The White House claimed Friday that new legal filings in the cases involving President Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and Trump’s former longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen, offer nothing new or damaging about the president.
Federal prosecutors in New York recommended a “substantial” prison sentence for Cohen, who pleaded guilty in August to violating campaign finance laws. At that time, Cohen implicated the president in two hush-money payments to women who allege they had affairs with Trump. Prosecutors agreed that the crimes were committed “in coordination with and at the direction of” Trump.
In a separate case brought by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election, Cohen pleaded guilty last month to lying to Congress about plans for a Trump Tower project in Moscow.
“The government’s filings in Mr. Cohen’s case tell us nothing of value that wasn’t already known. Mr. Cohen has repeatedly lied and as the prosecution has pointed out to the court, Mr. Cohen is no hero,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
In Manafort’s case, Sanders accused the media of “trying to create a story where there isn’t one.”
“The government’s filing in Mr. Manafort’s case says absolutely nothing about the President. It says even less about collusion and is devoted almost entirely to lobbying-related issues,” she said.
After reaching a plea deal in September, Manafort told “discernible lies” to FBI investigators and the special counsel, court documents filed by Mueller on Friday allege. Among the alleged lies, prosecutors said, Manafort was misleading about his communications with a senior Trump administration official in early 2018. The document does not name the administration official.
Around the time the new court filings were released, the president tweeted, “Totally clears the President.” It’s unclear if Trump was referring to the filings in any of the three cases.
“Except for that little part where the US Attorney’s Office says that you directed and coordinated with Cohen to commit two felonies,” George Conway, an attorney and husband to White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, tweeted in response. “Other than that, totally scot-free.”
Except for that little part where the US Attorney’s Office says that you directed and coordinated with Cohen to commit two felonies. Other than that, totally scot-free. https://t.co/YXmgY9KmXi
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) December 8, 2018
