Ex-Trump lawyer Cohen gets two-month delay to report to prison

A judge has agreed to postpone the start of ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s prison sentence by two months to May 6.

New York Judge William Pauley approved the delay Wednesday after Cohen’s lawyers said he needed more time to recover from shoulder surgery and prepare for Congressional testimony. They noted prosecutors did not object.

Cohen, the former personal attorney of President Donald Trump, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to lying to the Senate intelligence committee and campaign finance violations. He was originally scheduled to report to prison March 6.

Cohen acknowledged lying about his role in a Trump business proposal in Moscow and paying two women who alleged affairs with Trump.

Cohen is due to testify in the coming weeks before the House of Representatives Oversight Committee in a public hearing, and before the Senate and House intelligence committees in closed sessions.

Cohen to say why he can ‘no longer defend’ Trump

The scheduled public hearing sets the stage for what is expected to be one of the most high profile congressional testimonies in history, although Cohen will not talk about matters related Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe or an ongoing investigation by federal prosecutors in New York, Cohen’s lawyer, Lanny Davis said last week. Mueller is investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion between Moscow and the Trump campaign. 

“Mr Cohen will only talk about personal experiences and anecdotes over his 10 years working for Mr Trump,” Davis said, adding that his client would speak to why he can “no longer defend” Trump and sees him as a threat to the country.

Davis did not provide a date for the House Oversight and Senate Intelligence appearances. Cohen’s testimony in front of the House intelligence committee is set for Feb. 28.