Read Michael Cohen’s opening statement for House testimony
“I regret the day I said ‘yes’ to Mr. Trump. I regret all the help and support I gave him along the way," he said according to the statement, obtained by multiple news outlets.
President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen is publicly testifying in front of the House Oversight and Reform Committee Wednesday, giving insight into his soured relationship with the president, whom he called a “racist,” “conman,” and “cheat” in his opening statement.
Cohen, who will see jail time after having pleaded guilty to campaign-finance violations during the 2016 presidential campaign as well as lying to Congress, will cover a wide range of issues Wednesday in what is expected to be an explosive day in Washington, D.C. The president, meanwhile, is in Vietnam for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The House committee hopes to gain knowledge into a number of important issues, including Trump’s payments related to the election, compliance with financial disclosure requirements and tax laws, business practices, and more.
Read the full statement below, which was released by the committee. Multiple news outlets including the New York Times, Politico, the Washington Post, and CNN obtained copies in advance of the hearing.
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