U.S. Department of Justice
Attorney Work Product // May Contain Material Protected Under Fed. R. Crim. P. 6(e)
if it means lying or making up stories. Sorry, I don't see Michael doing that despite the horrible Witch Hunt and the dishonest media![1]
In an email that day to Cohen, Costello wrote that he had spoken with Giuliani.[2] Costello told Cohen the conversation was "Very Very Positive[.] You are 'loved'. . . they are in our corner. . . . Sleep well tonight[], you have friends in high places."[3]
Cohen said that following these messages he believed he had the support of the White House if he continued to toe the party line, and he determined to stay on message and be part of the team.[4] At the time, Cohen's understood that his legal fees were still being paid by the Trump Organization, which he said was important to him,[5] Cohen believed he needed the power of the President to take care of him, so he needed to defend the President and stay on message.[6]
Cohen also recalled speaking with the President's personal counsel about pardons after the searches of his home and office had occurred, at a time when the media had reported that pardon discussions were occurring at the White House.[7] Cohen told the President's personal counsel he had been a loyal lawyer and servant, and he said that after the searches he was in an uncomfortable position and wanted to know what was in it for him.[8] According to Cohen, the President's personal counsel responded that Cohen should stay on message, that the investigation was a witch hunt, and that everything would be fine.[9] Cohen understood based on this conversation and previous conversations about pardons with the President's personal counsel that as long as he stayed on message, he would be taken care of by the President, either through a pardon or through the investigation being shut down.[10]
- ↑ @realDonaldTrump 4/21/18 (9:10 a.m. ET) Tweets.
- ↑ 4/91/18 Email, Costello to Cohen.
- ↑ 4/91/18 Email, Costello to Cohen. Harm to Ongoing Matter
- ↑ Cohen 9/12/18 302, at 11.
- ↑ Cohen 9/12/18 302, at 10.
- ↑ Cohen 9/12/18 302, at 10.
- ↑ Cohen 11/20/18 302, at 7. At a White House press briefing on April 23, 2018, in response to a question about whether the White House had "close[d] the door one way or the other on the President pardoning Michael Cohen," Sanders said, "It's hard to close the door on something that hasn't taken place. I don't like to discuss or comment on hypothetical situations that may or may not ever happen. I would refer you to personal attorneys to comment on anything specific regarding that case, but we don't have anything at this point." Sarah Sanders, White House Daily Briefing, C-SPAN (Apr. 23, 2018).
- ↑ Cohen 11/20/18 302, at 7; Cohen 3/19/19 302, at 3.
- ↑ Cohen 3/19/19 302, at 3.
- ↑ Cohen 3/19/19 302, at 3–4.
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