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

[Jack Fabulous]

Yes, I'm well aware of the Steele dossier claim. But I'm still not clear on why he would be afraid to answer questions about Prague.

Pretend I'm stupid. And if you don't have to pretend, even better.

Because Republicans asking him about Prague will discredit the Steele dossier on a stage that reaches far beyond the realm of right wing news.

 

[Cardinal]

Because Republicans asking him about Prague will discredit the Steele dossier on a stage that reaches far beyond the realm of right wing news.

We've basically accepted for two years that the Prague visit is the one disputed claim in the dossier. And the fact that two years later there remains only one directly disputed claim doesn't go very far to concluding that the dossier is discredited as a whole. If it was as baloney as trump supporters like to claim, you'd think they'd have found one or two more claims they could dispute.

 

[Jack Fabulous]

We've basically accepted for two years that the Prague visit is the one disputed claim in the dossier. And the fact that two years later there remains only one directly disputed claim doesn't go very far to concluding that the dossier is discredited as a whole. If it was as baloney as trump supporters like to claim, you'd think they'd have found one or two more claims they could dispute.

You're either missing the point or you feel that it is far more insignificant than I do.

I believe that if Cohen goes before congress, Republicans are going to ask him again, and again, and again to not only testify that he was never in Prague, but to testify that what was reported by Steele was a complete fabrication. This doesn't bode well for certain members of the intel community whose names are on those FISA warrant applications/renewals.

 

[Cardinal]

You're either missing the point or you feel that it is far more insignificant than I do.

I believe that if Cohen goes before congress, Republicans are going to ask him again, and again, and again to not only testify that he was never in Prague, but to testify that what was reported by Steele was a complete fabrication. This doesn't bode well for certain members of the intel community whose names are on those FISA warrant applications/renewals.

Oh jeez, I get it now: you're part of the whole "the fabricated Steele Dossier is why Trump is being investigated" brigade.

 

[Jack Fabulous]

Oh jeez, I get it now: you're part of the whole "the fabricated Steele Dossier is why Trump is being investigated" brigade.

I really don't care WHY he's being investigated but the methods do interest me.

 

[MrWonka]

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.

Why would this look bad for Cohen? His family is being threatened by the most powerful man in the free world. He should be concerned about that. Trump and Rudi threatening Cohen's family in this way is the textbook definition of Obstruction of Justice. Cohen shouldn't even need to testify. These threats alone warrant impeachment.

 

[Chomsky]

Doesn't look god for Cohen?!!!!!!!

WTF???

This is 3rd world, banana republic crap Trump has brought to what had been the greatest country in the worlds history.

In political terms, yes I think it doesn't look good for Cohen. Despite all his protestations of Presidential intimidation. It looks like he has something to hide. Over the years, he's not the first guy to have to take a large risk to testify to the American People. Other men have done it. Of course it's moot point now, since he was subpoenaed today.

 

[Chomsky]

Can he even call for a postponement? I’m not sure that he can make that decision.

Up until the time he is required to appear via subpoena, yes he can do as he wishes. His appearance is voluntary. Of course that's moot, because today he was subpoenaed!

 

[Chomsky]

I'm going to need a little bit more than "threats from Trump". That's vague to the point of being meaningless. What, exactly, are they calling a threat? His tweets? If that's all he has then this is some kind of other play with a hidden intent.

Yeah. I doubt the majority of the country will side with Cohen for not showing, regardless of his claims, regardless of Trump's actions heretofore. He needs to get his ass down there.

 

[Mr Person]

Just remember folks: nobody is going around starting threads about the evils of the police using snitches to take out an illegal alien drug dealer rapist, or about rolling up mafia organizations. Those tactics are only bad if the target is Trump.

That's important, because turning criminals to states' evidence is an age-old law enforcement tactic. Using biased informants in search warrant applications is also. None of you run around making a big deal about that.

And of course.....the reason is you know it would be stupid. The only time any of this is a problem is when the fact that the source is biased isn't presented to the judge or fact-finder. And here, the FISA court was told about the political motivation of the Steele Dossier.

It was also 70ish pages long - way more than the vast majority I've seen - and further, the FISA process is much more intensive than the normal warrant application process. The Court goes back and forth with the prosecutors asking for more, then more, then more, and so on, only granting the warrant request once they're satisfied.

In ordinary criminal cases, the judge generally just signs off on whatever unless it is a truly bare-bones warrant that fails some basic requirement. Then you fight about it later at a suppression hearing, where you generally lose because judges hate calling cops liars for lying.





Fortunately, I know that no matter how much posters might make political hay of the fact that Cohen admitted lying, federal judges and juries won't care. There's corroboration seven ways from Sunday of stuff in the Steele Dossier. There's going to be a ton of corroboration of whatever Cohen said. How else do you think they convinced him to plead guilty?

Duh.

If a congress critter says they don't believe Cohen, they are doing it for purely political reasons.

 

[Roadvirus]

Why would this look bad for Cohen? His family is being threatened by the most powerful man in the free world. He should be concerned about that. Trump and Rudi threatening Cohen's family in this way is the textbook definition of Obstruction of Justice. Cohen shouldn't even need to testify. These threats alone warrant impeachment.

Do you have proof he's being threatened by Trump or Rudy? I haven't seen any.

 

[JustHanging]

Do you have proof he's being threatened by Trump or Rudy? I haven't seen any.

What are you talking about? Trump threatened his father in law in a tweet.

 

[Praxas]

Do you have proof he's being threatened by Trump or Rudy? I haven't seen any.

