Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen
plans to tell Congress the US President knew in advance about a
WikiLeaks release of hacked Democratic National Committee emails during
the 2016 campaign.
Key points:
- Cohen will read the testimony before taking questions from members of Congress
- It is the only public hearing of three days of congressional appearances for Cohen
- The former lawyer of Donald Trump will begin a three-year prison sentence in May
The claims will be part of Cohen's testimony at a public hearing of the House Oversight and Reform committee on Wednesday local time. He has released his opening statement to the committee to several US media outlets.
In the statement Cohen, who will shortly begin a three-year prison sentence for his role in making illegal hush-money payments to women and lying to Congress, will say he plans to "offer the American people what I know about President Trump".
Responding to the claims, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement it was "laughable that anyone would take a convicted liar like Cohen at his word, and pathetic to see him given yet another opportunity to spread his lies".
Here's what Cohen will say in his opening statement.
On Trump, Cohen will say he is 'ashamed'
In the statement Mr Cohen will say he's "ashamed" of the things he did for Mr Trump."He is a racist. He is a conman. He is a cheat," Cohen will say of the President.
Describing his former employer, Cohen will say being around Mr Trump was "intoxicating", but after he was brought into Mr Trump's private dealings, his "true character" was revealed.
Mr Trump is an enigma. He is complicated, as am I. He has both good and bad, as do we all. But the bad far outweighs the good, and since taking office, he has become the worst version of himself.Cohen will claim that Mr Trump ran for president "to make his brand great".
"He had no desire or intention to lead this nation — only to market himself and to build his wealth and power. Mr Trump would often say this campaign was going to be the "greatest infomercial in political history".
On Russia, Cohen will say he does not have evidence of collusion
But he will say he has "suspicions".As revelations broke about a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner and a Russian lawyer promising dirt on Hillary Clinton, Cohen says "something clicked" in his mind.
"I remember being in the room with Mr Trump, probably in early June 2016, when something peculiar happened. Don Jr came into the room and walked behind his father's desk - which in itself was unusual.
"I recalled Don Jr leaning over to his father and speaking in a low voice, which I could clearly hear, and saying: "The meeting is all set." I remember Mr Trump saying, "OK good ... let me know".Cohen will say Mr Trump Jr would "never" set up a meeting of any significance without checking with his father first.
Mr Trump has denied he was aware of his son's meeting with the Kremlin-connected lawyer.
On hush-money payments, Cohen will say he was directed by Trump
"He asked me to pay off an adult film star with whom he had an affair, and to lie to his wife about it, which I did. Lying to the First Lady is one of my biggest regrets," Cohen will say.He will say he is going to jail in part for his decision to help Mr Trump "hide that payment from the American people before they voted a few days later".
"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."In the past Mr Trump has said he never directed Mr Cohen to break the law and that Mr Cohen has lied to get a lighter sentence.
On WikiLeaks, Cohen will say Trump knew about the release of hacked emails
He will say Mr Trump was told about the release of hacked Democratic National Committee emails ahead of time from his associate Roger Stone."I was in Mr Trump's office when his secretary announced that Roger Stone was on the phone," Cohen says.
"Mr Stone told Mr Trump that he had just gotten off the phone with [WikiLeaks founder] Julian Assange and that Mr Assange told Mr Stone that, within a couple of days, there would be a massive dump of emails that would damage Hillary Clinton's campaign.
Mr Trump responded by stating to the effect of "wouldn't that be great".WikiLeaks has repeatedly denied any involvement with Mr Stone.
On race, Cohen will say 'in private, he is even worse'
In the statement, Cohen will claim he was once asked by Mr Trump if he could name a country run by a "black person that wasn't a s***hole"."While we were once driving through a struggling neighbourhood in Chicago, he commented that only black people could live that way.
"And, he told me that black people would never vote for him because they were too stupid," Cohen will say.
On Vietnam, Cohen will say Trump lied about bone spurs
Cohen will say he was asked to handle the negative press surrounding Mr Trump's deferment from the Vietnam draft."Mr Trump claimed it was because of a bone spur, but when I asked for medical records, he gave me none and said there was no surgery.
"He finished the conversation with the following comment, 'You think I'm stupid, I wasn't going to Vietnam'."Cohen will say he finds it "ironic" Mr Trump is in Vietnam for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the time of his testimony.
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