Michael Cohen, a lawyer who worked for Donald Trump for some 10 years, long before his boss came to the White House, gave testimony this week to the House Oversight Committee. During the hearing, Cohen pulled no punches, calling Trump a "racist," a "conman" and a "cheat."
Just one year earlier, Cohen reached out to publishers with a pitch for a book, in which he promised to give first-hand insight into Trump, his personality, his business practices and his family. And the offer was oozing with adoration.
In his January 2018 offer, Cohen stated that Trump is a far cry from being "crazy," "dumb," "paranoid," a "liar," "in over his head" and hateful toward the media, as 45 has been occasionally called by his critics.
"All of these things have been said about my longtime boss, Donald J. Trump," Cohen wrote, according to The Daily Mail. "None of it is true. Except maybe that last one — about the media. Trump does believe that reporters are out to get him, and for a very good reason. Many of them are. That doesn't make him paranoid, that makes him a realist."
"Everything he wanted to say about Trump was positive," one executive who discussed the deal with Cohen told The Daily Mail, which obtained the pitch's text exclusively. "Even in our meeting he was glowing with praise for the president."
This contrasts starkly with Cohen's fierce testimony before the House Oversight Committee earlier this week.
"Since taking office, he has become the worst version of himself. He is capable of behaving kindly, but he is not kind. He is capable of committing acts of generosity, but he is not generous. He is capable of being loyal, but he is fundamentally disloyal to our nation," Cohen said in his opening statement Wednesday, according to a Fox News report. "I am sorry for actively working to hide from you the truth about Mr. Trump when you needed it most."
"I am not protecting Mr. Trump anymore," he added. "My loyalty to Mr. Trump has cost me everything: my family's happiness, friendships, my law license, my company, my livelihood, my honor, my reputation and soon my freedom."
Cohen also pleaded guilty to five counts of tax evasion, one count of making false statements to a financial institution, one count of willfully causing an unlawful corporate contribution and one count of making an excessive campaign contribution, all charges arising out of the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.
"Wow, just revealed that Michael Cohen wrote ‘a love letter to Trump' manuscript for a new book that he was pushing… Book is exact opposite of his fake testimony, which is now a lie!" Trump tweeted Friday.
Wow, just revealed that Michael Cohen wrote a “love letter to Trump” manuscript for a new book that he was pushing. Written and submitted long after Charlottesville and Helsinki, his phony reasons for going rogue. Book is exact opposite of his fake testimony, which now is a lie!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 1 марта 2019 г.
"Congress must demand the transcript of Michael Cohen's new book, given to publishers a short time ago. Your heads will spin when you see the lies, misrepresentations and contradictions against his Thursday testimony. Like a different person! He is totally discredited!" he continued.
Congress must demand the transcript of Michael Cohen’s new book, given to publishers a short time ago. Your heads will spin when you see the lies, misrepresentations and contradictions against his Thursday testimony. Like a different person! He is totally discredited!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 1 марта 2019 г.
"Michael Cohen's book manuscript shows that he committed perjury on a scale not seen before. He must have forgotten about his book when he testified. What does Hillary Clinton's lawyer, Lanny Davis, say about this one. Is he being paid by Crooked Hillary. Using her lawyer?" Trump tweeted.
Cohen is represented by Lanny Davis, a longtime Clinton ally, according to Fox News. He is facing three years in prison for the abovementioned charges.