Trump threatened his father-in-law and Giuliani suggested Cohen should watch his back because of Russian connections.

 

[MateoMtnClimber]

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.

What about Cohen's family is criminal?

 

[Felis Leo]

Cohen's a worm.

Hey, MovingPictures. Stop insulting worms by comparing them to Michael Cohen.

 

[MateoMtnClimber]

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.

Proof? Both Trump and Giuliani have threatened Cohen's father-in-law with a criminal investigation in interview after interview.

 

[Fishking]

Okay, now write your post again, this time with the assumption that Trump is the President of the United States.

Got it, you can't actually produce a threat and believe that the statement, "I was threatened, cuz I say so." is valid enough, so long as the person being accused is Trump. More dishonesty on your part.

 

[MateoMtnClimber]

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.

Since Cohen is a convicted liar, he can't just repeat what he said before. I imagine Congress wants to know what Cohen lied about, why he lied, and what the truth is. It all seems a little silly to me since Cohen has no credibility and Mueller surely knows everything that Cohen knows, but Congress seems to want a role for itself.

 

[Cardinal]

Got it, you can't actually produce a threat and believe that the statement, "I was threatened, cuz I say so." is valid enough, so long as the person being accused is Trump. More dishonesty on your part.

Okay, now rewrite your post as if trump was the president of the United States and you knew what the topic was about.

 

[HumblePi]

Since Cohen is a convicted liar, he can't just repeat what he said before. I imagine Congress wants to know what Cohen lied about, why he lied, and what the truth is. It all seems a little silly to me since Cohen has no credibility and Mueller surely knows everything that Cohen knows, but Congress seems to want a role for itself.

I'm getting a distinct feeling that Congress wants to get his testimony on the Congressional record as a backup just in case William Barr somehow edits it as he sees fit. Sort of an insurance policy against any demolition of Robert Mueller's final report. I think they're only covering all their bases.

 

[Fishking]

Okay, now rewrite your post as if trump was the president of the United States and you knew what the topic was about.

I suggest if you're going to go the broken-record route, you don't choose to go on repeat on a point that shows you have nothing.

 

[Felis Leo]

How do you know neither threatened Cohen's family? Do you follow them around and listen to their conversations?

Speaking only for myself, MTAtech, I am very skeptical of things stated by a man literally convicted of a crime of dishonesty (or those repeating what that convicted liar said) without some degree of corroborating evidence to back it up.

 

[Mach]

Speaking only for myself, MTAtech, I am very skeptical of things stated by a man literally convicted of a crime of dishonesty (or those repeating what that convicted liar said) without some degree of corroborating evidence to back it up.

I don't believe it...when everything is taken into account here.

It's a question of relativity. Cohen will be under oath, and under immense scrutiny by basically everyone (public, congress, white house, both parties, etc.).
His story now has to be supported by evidence via Mueller's investigation, otherwise he may be once again liable for perjury/false statements.
He appears to have "come clean" in his efforts to cooperate with law enforcement.

vs Trump. Trump has lied continuously for two years in the public square, and has been busted on this so many times, it's just absurd.
Trump has a vested interest in lying and demonizing Cohen.
Trump refuses to be questioned under oath.
Trump has motive to lie, evidences consciousness of guilt all day every day, has an incredible history of lying, and so much of what he's lied about they have had to back off/change, bit by bit, as investigative journalists have outed their lies.

Cohen was Trump's personal attorney and executive VP, having worked with Trump for almost a decade, trusted with everything under the sun.
Cohen lied to us just as Trump is lying, to protect Trump. There was motive, there was precedent. He got busted by Congress/Mueller for lying *the same lie that Trump told*, but Cohen told it to congress.
Only after Cohen cooperated, did team-Trump start the "he's a liar and can't be trusted!!".

Probably all of his campaign staff have told lies to the public and been busted on it, mostly about Russia.
Numerous people on his campaign staff have actually been charged with felonies in lying, and have come clean (Flynn, Papadopolus..mostly, and Cohen). Manafort fought the law, and the law won.

So we have the Cohen/Mueller/under oath camp, vs Trump. And you're really gonna type to us that you're more skeptical of Cohen than Trump? That's the two sides we're talking about. We're not talking about picking Cohen randomly to watch your kids, and you "don't trust him". No one trusts all the mobsters who get flipped and turned on the bosses. You trust them to do what's in their best interest, and what makes sense based on all the other evidence and behavior surrounding it. Cohen's best interest is clearly now aligned with the United States Department of Justice.

Trump's is aligned with Trump (and Putin).

Who is Felis aligned with?

 

[Cardinal]

I suggest if you're going to go the broken-record route, you don't choose to go on repeat on a point that shows you have nothing.

It sounds like the forum moderators have removed some of your privileges, thereby preventing you from clicking on the link in the OP and reading the article. I suggest you contact one of the mods and ask them to restore your privileges.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

You're either missing the point or you feel that it is far more insignificant than I do.

I believe that if Cohen goes before congress, Republicans are going to ask him again, and again, and again to not only testify that he was never in Prague, but to testify that what was reported by Steele was a complete fabrication. This doesn't bode well for certain members of the intel community whose names are on those FISA warrant applications/renewals.

If that were to happen, then the skid marks caused by the sudden reversal from "You can't believe a single word Cohen says because he is a convicted perjurer." to "Cohen is 100% honest and reliable." will be world class.

Of course, any statement that Mr. Cohen might have made previously that reflected discreditably upon Mr. Trump will become "never said" at the same time.