Cohen asks judge for no prison
Ex-Trump lawyer cites cooperation with Mueller
NEW YORK – Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s ex-personal lawyer, asked a federal judge to spare him from serving prison time for his guilty pleas in crimes that implicated his former boss in questionable actions or potential illegality.
Expressing repentance, contrition and shame in a sentencing memorandum filed late Friday, Cohen cited his continuing cooperation with special counsel Robert Mueller, whose investigation has angrily been branded a “witch hunt” by Trump in numerous statements and tweets.
Attorneys for Cohen said he had also met twice with federal prosecutors in New York City and answered questions regarding “an ongoing investigation” that was not described further in the memo.
Similarly, the lawyers described his cooperation with New York State officials who are investigating potential nonprofit and tax issues involving the Donald J. Trump Foundation, Trump’s private charity, as well as the president himself.
“In the context of this raw, full-bore attack by the most powerful person in the United States, Michael, formerly a confidante and adviser to Mr. Trump, resolved to cooperate, and voluntarily took the first steps toward doing so even before he was charged,” Cohen attorneys Guy Petrillo and Amy Lester wrote in their sentencing memorandum.
They filed the memo with Manhattan U.S. District Court Judge William Pauley, who is scheduled to sentence Cohen on Dec. 12.
They argued that instead of angling for a presidential pardon or clemency regularly mentioned in news accounts, the former Trump lawyer took responsibility for his actions.
The sentencing recommendation was filed little more than 24 hours after Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about potential plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, a venture that was investigated by Mueller.