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Michael Cohen Apologizes For Crimes In His Testimony Wednesday

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

For years, Donald Trump's onetime personal fixer and lawyer Michael Cohen says he threatened, intimidated and lied to shield his boss, including in sworn testimony to Congress.

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ELIJAH CUMMINGS: Do you swear or affirm that the testimony that you are about to give is the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

KELLY: Congressman Elijah Cummings as he swore Cohen in today in front of TV cameras and throngs of reporters. Cohen told the sprawling House oversight committee his lying days are over.

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MICHAEL COHEN: The last time I appeared before Congress, I came to protect Mr. Trump. Today, I am here to tell the truth about Mr. Trump.

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

During hours of testimony, Michael Cohen repeatedly apologized for his crimes and moral transgressions.

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COHEN: I am not a perfect man. I have done things I am not proud of. And I will live with the consequences of my actions for the rest of my life.

SHAPIRO: He said those crimes were committed to enable and promote Donald Trump - actions that will soon land Cohen in prison.

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COHEN: Last fall, I pled guilty in federal court to felonies for the benefit of, at the direction of and in coordination with Individual No. 1. For the record, Individual No. 1 is President Donald J. Trump.

KELLY: Included in that slate of felony convictions - a payment to silence an adult film actress who says she had an affair with Trump, a payment Cohen says that was directed by the president.

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COHEN: The president of the United States thus wrote a personal check for the payment of hush money as part of a criminal scheme to violate campaign finance laws.

SHAPIRO: The Trump campaign's contacts with Russia also took center stage today. Cohen told the panel that Trump did not expressly instruct him to lie about negotiations with Russians over the Trump Tower in Moscow, but Cohen says Trump's directive to do so was still very clear.

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COHEN: In conversations we had during the campaign - at the same time, I was actively negotiating in Russia for him. He would look me in the eye and tell me there's no Russian business and then go on to lie to the American people by saying the same thing. In his way, he was telling me to lie.

KELLY: Another question hanging over this hearing and the Mueller investigation at large - did the Trump campaign coordinate with Russia during the 2016 election?

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COHEN: Questions have been raised about whether I know of direct evidence that Mr. Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia. I do not. And I want to be clear. But I have my suspicions. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.