Cohen directed attorney to seek Trump pardon — but his congressional testimony says otherwise: report

Longtime Donald Trump "fixer" Michael Cohen reportedly directed his attorney to inquire about a pardon from President Donald Trump, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday evening.

Stephen Ryan, who represented Cohen at the time, reportedly discussed the possibility of a pardon with Trump's lawyers in the weeks after the FBI raided Cohen's home and office.

“I have never asked for, nor would I accept, a pardon from Mr. Trump," Cohen claimed in sworn testimony before Congress.

"The president’s lawyers, including Jay Sekulow, Rudy Giuliani and Joanna Hendon, dismissed the idea of a pardon at the time, people familiar with the discussions said, the WSJ reported. "But at least one of them, Mr. Giuliani, left open the possibility that the president could grant Mr. Cohen one in the future, they said."

Also on Wednesday, Rudy Giuliani claimed he denied multiple pardon requests from Trump associates.

“I always gave one answer and they always left disappointed,” Mr. Giuliani told The New York Times.