Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen denied bid for early release from probation

Michael Cohen, former President Trump’s onetime fixer and a key witness in the Manhattan district attorney’s case against the former president, was denied his latest bid for an early release from probation Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman rejected Cohen’s most recent request to end his probation early, ruling that it would not serve its purpose of rehabilitation or deterrence from future crimes.

Cohen pleaded guilty to a variety of charges in 2018, including criminal tax evasion and campaign finance violations. The campaign finance violations relate in part to a $130,000 payment that Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence about an alleged affair with Trump ahead of the 2016 campaign.

He was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. However, Cohen was transferred to home confinement after a little more than a year in prison.

Since beginning probation, Cohen has petitioned the court three times for an early release, including last July, last December and this May.

Federal prosecutors argued that Trump’s former personal attorney simply recycled his previous claims for an early release, all of which have been rejected.

“Instead, many of the defendant’s arguments are the same ones previously considered and rejected by the Court,” U.S. attorney Damian Williams said. “There is no reason, six months later, to reconsider that decision.”

Williams also noted that Cohen’s recent comments in a book and television appearance suggest that he has not “taken full responsibility for his actions.”

“[W]hile Cohen is free to write and say what he wants, he cannot simultaneously distance himself from his conduct on cable news, while cloaking himself in claims of acceptance of responsibility in court filings,” he said.

“Cohen’s recent efforts to back away from his prior acceptance of responsibility is evidence of the ongoing need for specific deterrence,” Williams added.

The $130,000 hush money payment Cohen served time for would ultimately result in the first ever indictment of a former president.

Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with the hush money payment this April. He pleaded not guilty to the charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D).