Elie Honig, Former Federal Prosecutor, on Michael Cohen

HOW DO YOU THINK MICHAEL COHEN WAS AS A WITNESS THERE BEFORE CONGRESS?

I THINK MICHAEL COHEN IS DOING A DECENT JOB.

HE IS ABOUT A B MINUS SO FAR.

I PUT A LOT OF COOPERATING WITNESSES ON THE STAND IN MY DAY.

THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON.

THE FIRST ONE IS CORROBORATION.

ARE THEY BACKED UP?

ARE THEY BACKED UP BY INDEPENDENT EVIDENCE, HARD DOCUMENTS, BY RECORDINGS, THAT KIND OF THING?

HE BROUGHT A LOT OF THAT WITH HIM.

IT ENHANCED HIS CREDIBILITY.

THE FACT HE IS ABLE TO POINT TO SIGNED CHECKS, TO OTHER DOCUMENTS.

I THINK THAT'S GONE A LONG WAY TOWARDS HIS CREDIBILITY.

LOOK FOR THE DEMEANOR.

COHEN HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A MIXED BAG.

I WANT TO SEE OUT OF MY COOPERATING WITNESSES WAS GENUINE CONTRITION.

NOT OVERDOING IT.

YOU DON'T WANT SOMEONE WHO IS DO.

COMBATIVE.

YOU WANT SOMEONE WILLING TO OWN UP TO THE PRIME CRIMES.

COHEN HAS DONE SOME OF THAT.

AT TIMES, HE LOST DISCIPLINE AS WELL.

SHOULD THE PRESIDENT BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HE IS HEARING OR IS IT NOTHING NEW, SO TO SPEAK?

I THINK THERE'S QUITE A BIT NEW HERE.

I THINK THE PRESIDENT SHOULD BE AWFULLY CONCERNED.

JUST TO LIST A FEW THINGS.

THE HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS MADE WHICH POTENTIALLY COULD BE CAMPAIGN FINANCE VIOLATIONS.

MICHAEL COHEN PLED GUILTY TO NOSE CRIMES.

HE IMPLICATED THE PRESIDENT.

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AGREED THAT INDIVIDUAL ONE, THE PRESIDENT, WAS INVOLVED.

NOW MICHAEL COHEN SHOWS UP WITH SIGNED CHECKS FROM THE PRESIDENT IN 2017 WHEN THE PRESIDENT WAS IN OFFICE.

THAT IS A VERY STRONG CASE.

THERE'S ALSO BEEN SOME NEW DEVELOPMENTS.WE LEARNED, FOR EXM MICHAEL COHEN IF HE IS TO BE CREDITED, THAT THE PRESIDENT LEARNED EARLY ON THAT ROGER STONE WAS COORDINATING WITH WIKILEAKS ON THE DUMPS OF HACKED E-MAILS.

HE DOESN'T HAVE A TAPE OF THAT OR A DOCUMENT.

IT'S CORROBORATED BY SOME OF THE OTHER FACTS WE KNOW, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS MADE VARIOUS FALSE STATEMENTS ABOUT WHEN HE KNEW AND HOW HE FOUND OUT.

THAT'S ANOTHER NEW DEVELOPMENT.

THE OTHER, I THINK, BIG PIECE OF NEWS IS MICHAEL COHEN IS STILL WORKING WITH THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK.

HE WAS ASKED A QUESTION AND HE SAID, I AM STILL IN CONTINUAL CONTACT WITH THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ON VARIOUS ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BIG CONCERN TO NOT JUST THE PRESIDENT BUT ALSO TO THOSE AROUND HIM.

FLESH THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT.

THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT POSES A BIGGER THREAT TO THE PRESIDENT AND OTHERS AROUND HIM THAN MUELLER FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.

MUELLER IS ON A CLOCK OF SOME SORT.ERE'S BEEN REPORTING THAT E IS IN THE CLOSING PHASES.

HE IS GETTING CLOSE TO WRAPPING UP.

THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT HAS NO TIME CLOCK.

THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT CAN TAKE WHATEVER TIME IT NEEDS.

ROBERT MUELLER IS CONSTRAINED IN HIS MANDATE.

HE WAS APPOINTED TO INVESTIGATE RUSSIAN INTERFEING WITH THE