Missouri Attorney General and Republican candidate for Senate Josh Hawley said he doesn’t “believe anything that Mr. Cohen says,” in an interview published Thursday.
Hawley, who is running against Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill, discussed with Roll Call whether he believed Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney of President Trump who pleaded guilty to eight criminal charges, including bank fraud and campaign finance violations, lied under oath.
“Well he’s admitted he’s a liar, right? He’s admitted now that he lied about his taxes. He’s admitted to felonies. So I can say as a prosecutor … somebody who is a now-admitted felon and someone who is an admitted criminal is not the best witness,” the Trump-backed candidate told the publication.
Cohen admitted Tuesday he arranged hush money payments to two women ahead of the 2016 to cover up extramarital affairs “in coordination and at the direction of a candidate for federal office,” likely referring to Trump. Trump has denied affairs with the two women, ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal and porn star Stormy Daniels.
“So I don’t know, of course, what the facts are here, but I’m not inclined to take the word of Mr. Cohen.” Hawley said.
As attorney general, Hawley is the top law enforcement officer in the state.
