The Trump campaign was offered “political synergy” from Russia as early as 2015, according to evidence provided by the president’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.
In one of two sentencing documents filed by prosecutors in relation to Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to two separate charges, prosecutors revealed the 52-year-old said he was contacted by someone claiming to represent the Russian authorities.
“In or around November 2015, Cohen received the contact information for, and spoke with, a Russian national who claimed to be a ‘trusted person’ in the Russian Federation who could offer the campaign ‘political synergy’ and ‘synergy on a government level’,” said a filing by special counsel Robert Mueller.
The individual “repeatedly proposed a meeting between Individual 1 [Donald Trump] and the president of Russia”. The Russian national suggested that such a meeting could have “phenomenal impact” not only in political but in a business dimension as well, the document said.
The document filed by Mr Mueller suggests that Cohen has provided substantial information to the special counsel’s office. Mr Mueller said Cohen went to “significant lengths” to assist their investigation.
“The defendant has provided, and has committed to continue to provide, relevant and truthful information to the SCO in an effort to assist with the investigation.The defendant has met with the SCO for seven proffer sessions, many of them lengthy, and continues to make himself available to investigators,” he wrote.
Mr Mueller said Mr Cohen had assisted in four specific areas – providing information about…
