Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
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President in turmoil as two former close aides convicted ‘He directed me to pay hush money’ to his alleged ex-lovers
AS two of Donald Trump’s former closest aides are convicted of serious crimes, the US is left wondering: is this the beginning of the end for the President?
In an extraordinary coincidence, his former lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty on Tuesday – the same day Trump’s ex-campaign manager Paul Manafort was found guilty. The President’s inner circle fear it is now more likely than ever he will end up being impeached. Lawyers say they are gunning for him, with one warning: “We’ll end this presidency one way or another.” Another said that if Cohen’s actions are a crime “why wouldn’t they also be a crime for Trump?”
Cohen pleaded guilty to breaking campaign laws to pay hush money to two of Trump’s alleged ex-lovers – porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy playmate Karen Mcdougal. The lawyer shocked those in court by dropping the bombshell he did it “at the direction of [a] candidate”.
According to his lawyer, Cohen “testified under oath Donald Trump directed him to commit a crime”.
Cohen said he made the payments for the “principal purpose of influencing [the Presidential] election”.
Both women, who claim they had sex with Trump in 2006 while his wife Melania was at home tending to their newborn son, were paid off weeks before the 2016 election.
The President denies the allegations of the two women.
Cohen – who spent a decade as Trump’s fixer – said in court he worked “with and at the direction of the same candidate” to deliver a £100,000 payment to Ms Daniels to keep her claims of sex with Trump quiet before the nation voted.
Cohen, who also admitted seven other tax and fraud charges, made a plea deal with prosecutors.
He could have received up to 65 years in prison if found guilty of all charges. As part of his deal, he agreed not to challenge any sentence of between 46 and 63 months.
The guilty pleas could have implications for Trump in the legal case launched against him by Ms Daniels.
Her lawyer Michael Avenatti said they paved the way for the President to be quizzed under oath about his alleged adulterous sex life. Mr Avenatti also issued an ominous warning, tweeting: “We. Are. Coming. We are going to end this dumpster fire of a presidency one way or another.”
There have also been questions about why Trump is not in the dock.
Lanny Davis, Cohen’s attorney, said: “If those payments were a crime for Michael Cohen, then why wouldn’t