Rachel Maddow takes a look at the days top political news stories. James comey. It also only mize if the case in question is closely connected to politics. Thats whats important about the big new development. The Wall Street Journal was first on report in detail on the type of charges that federal prosecutors may be considering against the president s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. If it is kregt, the charges he is facing from prosecutors are not related to politics at all. At least not at face value. In quote, previously unreported developments, federal prosecutors in new york are examining whether mr. Cohen committed tax fraud. Quote, federal authorities are assessing whether his income from his. At Ai Medallion Business was underreported. That includes hundred of thousands received in cash and other payments over the last five years. In addition, federal authorities have been investigating whether he made misrepresentations or
false statements on lone applications including whether
Coverage of national and international news, including breaking stories. Attorney for the Southern District of new york elly honing. Julia, start with you. Did somebody tell the president he could take over this investigation . Where is it coming from . Seems to just be coming out of his adlib interview as he frequently does. Sort of spins from the cuff here. Seems that this is coming from a place of increased rhetoric from President Trump. He wants to show that he has control over the situation. In fact a lot of times likes bringing up the russia investigation. Perhaps that plays to his base who thinks this is part of the witchhunt he describes treating him and others like Paul Manafort unfairly. It could be that hes watching what the coverage of the Manafort Trial, thats getting to him. Could be he sees people like don mcgahn, his white house Special Counsel speaking to Robert Mueller and heard a lot about the fact Robert Mueller could be preparing a slew of indictments to give himse
Heres how it came to be. In may of this year, may 22nd, the New York Times had a scoop that they probably only got because they are specifically the New York Times. They sent crack reporters to an otherwise sleepy courthouse in albany, new york, not a Federal Courthouse, a state court, because that day in that state court in new york, a longtime Business Partner of Michael Cohens, A Taxicab Mogul Named Gene Friedman Who everybody called the taxi king, he was in court. He had been facing really serious charges in new york, Tax Evasion Charges in new york more than 5 million and four criminal counts of tax fraud and facing a charge of grand larceny. A big stack of charges involving a large amount of money and potentially a large amount of jail time. The story they uncovered at the courthouse that day, for some reason, friedman had gotten this huge Criminal Liability he was facing winnowed down to almost
nothing. He was able to work out some sort of deal where all of that prison time and
Rachel Maddow takes a look at the days top political news stories. Charge of grand larceny, a big stack of charges involving a large amount of money and potentially a large amount of jail time. The story they uncovered at the courthouse that day, for some reason, friedman had gotten this huge Criminal Liability he was facing winnowed down to almost nothing. All the prison time and felonies evaporated. Instead of being tried for evading 5 million in taxes, prosecutors let him plead guilty to one count of evaluating 50,000 worth of taxes. Not 5 million, 50,000. Instead of decades in potential prison time the deal he cut with prosecutors got him zero prison time. People do plea deals all the time they offer their testimony for prosecutors letting them off the hook and going easier on
them. This was like the mother of all plea deals. The amount he offered must have been very very valuable to the government given how sweet the deal was he got from them in return. That happened in late may.
Chris Hayes discusses the days top news. So im going to be a little contrary here, chris, say i see where the president is coming from when he says this is a bit old news, my colleague, bob costa and i wrote in november when don mcgahn went before bob muellers interview team, sat down with verdicts two days straight so people have known for a long time that don mcgahn was cooperating with the investigation, that everyone who was in the white house was encouraged to voluntarily be engaged in these interviews. Now what we do know now is that after the week stories, by the times don mcgahns attorney has alerted and assured trumps own legal team that don mcgahn provided no information that was incriminating to the president , did not incriminate him. In fact, don mcgahns lawyer was putting tear mind to ease, sent them information saying my guy does not incriminate your guy. Are you serving the office of the presidency and you are serving the american public. Youve got to balance those two