Cohen delays congressional testimony

WASHINGTON—Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, has indefinitely postponed his voluntary testimony to the House Oversight and Reform Committee, citing “ongoing threats” against himself and his family, his attorney said Wednesday. Cohen’s lawyer, Lanny Davis, said the threats came primarily from the president and his attorney, Rudy Giuliani. Trump has suggested Cohen’s father-in-law, Fima Shusterman, who has pleaded guilty in the past to financial crimes related to his taxi-medallion business, has ties to organized crime. The president also has suggested in tweets and interviews that Cohen’s family members committed fraud.

The House committee hearing, originally scheduled for Feb. 7, would have given Democrats their first chance to wield their investigative power over the Trump administration. Democrats may subpoena Cohen, who is slated to report to federal prison March 6 to serve three years for evading taxes and lying to Congress.

Trump denied that his remarks constituted threats. “I would say he’s been threatened by the truth,” he said at the White House. “He does not want to tell the truth for me.”