Michael Cohen. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Michael Cohen stated that Trump is lying about his 2024 run partly because he "makes more money doing this than any other thing he has done."
He said that Trump was also teasing a campaign to maintain "some semblance power, importance, and relevance," none of which he has.
Cohen stated that Trump would not run for office because he cannot stomach the idea of being a twice-loser.
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A long-time fixer and lawyer for former President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he believes Trump is lying about his plans to launch another presidential campaign.
Michael Cohen spoke to Insider about Cohen's insatiable desire for attention. He's making more doing this than any other thing he's done before.
Trump has teased repeatedly about a possible 2024 campaign since his January departure. The former president raised more money in the first half than any Republican and had more than $100 million in war funds by June's end, The New York Times reported. This was based on federal campaign filings.
According to Politico, Trump claims the 2020 election was rigged, and promises to help more Republicans win. However, he hasn't spent any money on audits or GOP campaigns. According to the report, Trump has largely used the money to support his interests, pay his aides and advisors salaries, and cover event and travel expenses. Some of the funds were also used to pay legal expenses in his illegitimate attempt to reverse the 2020 election results.
Cohen described Trump Wednesday as "the greatest groifter in American politics history," and added that he'll eventually come up with "handfull of reasons" why he won’t run again.
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Cohen spoke of Trump saying that Trump would say he won't run again due to bipartisan hatred or because of the Democrats, or because he doesn’t want to put his family through anymore. He cannot stomach the idea of being a twice-loser, but he will continue to grift till the last second."
A Trump spokesperson did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Cohen said that the former president "trying to maintain some semblance power, importance and relevance, none which he has." He is currently in prison for three years after pleading guilty a variety of felonies.
In August 2018, he pleaded guilty to eight charges of campaign finance violations and tax evasion. In November 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of lying to Congress in connection with the investigation by Robert Mueller, the special counsel into Russia's interference during the 2016 US elections.
Trump had initially defended Cohen in 2018 calling raids by the FBI on Cohen's home and office "disgraceful", and "total witch hunting". Trump quickly changed his mind when it became clear that Cohen was cooperating in the FBI's raids on Cohen's home and office. He called Cohen's former lawyer, longtime fixer, a "rat", a term often used by mafia bosses for former loyalists who turn against them.
Cohen also delayed his congressional testimony in 2019 due to "ongoing threats against him and his family by President Trump" Giuliani. After Trump had repeatedly tweeted that Cohen's father in law should be investigated, Cohen's lawyer and some Democratic lawmakers understood his statement as witness intimidation.
Cohen argued that Cohen should be released early from home confinement under the First Step Act. This is a criminal justice reform bill which Trump signed into law in 2018.
Prosecutors in March said that Cohen should be allowed to serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement. Cohen's ex-fixer and lawyer, who was also his former lawyer, said that he is "frustrated" by the situation and "exhausted", but that he looks forward to being freed on November 22.
Cohen laughed when Cohen was asked what he would do first after finishing his sentence. He replied, "Go to Disneyland."
He said, "In all honesty I don't know." "I have to rebuild my life in sixty days. This is difficult when you're 55.
Cohen has begun to lay the foundations for his return to public life. Cohen has been commenting on Trumpworld's latest developments on cable news, and he also started a podcast called "Mea Culpa" as part of his efforts to "right the wrongs that he committed on behalf of his ex-boss."
The podcast's most recent episode featured Stormy Dans, an adult film star whose alleged relationship with Trump was the subject of Cohen's 2018 first guilty plea. According to a press release, Cohen will be taking Mea Culpa to the "live national tour" after he is released from home confinement. This will mark the end to his prison sentence.
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