Good evening. Im Chris Matthews in washington. Federal prosecutors in new york have accused the president of criminal violation of the federal Campaign Laws. They say trump directed thats the word Michael Cohen to cover up a Campaign Contribution in the form of payments with two women with whom he had sexual relations. This comes from the Southern District of new york, not Robert Mueller, not the socalled 17 democrats the president says are working against him, not the deep state, not from a witch hunt. Its from one of the two Sentencing Memos filed in the case of trumps former lawyer, Michael Cohen, today, which are shedding new light on the president s potential legal exposure. As trumps longtime fixer, cohen pleaded guilty in august to Campaign Finance violations and making hush payments to two women on trumps behalf. And now, tonights Sentencing Memo makes clear that with respect to both payments, cohen acted in coordination with and at the direction of individual
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what s called catch-and-kill. again, federal prosecutors write that cohen admitted with respect to both payments he acted in coordination and here s the word and at the direction of individual one. that s donald trump. in addition to the special counsel s filing seems to undermine president trump s claim that he had nothing to do with russia. according to page four of the special counsel s filing tonight, michael cohen made false and misleading statements concerning outreach to russian officials. cohen had, in fact, conferred with individual one, believed to be president trump, about contacting the russian government before reaching out to gauge russia s interest. in other words, they decide to get together, trump and manafort, to get together with the russians. the meeting ultimately did not take place. joining me is congressman ted lou, democrat from california, house judiciary committee, patricia bertrand and david is washington bureau chief with mother jones. congressman, thank
prosecutors admitted that cohen acted in coordination and here s the word, and that the direction of individual 1. that s donald trump. additionally, the special counsel s filing seems to undermine president trump s claim that he had nothing to do with russia. according to page 4 of the special counsel s filing tonight, michael cohen made false and misleading statements concerning outreach to russian officials. cohen had in fact conferred with individual 1, believed to be president trump about contacting the russian government before reaching out to gauge russia s interest. in other words, they decided to get together, trump and manafort, to get together with the russians. the meeting ultimately did not take place. joining me is ted lieu, democrat from california. member of the house judiciary committee and natasha bertrand, staff writer for the atlantic and david cornyn right here, washington bureau chief for mother jones. a lot of paper tonight. the one thing that jumped out at me, d