A new report from the Wall Street Journal reveals that President Donald Trump was fully aware of all the steps taken by former "fixer" Michael Cohen in making illegal campaign contributions as a way to funnel hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
The report contains new details about what Cohen has told prosecutors of Trump's knowledge and participation in schemes that Cohen himself admitted were illegal when he pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance laws this past August.
"He told federal prosecutors he conferred with Mr. Trump in the weeks before the 2016 election about paying Stephanie Clifford, the former adult-film star known professionally as Stormy Daniels, to keep quiet about her allegations of a sexual encounter with Mr. Trump," the WSJ reports. "He told them that Mr. Trump urged him to 'get it done.'"
Cohen also told prosecutors that he had discussions with Trump about ways to pay off Daniels that would make it look like he personally had no knowledge of or involvement in the scheme, the publication reports.
Trump has consistently denied knowing anything about the payments to Daniels, whom he infamously derided as "Horse Face" last month. However, Cohen's sworn testimony to prosecutors could implicate the president in a crime, although the WSJ notes that "Trump’s involvement in the payments, by itself, wouldn’t mean he is guilty of federal crimes."
