Michael Cohen stunned a MSNBC panel on Saturday after stating that he believed former FBI Director James Comey "likely committed a crime" while reacting to news of the indictment.
Cohen, who was Trump's personal lawyer for many years, surprised MSNBC panelists Elise Jordan, Ayman Mohyeldin and Molly Jong-Fast by saying, "I believe likely he will be found guilty."
"Well, that’s interesting," Jordan said as Cohen added, "I believe likely he committed a crime."
"Wait, what?" Jong-Fast added.
Former Trump attorney, Michael Cohen, departs his home for Manhattan Criminal Court for the trial of Donald Trump for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs in New York City, on May 14, 2024. (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
"I don’t know what that crime is, but there are hundreds of thousands of documents, and the government has each and every one of them, all they need to find is that one," Cohen said. "I’ve been through this system. I know better than anybody what a weaponized DOJ looks like and feels like. It is insurmountable."
Jordan pressed Cohen on whether he actually broke "the law," as he explained he pleaded guilty in his case.
Cohen was charged and then pleaded guilty in 2018 to crimes including tax evasion, campaign finance violations, and lying to Congress. Cohen later cooperated with investigations into Trump, publicly testifying against him during Alvin Bragg's hush money trial and becoming a vocal critic.
Mohyeldin asked Cohen to clarify whether he thought the Department of Justice had been weaponized under Trump.
Former FBI Director James Comey is sworn in prior to testifying before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 8, 2017. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
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Cohen argued the DOJ had been weaponized by the government for as long as it's been around.
"I think your argument is it was weaponized then, by Comey against Donald Trump. That’s what you’re arguing right now," Jordan said, attempting to clarify Cohen's argument. "And so you think that there will be evidence that will show that in court, and so thus validate Donald Trump’s vendetta against James Comey."
Cohen agreed and said, "I couldn't have said it better myself."
Comey was indicted by a grand jury on two counts: alleged false statements within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch and obstruction of congressional proceeding.
Michael Cohen, former personal lawyer to Donald Trump, outside federal court in New York on Dec. 14, 2023. (Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Comey will reportedly turn himself in on Friday and his arraignment is set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 9, in Alexandria Courtroom 600 before District Juge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Fox News Digital exclusively reported in July that Comey was under criminal investigation by the FBI. The probe into Comey centered on whether he lied to Congress during his Sept. 30, 2020, testimony about his handling of the original Trump–Russia probe at the FBI, known inside the bureau as "Crossfire Hurricane."
Fox News' Brooke Singman and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.