Politics

Ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen will testify at 3 congressional committees before going to prison, his attorney Lanny Davis says

Key Points
  • President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, will testify before three congressional committees before he enters prison on March 6, his attorney Lanny Davis said.
  • Cohen is expected to appear before the intelligence committees of both the Senate and the House, as well as the House Oversight and Government Reform panel.
  • The lawyer pleaded guilty in 2018 to multiple crimes, some of which related to Cohen's testimony to Congress about Trump's real estate plans for Russia, others which relate to hush money payments to the president's purported paramours, Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal.
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney and fixer, exits federal court, August 21, 2018 in New York City.
Drew Angerer | Getty Images

President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, will testify before three congressional committees before he enters prison on March 6, his attorney Lanny Davis said Wednesday.

Those panels include the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, where Cohen's testimony will be public. Cohen had previously indefinitely postponed his appearance before that committee due to fears for his family's safety.

Davis told CNBC that the date of that upcoming appearance will be released by the House panel. An Oversight Committee staffer declined to release the date on Wednesday.

Cohen's testimony to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Intelligence Committee will be closed. The date of the Senate panel appearance has not been made public. Davis declined Wednesday to release it, and a panel spokeswoman said the committee has a policy of not commenting on potential witness appearances.

Cohen is scheduled to testify Feb. 28 before the House panel.

Davis' comments about Cohen's revised plans to testify came a day after Cohen was blasted by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., for missing Tuesday's originally scheduled appearance.

Cohen had asked for and received a postponement for that subpoenaed testimony due to lingering medical issues from recent shoulder surgery.

But Burr was fuming Tuesday after learning that Cohen had gone out Saturday night with his wife and friends to a New York City restaurant.

"He's already stiffed us on being in Washington today because of an illness," Burr said Tuesday. "You have ... on Twitter, a reporter reported he was having a wild night Saturday night eating out in New York with five buddies. Didn't seem to have any physical limitations. And he was out with his wife last night."

Davis on Tuesday night disputed Burr's criticism, calling it "inaccurate."

"Mr. Cohen was expected to and continues to suffer from severe post shoulder surgery pain, as confirmed by a letter from his surgeon, which was sent to Senator Burr and [Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark] Warner," Davis said. "The medication Mr. Cohen is currently taking made it impossible for him to testify this week."

During an appearance on MSNBC on Wednesday, Davis called Burr a "good guy," but added, speaking as if Burr was in the room with him, "we're coming in less than two weeks!"

"Your staff probably didn't tell you that when you went on television yesterday," Davis quipped.

Also during that appearance, Davis repeatedly mentioned an online legal defense fund set up for the 52-year-old Cohen.

Davis said Cohen "has been through a very difficult time period, his family's been through a difficult time period, and if I may add, he's got a fund."

"They are having their issues and we would appreciate help on that front," Davis said.

Cohen pleaded guilty in federal court last year to financial crimes, lying to Congress and to campaign finance violations.

He admitted lying to Congress about the extent of Trump's involvement in an ultimately aborted effort to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, and about the date when that effort actually ended.

Cohen also said that Trump directed him to facilitate hush money payments to two women, porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, to keep them quiet about their alleged affairs with Trump so that the 2016 election would not be affected.

Trump has denied having sex with either woman, and also has denied any wrongdoing.