Trump ex-lawyer Cohen to privately testify to Congress on February 8

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump´s former lawyer Michael Cohen will provide closed-door testimony to Congress on February 8, a US lawmaker said Monday, after postponing an earlier open appearance citing concerns for his own safety.Cohen agreed to "appear voluntarily" before the House Intelligence Committee, the panel´s Democratic chairman Adam Schiff said, days after Cohen had aborted an appearance at a public hearing February 7 before the separate House Oversight Committee."Mr. Cohen has relayed to the (Intelligence) committee his legitimate concerns for his own safety as well as that of his family, which have been fueled by improper comments made by the President and his lawyer," Schiff said in a statement.On Wednesday, Cohen´s lawyer alleged that Trump and his attorney Rudy Giuliani had threatened Cohen and relatives, in an apparent attempt at intimidating him prior to his testimony."Efforts to intimidate witnesses, scare their family members or prevent them from testifying before Congress are tactics we expect from organized crime, not the White House," Schiff said. "These attacks on Mr Cohen´s family must stop."Cohen pleaded guilty last year to multiple charges related to work he performed for the president, and pledged to cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller.Mueller leads the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, a probe that increasingly menaces the White House.In December, Cohen was sentenced to three years behind bars, and Democrats want to see him testify before he reports to prison on March 6.Cohen has also been subpoenaed by the Senate Intelligence Committee, which means a likely second February appearance on Capitol Hill by Trump´s former right-hand man at the Trump Organization.It was unclear whether the Senate session would be open or closed.

from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2FVHWof