Trump's ex-lawyer could not confirm the US President's "conspiracy" with Russia

Michael Cohen, a former lawyer for US President Donald Trump, said he had no evidence that he was in "colluding" with Russia during the 2016 election campaign, according to The Washington Post.

Cohen made a similar statement during a hearing in the US Congress. He said he "wasn't part of the campaign" so he couldn't answer the question about Trump's possible "collusion" with Russia.

Cohen made only assumptions on this score. “Trump’s desire to win would force him to work with anyone,” he said. Cohen also said that his children probably knew about the attempt to build a skyscraper Trump Tower in Moscow.

Recall that a case was initiated against Cohen in the spring of 2018 for financial crimes and perjury during a congressional hearing in the case of “Russian interference”. In April 2018, his personal office was searched, during which law enforcement officers seized tax documents and correspondence with some clients.

During the searches, in particular, documents were found relating to the payment of $130,000 to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) for her silence about her relationship with Trump in 2006-2007. Cohen was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison. During the February 27 hearing, Cohen showed a check that he said was used to pay Danielle to keep quiet.

The fact that Trump was negotiating the construction of Trump Tower in Moscow during the election campaign was reported by The Washington Post. The publication claimed that the project was not implemented because it was not possible to find land for it and obtain the necessary permits.

Speaking before Congress at hearings on alleged Russian interference in the presidential election, Cohen claimed that they stopped in January 2016 (i.e. before the start of the presidential primaries), when he was allegedly not answered by e-mail by a representative of the presidential administration. He later confessed to perjury.