Michael Cohen: Trump Knew in Advance of 2016 Trump Tower Meeting

I truly hope that Michael Cohen, Trump's long time "fixer" has a good security detail. If I were him, I be worried about possible Russian assassins and/or a hit team hired by Donald Trump. What must be driving Trump to distraction is that many of the potential charges Cohen is facing are crimes under New York State law - crimes for which Trump cannot pardon Cohen as a "payoff" for continued silence.   While Cohen has not yet "flipped," it increasingly looks like that will be the final result. Obviously, if Cohen can document that Trump pre-approved the 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russian agents, it would (i) document that Trump's past denials have been lies, and (ii) bolster Robert Mueller's case that Trump illegally colluded with Russia with a goal of damaging Hillary Clinton to Trump's advantage. Indeed, instead of "lock her up," the chant should be "lock Trump up."  Here are excerpts from CNN:

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, claims that then-candidate Trump knew in advance about the June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower in which Russians were expected to offer his campaign dirt on Hillary Clinton, sources with knowledge tell CNN. Cohen is willing to make that assertion to special counsel Robert Mueller, the sources said.

Cohen's claim would contradict repeated denials by Trump, Donald Trump Jr., their lawyers and other administration officials who have said that the President knew nothing about the Trump Tower meeting until he was approached about it by The New York Times in July 2017. Cohen alleges that he was present, along with several others, when Trump was informed of the Russians' offer by Trump Jr. By Cohen's account, Trump approved going ahead with the meeting with the Russians, according to sources. [T]hese sources said Cohen does not have evidence, such as audio recordings, to corroborate his claim, but he is willing to attest to his account.

Even if Cohen doesn't have audio tapes, he can name those who were present and then they will have to decide if committing perjury is worth saving Trump's very large and nasty ass.