Michael Cohen to testify publicly before Congress

(FILES) In this file photo taken on December 12, 2018, US President Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen leaves US Federal Court in New York after his sentencing after pleading guilty to tax evasion, making false statements to a financial institution, illegal campaign contributions, and making false statements to Congress. President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen will testify in Congress next month, lawmakers said January 10, 2019, posing a potential new threat to the president as the Russia collusion investigation increasingly menaces the White House. The newly Democrat-controlled House Oversight Committee said Thursday that Cohen will testify in a public session on February 7."I thank Michael Cohen for agreeing to testify before the Oversight Committee voluntarily," Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings said in a statement.
 / AFP / TIMOTHY A. CLARY
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President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen said on Thursday he has agreed to testify publicly before a US House of Representatives committee on February 7.

Mr Cohen said in a statement he had accepted an invitation by the panel's Democratic chairman, Elijah Cummings, to appear publicly before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

"I look forward to having the privilege of being afforded a platform with which to give a full and credible account of the events which have transpired," Mr Cohen said in the statement.

The lawyer was sentenced in December to a total of three years in prison for his role in making illegal hush-money payments to women to help Mr Trump’s 2016 election campaign and lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia.

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Read more:

Russian lawyer connected to Trump Tower meeting charged with obstruction of justice

Ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen sentenced to three years for hush payments

Trump says his son sought information on Clinton from Russians in 2016

Jared Kushner denies colluding with Russia during Trump campaign

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Mr Cohen, Trump's self-described longtime "fixer," pleaded guilty to the campaign finance charge in August and to making false statements in November.

The committee has a hearing with Cohen posted on its public schedule.