Michael Cohen Says He Felt 'Pressured and Coerced' by Letitia James and Alvin Bragg to Testify Against President Trump
Michael Cohen says prosecutors in Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's and NY Attorney General Letitia James pressured him to provide testimony aimed at convicting President Trump.
Overview
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, says New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg pressured him to testify against Trump.
What: Cohen alleges prosecutors 'pressured and coerced' him to provide testimony tailored to secure convictions in two New York cases involving civil fraud and criminal business-records charges.
When and where: Cohen says the pressure began in meetings with prosecutors starting in August 2019 and persisted through trials in 2023 and 2024 in New York.
How: Cohen says prosecutors used leading questions and conditioning — he cooperated while seeking sentence relief, which he says pressured him to give testimony fitting their narrative.
Why it matters: Cohen says these practices blurred justice and politics, eroding public trust as courts revisit jurisdiction and evidence in Trump-related cases.
Analysis
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Sources (6)
FAQ
Cohen testified in a civil fraud case by NY Attorney General Letitia James and a criminal business-records case by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg.
The pressure began in meetings with prosecutors starting in August 2019 and continued through trials in 2023 and 2024.
Prosecutors used leading questions and conditioning; Cohen cooperated while seeking sentence relief, which pressured him to tailor testimony to their narrative.
It blurs the line between justice and politics, eroding public trust, especially as courts revisit jurisdiction and evidence in Trump cases.
Yes, Fox News reported on former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen accusing New York prosecutors of coercion.
History
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