Lanny Davis: Michael Cohen May Cancel House Testimony Over Fears Of Trump Retaliation

With former Trump attorney and fixer Michael Cohen once again back in the news due to revelations that he paid a firm to rig online polls to favor Donald Trump shortly before Trump’s presidential run, former Cohen lawyer and current adviser Lanny Davis noted that Cohen’s scheduled House testimony may be in doubt due to fears the president may retaliate against his family.

Appearing on MSNBC’s The Beat, Davis talked about the latest reports before the conversation pivoted to concerns that the president may be attempting witness protection against Cohen. Host Ari Melber brought up Trump recently telling Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro that people may “want to look at” Cohen’s father-in-law because “that is the money in the family,” asking Davis if this has had an impact on Cohen.

“Very much so,” Davis responded. “He is very concerned. As is his family. That a bully in the bully pulpit named Donald Trump calls out a member of his family and he’s also called out other members of his family. Using the White House platform on a national television show. Let me be very clear here. This is a definition of witness tampering and intimidation and could be obstruction of justice.”

After Davis stated that the American public should be united in agreement that it is out of bounds for the president to go after someone’s family, Melber asked him if he believed that what the president is doing is already illegal tampering.

“There is no question that his threatening and calling out his father in law who, quote, has all of the money, is not only improper and unseemly for a bully using the bully pulpit of the presidency,” the former Clinton adviser said. “But the very definition of intimidation and witness tampering especially a witness about to appear before a congressional committee to tell the truth about what he knows about Donald Trump by definition that deserves a criminal investigation.”

The MSNBC host then questioned Davis as to whether Cohen views the president as trying to make good on his threat and if he believes Trump would use the Department of Justice to retaliate against Cohen.

“I just think it is so out of bounds that it doesn’t involve politics, it doesn’t involve whether you are pro or anti-Trump,” Davis replied. “There is genuine fear and it causes Michael Cohen to consider whether he should go forward or not. And he’s not yet made a final decision.”

When Melber pressed him regarding whether Cohen’s House testimony may be off, Davis answered: “I would just say that the exact words that he’s considering whether to go forward in light of the concerns about his family.” He added, “My guess is that he won’t let a bully silence him. But I could tell you that he is still considering whether to do this or not.”

Watch the clip above, via MSNBC.