Michael Cohen admitted a bombshell detail about the Trump Tower Moscow deal that could spell trouble for Trump
- Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney to President Donald Trump, on Thursday pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about his involvement in a plan to build Trump Tower in Moscow.
- This came after he agreed to a new plea deal with special counsel Robert Mueller.
- Cohen revealed in open court he was involved in discussions on a plan to build Trump Tower in Moscow well into the 2016 presidential campaign.
- Cohen also said he briefed Trump and his family members on the deal multiple times.
Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney to President Donald Trump, on Thursday pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about his involvement in a plan to build Trump Tower in Moscow as part of a new plea deal with special counsel Robert Mueller.
Cohen said the discussions on the Trump Tower plan continued until June 2016, well into the presidential campaign, adding that he spoke with Trump and the president's family members about the deal multiple times, court documents show. He previously claimed the discussions ended in January 2016, prior to the Iowa caucuses.
June 2016 also happens to be the same month that a controversial meeting between top Trump campaign officials - including Donald Trump Jr., and Kremlin-linked lawyer - took place. It's also a month before Trump accepted the Republican Party's nomination for the presidency.
As part of the discussions on the Trump Tower deal, court documents show Cohen was in contact with the press secretary for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Previously, Cohen claimed he reached out to Putin's press secretary but didn't receive a response.
This marks the first time Trump's business dealings with Russia were openly discussed in court in relation to Mueller's investigation into the Kremlin's interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Trump repeatedly claimed in the past that he has no business ties in Russia.
In court on Thursday Cohen said he lied to Congress to "be consistent with Individual 1's political messaging and out of loyalty to Individual 1."
"Individual 1" was identified by Cohen as Trump in court.
Trump subsequently bashed Cohen as a "weak person," claiming his former attorney lied in order to get a reduced sentence. The president also said if it was the case he'd engaged in business dealings with Russia during the 2016 campaign it "would be nothing wrong. I was running my business while I was campaigning."