Former homicide prosecutor Katie Phang explained why longtime Donald Trump attorney Michael Cohen may be facing felony charges during an interview with MSNBC's Katy Tur.
"John Edwards got caught up in a scandal, a similar sort of scandal years ago and it caused him a lot of political harm," Tur noted. "How does this compare to the John Edwards saga, how does it not compare, and what sort of legal challenges could the president face if it comes to pass that Michael Cohen did break election law?"
"So here's the thing, Katy, it wasn't just political harm for John Edwards, the guy got indicted," Phang, reminded. "He wasn't convicted, but he got indicted."
"By all accounts, a $130,000 hush money payment on the eve of the presidential election in 2016 could constitute an in-kind contribution made to influence the outcome of that election," the MSNBC legal analyst continued. "And if so, then Michael Cohen is going to be looking at felony charges for having done that."
Phang also observed that today's White House press briefing may have signaled a shift in strategy, with Cohen being hung out to dry.
"And remember too, Cohen keeps maintaining that everyone got reimbursed by either Trump or the Trump campaign, so intriguingly you just heard Raj Shah now do what, there is now a pronounced distance, coming from the White House saying if you have some further questions -- not it -- ask Michael Cohen," Phang noted. "That's kind of telling, because before you have this circling of the wagons around Donald Trump, but now Cohen looks like he might be left hanging out to dry. Who knows?"
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