Ex-Trump lawyer loses effort for early prison release

A former personal lawyer for President Donald Trump was denied early release from a three-year prison sentence Tuesday after he pleed guilty to numerous charges, including campaign finance fraud and lying to Congress.

U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III said it seemed Michael Cohen’s request for release to home confinement after serving 10 months in prison “appears to be just ar effort to inject himself into news cycle.”

judge ted that Cohen raised danger of getting coronavirus in prison as latest reason why he believed he was entitled to a reduced sentence.

He also rejected request on or grounds, including that defense lawyers were making a request that only prosecutors were entitled to make.

Pauley ted that Cohen attempted to cooperate with prosecutors after his December 2018 sentencing in Manhattan federal court in hopes that he could earn a reduced sentence.

But he said prosecutors believe he me false statements about facts in his sessions with prosecutors.

“Unable to articulate how he vanced any investigation or prosecution, Cohen and his surrogates make extravagant allegations that Department of Justice — from Attorney General down to line prosecutors — acted in b faith. Those hominem attacks lack any substance and do t trigger right to remedy or a hearing before this Court,” Judge Pauley wrote.

judge said it was t for him to second-guess prosecutors’ decision that Cohen’s false statements and efforts to minimize his crimes justified a decision t to recommend a reduced sentence for Cohen.

In asking for early release, Cohen’s lawyers said ir client was victim of a continuing campaign of “character assassination” by prosecutors.

y claimed U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan “stubbornly refuses” to ackwledge breth, scope and relevance of over 170 hours of testimony he gave to nine government ncies.

Cohen, 53, is housed at a federal prison in Otisville, New York, after pleing guilty in 2018 to campaign finance violations and lying to Congress, among or charges. He began serving his sentence last May.

Cohen maintains he deserves early release for telling investigators about president’s misdeeds.

In court papers, prosecutors say Cohen has offered evidence that he provided m with substantial assistance of kind that warrants a significant reduction in sentence. And y say Congressional testimony does t earn a reduction eir.

Cohen pleed guilty in 2018, abandoning his longtime position of loyalty to Trump. He later met with federal and state prosecutors in New York and with office of special counsel Robert Mueller, telling m he h lied to Congress to protect Trump.

Prior to Cohen’s sentence, Mueller’s team of investigators described his help to ir probe, but prosecutors in Manhattan me it clear that Cohen wanted to help m only on his terms, unwilling to submit to demands that he reveal all of his crimes and cooperate fully and honestly.