Former Trump lawyer pleads guilty

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, pleaded guilty Tuesday afternoon to federal charges, including campaign-finance violations, tax evasion, and making a false statement to a financial institution. The campaign finance violations stem from hush money payments Cohen made to pornographic film actress Stephanie Clifford (aka Stormy Daniels) and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

In his guilty plea, Cohen, who was known as Trump’s “fixer,” did not specifically name the president or the two women but said the payments were made “in coordination and at the direction of a candidate for federal office” and intended to influence the election, both of which are a crime. Daniels and McDougal have both claimed Trump had extramarital affairs with them, which he denies, and the amounts and dates of the payments mentioned in the plea deal line up with payments made to Clifford and McDougal.

As part of his plea deal, Cohen faces four to five years in prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 12.