So, Who's The Rat?

I never trusted that Michael Cohen was actually a "rat." I mean he could be, but I'll believe he really turned against Trump when I see it. Chris Hayes never seems to have bought in either, right? Lanny Davis is a classic piece of shit, the very worst of the garbage the dregs of the Clinton establishment vomits up from time to time. So anything he says... is never believable enough to trust. Davis was to Bill Clinton (and now Michael Cohen) what Giuliani is to Trump, not an actual attorney, just a p.r. operative. He did the same thing for Trent Lott, Penn State and Martha Stewart and was the treasurer for Joe Lieberman's sleazy PAC (which has always funneled Democratic money into Peter King's campaigns).

You've probably already heard or read about how Davis tossed a live grenade into the Michael Cohen case yesterday. Before reading Aaron Blake's Washington Post report, I want you to know that Cohen's mobster friends in Miami have been telling my friend's mobster friends in Miami that Cohen and Trump are still in cahoots and setting us all up. Is it true? How do I know? But I believe it as much as I believe the idea that Cohen actually flipped. Blake started with the point that "Davis has backed off two massive claims he made in recent weeks," including that former Trumpanzee bagman and fixer Michael Cohen has told people he witnessed Trump being informed of Fuck Up Jr.'s 2016 Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer before it happened.

“I should have been more clear-- including with you-- that I could not independently confirm what happened,” Davis said, adding: “I regret my error.”

Davis also backed off his claim that Cohen has information suggesting that Trump knew in advance about Russian hacking of Democrats’ emails in 2016.

“I am not sure,” Davis said. “There’s a possibility that is the case. But I am not sure.”

...Davis said that in discussing the hacking allegations last week, he should have emphasized his lack of certainty. He said he raised the idea that Cohen might have information about Trump’s knowledge because he had a strong feeling that might be the case.

“I was giving an instinct that he might have something to say of interest to the special counsel” about hacking, Davis said. In retrospect, he said, “I am just not sure.”

“A strong feeling.” That just doesn’t make much sense. Davis is a lawyer for his client, not a pundit. He can speak to Cohen about sensitive matters. His job is literally to speak publicly for Cohen, and getting their story straight is Job No. 1. The idea that Davis was simply freelancing with a narrative he hadn’t run by his client just doesn’t ring true. And if he was, how has Cohen not fired him for so clearly botching his defense?

It’s also pretty remarkable that, despite the first of these claims having been in the public domain for several weeks now-- CNN’s story broke exactly one month ago, on July 27-- Davis began reining it in only last week. Why wait that long if it was erroneous? Did Cohen not notice he was being put forward as the guy who might be able to prove Trump’s collusion with Russia-- a claim that, if true, could end an American presidency?

The most obvious answer would seem to be that Cohen may be the one contradicting himself. Ever since the CNN story broke, the question has been whether Cohen told congressional investigators the same story when he testified behind closed doors at a time when he was more loyal to Trump. There were indications that this new version of events wasn’t exactly compatible with that testimony, which could open Cohen up to more legal problems.

When Cohen reached a plea deal last week, the Senate Intelligence Committee’s top Republican and Democrat made a rare joint, public statement saying they wanted Cohen to continue cooperating with their Russia investigation. They also said they had contacted Cohen’s lawyers after the CNN story broke and asked whether he wanted to amend his testimony. Cohen has declined to do so.

But you also have to think that possible contradiction would be something Davis and Cohen (who is also a lawyer by trade) would have sorted out before Davis went public with these claims.

However this came about, though, it’s damaging to Cohen’s credibility. Davis is his lawyer and spokesman, after all, which means these claims effectively came from Cohen himself. Davis is now trying to take ownership of them and take the blame himself, but the explanations he offers are really difficult to accept, especially given the gravity of the claims.

And that has bearing on both the Russia investigation and whatever problems Trump may encounter from the Southern District of New York’s plea deal with Cohen on a campaign-finance violation (in which Cohen also implicated Trump). Cohen was supposed to be the guy flipping on Trump and telling investigators everything he knows about the skeletons in Trump’s closet. This episode has to make everyone involved wonder whether his claims are all they’re made out to be. Regardless of how you want all of this to shake out, it’s best to base a case around people who won’t undermine it. Cohen wasn’t a fantastic witness before; he’s a worse one now.

It’s been true from the start that these investigations attract a certain grade and style of lawyer, and those lawyers often find themselves struggling with their public statements on behalf of an untrustworthy client. Nobody leaves this situation without being at least a little Trump-ified.

You know who will never be Trumpified? Randy Rainbow, that's who. Mr. Rainbow will never-- never ever, ever-- be Trumpified. Amirite? You've been good today. You've earned this. Enjoy: