's the proof?

 

[MovingPictures]

:roll:

Cohen already being sentenced to 3 years is why that Buzzfeed story was such a joke, and its why this story is too. If Cohen had ANYTHING on Trump, he would have given it up prior to his sentencing, and if it was bad, ( or good for Democrats ) it would have been reflected in a lesser sentence or no sentence

Um, that happened.

On top of the charges out of the SDNY, Cohen could have also gained several more years in jail for his lies to the Congress, but Mueller only had him plead guilty, and did not recommend any jail time. Mueller couldn't control that Cohen didn't come completely clean with the SDNY, so he was on his own there.