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WASHINGTON – Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, said Trump authorized hush money to two alleged mistresses because he was worried about how their stories would affect his chances for election in 2016.
"The man doesn't tell truth, and it's sad that I should have to take responsibility for his dirty deeds," Cohen told ABC's Good Morning America.
ABC News broadcast the interview two days after a federal judge sentenced Cohen to three years in prison for campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress.
Trump has blamed Cohen for the hush money scheme, saying Thursday on Twitter that "I never directed Michael Cohen to break the law."
"He was a lawyer and he is supposed to know the law," he added.
In a Fox News interview, Trump insisted that whatever Cohen did, "he did on his own."
Trump also accused Cohen of talking in order to get a reduced sentence, and to protect members of his family – a claim that Cohen said incensed him and prompted him to agree to the ABC interview.
"I did not do it to embarrass the president," Cohen said. "He knows the truth."
Trump and his lawyers claimed the payments to two women did not relate to campaign finance, and, even if they did, they would amount to a civil case and not a criminal one.
Legal analysts said Trump could be vulnerable to a felony if prosecutors can prove he authorized and sought to conceal the payments for the purpose of influencing an election.
That is what Cohen says happened.
The payments to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film star Stormy Daniels were not reported at the time and amounted to improper campaign contributions, prosecutors said.
Cohen said Trump knew about the payments and their purpose.
Trump “was very concerned about how this would affect the election” if allegations of extra-marital affairs became public, Cohen told ABC News.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michael Cohen says Trump directed him to pay hush money to keep women quiet during 2016 election
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