Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, claimed on Thursday that he paid a tech firm to rig online polls leading up to the 2016 presidential campaign getting underway. Cohen claimed he did this "at the direction of and the sole benefit of" Trump.
This was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. When reached for comment by WSJ, the Trump Organization declined.
As for the @WSJ article on poll rigging, what I did was at the direction of and for the sole benefit of @realDonaldTrump @POTUS. I truly regret my blind loyalty to a man who doesn’t deserve it.
— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) January 17, 2019
According to the report, a man who runs a small technology company showed up to collect $50,000 for helping to rig presidential polls in favor of Donald Trump. The man's name is John Gauger. Allegedly Cohen handed him a bag containing $12,000 and $13,000 cash and a boxing glove that had been worn by a Brazilian mixed-martial artist.
Despite these claims, Cohen disputes that he paid in cash. He claims all of the amount paid to Mr. Gauger was by check.
Michael Cohen asserts that he paid a small tech firm to rig online polls before the 2016 presidential campaign “at the direction of and the sole benefit of” Donald Trump. https://t.co/apcCJBGhP3
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 17, 2019