Michael Cohen book claims Trump colluded with Russia and will ‘never leave office peacefully’
Michael Cohen #MichaelCohen
In an upcoming book, Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former attorney, alleges that Trump worked with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election.
Among many other accusations, Cohen alleges that Trump worked to get close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and “his coterie of corrupt billionaire oligarchs,” according to an excerpt released Thursday from the book, entitled “Disloyal, A Memoir.”
Cohen claims that Trump lied when he told the American public he had no dealings in Russia, because Cohen personally oversaw Trump’s efforts to secure a major real estate deal in Moscow during the campaign.
“Trump had colluded with the Russians, but not in the sophisticated ways imagined by his detractors. I also knew that the Mueller investigation was not a witch-hunt,” Cohen wrote, although he did not provide specifics about the alleged collusion in the excerpt. “Trump had cheated in the election, with Russian connivance, as you will discover in these pages, because doing anything — and I mean anything — to ‘win’ has always been his business model and way of life.”
Trump has repeatedly and consistently denied any collusion with Russia in the 2016 election.
Cohen began serving a three-year prison sentence last year for financial crimes and lying to Congress.
He has been described in the past as Trump’s “fixer,” but turned on his former boss, calling him a “con man” and “a cheat” during dramatic testimony before Congress last year.
In the excerpt released Thursday, Cohen claimed he knew Trump better than even his wife or children because he was tasked to cover up the president’s infidelities and various misdeeds. Cohen wrote that he is convinced Trump “will never leave office peacefully.”
“The types of scandals that have surfaced in recent months will only continue to emerge with greater and greater levels of treachery and deceit,” the excerpt said. “If Trump wins another four years, these scandals will prove to only be the tip of the iceberg. I’m certain that Trump knows he will face prison time if he leaves office, the inevitable cold Karma to the notorious chants of ‘Lock Her Up!'”
Trump has publicly called Cohen a fraud and liar following his decisions to work with Special Counsel Robert Mueller and testify before Congress, tweeting that he was a “failed lawyer” and “fraudster.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
Video: Michael Cohen just testified before Congress. Here are the key moments (CNBC)
Michael Cohen just testified before Congress. Here are the key moments
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