Michael Cohen's surrender for prison delayed for two months

A federal judge in Manhattan on Wednesday ordered a 60-day delay Wednesday in Michael Cohen’s prison surrender date, facilitating plans of the former lawyer to President Donald Trump to testify before Congress.

Cohen’s lawyers had asked U.S. District Judge William Pauley to delay the prison surrender from March 6 to May 6 in a letter citing his need to recover from a medical procedure and to prepare for his planned congressional testimony.

Cohen has been asked to testify by the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The oversight committee scheduled his appearance for Feb. 27, and the House intelligence panel has set closed-door testimony for Feb. 28.

Cohen spokesman Lanny Davis has said Cohen’s testimony will include damaging revelations about Trump.

In the letter to Pauley, lawyer Michael Monico said the planned appearances “will require Mr. Cohen to spend substantial time in preparation that will limit the time he has to get his affairs in order and spend time with his family.”

Cohen was sentenced by Pauley in December to 3 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to crimes that included arranging hush money payments, in violation of campaign finance laws, to two women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump.

He said the payments were ordered by Trump, who has denied ever directing Cohen to break the law. Cohen also pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about the timing of discussions relating to a proposed Trump commercial project in Moscow, and about tax and bank fraud charges that didn’t involve Trump.