World enews: Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen reveals he’s considering running for Congress

Michael Cohen, former President Donald Trump’s former attorney, is reportedly weighing a run for Congress.

“I am interested and there’s a multitude of folks encouraging me to run,” the former president’s former fixer told Semafor.

Mr Cohen told the outlet that he would run as a Democrat. Following his prison sentence for campaign finance violations and related crimes, he registered with the party, his lawyer tweeted in October 2018.

“Cohen putting family and country first—distancing himself from the values of the current Admin,” his lawyer, Lanny Davis, previously wrote.

Mr Cohen told the publication that he lives on the East side of Manhattan, meaning he would run against Rep Jerry Nadler in the 12th congressional district. Mr Nadler is the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and has served in Congress since 1992.

A potential congressional run for Mr Cohen would be particularly interesting during the next election cycle, as he is likely to be a key player in the Manhattan trial against Mr Trump involving hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Mr Cohen admitted to paying Ms Daniels hush money payments during Mr Trump’s 2016 campaign — after being directed by Mr Trump to do so. The former president was indicted in March by a grand jury and pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges for falsification of business records.

The Independent has reached out to a spokesperson for Mr Cohen.

Mr Cohen has been an outspoken critic of Mr Trump in recent years, and the pair have been engaged in ongoing legal battles. Earlier this month, Mr Trump was called to sit for a September deposition as part of his $500m lawsuit against his former attorney, claiming that he has “suffered vast reputational harm as a direct result of Defendant’s breaches.”

Last month, Mr Trump reached a settlement with Mr Cohen over $1.3m in unpaid legal bills.