Excerpts of NY sentencing recommendation for Michael Cohen

Former Donald Trump lawyer Michael Cohen faces sentencing next week on campaign finance violations, tax evasion and other charges. Excerpts from the sentencing recommendation filed in New York Friday by federal prosecutors, in which they recommend a "substantial" sentence despite his cooperation:

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"After cheating the IRS for years, lying to banks and to Congress, and seeking to criminally influence the Presidential election, Cohen's decision to plead guilty — rather than seek a pardon for his manifold crimes — does not make him a hero."

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"Cohen, an attorney and businessman, committed four distinct federal crimes over a period of several years. He was motivated to do so by personal greed, and repeatedly used his power and influence for deceptive ends. Now he seeks extraordinary leniency — a sentence of no jail time — based principally on his rose-colored view of the seriousness of the crimes. ... The crimes committed by Cohen were more serious than his submission allows and were marked by a pattern of deception that permeated his professional life (and was evidently hidden from the friends and family members who wrote on his behalf)."

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"Cohen's commission of two campaign finance crimes on the eve of the 2016 election for President of the United States struck a blow to one of the core goals of the federal campaign finance laws: transparency. While many Americans who desired a particular outcome to the election knocked on doors, toiled at phone banks, or found any number of other legal ways to make their voices heard, Cohen sought to influence the election from the shadows."

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"Cohen first reached out to meet with the (special counsel) at a time when he knew he was under imminent threat of indictment in this District. As such, any suggestion by Cohen that his meetings with law enforcement reflect a selfless and unprompted about-face are overstated."

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"Cohen did provide information to law enforcement, including information that assisted the Special Counsel's Office (SCO) in ongoing matters. ... But Cohen's description of those efforts is overstated in some respects and incomplete in others."

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"At the time that Cohen met twice with this Office, through his attorneys, he had expressed that he was considering — but not committing to — full cooperation. Cohen subsequently determined not to fully cooperate."

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"On balance, like most others who stand before this Court for sentence, Cohen is neither all good nor all bad. His personal interactions in private life should not be this Court's principal consideration. Rather, it is Cohen's serious crimes that should be the Court's lodestar."