Transcript for Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen gets 3 years in prison

The president and two major headlines tonight his long time fixer and personal attorney Michael Cohen is going to prison. And the publisher of the national inquirer has now flipped helping prosecutors to. Michael Cohen who once said he would take a bullet for Donald Trump tonight sentenced to three years in federal prison. Telling a judge today his quote blind loyalty caused him to cover up the dirty deeds of trump. And then two hours later the publishers will be inquire what prosecutors say they have now admitted to. ABC's Chief Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas leading us off tonight. Michael Cohen arriving at court today clutching the arm of his heartbroken daughter. Hoping for mercy he took full responsibility for his crimes the personal ones to me he said. And those involving the president of the United States prosecutors say Ko and acted in coordination with and at the direction of individual one. AKA Donald Trump. When he facilitated hush money payments to porn star stormy Daniels and Playboy playmate Karen read do so they wouldn't go public before the election. Cohen went said he would take a bullet for his box. I'm obviously very loyal and very dedicated to mr. trump. But today Cohen told the judge he has been living in a personal and mental incarceration. Ever since he went to work for truck more than a decade ago. It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light he said. I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds. Hey yeah. Iron curtain. President front story about the hush payments has changed over time. First he told the American people he knew nothing. Did he says he only knew after the fact did you know about the payment. Oh later on a new legal wrong now we call to stormy Daniels deal a simple private transaction. Putting the finger back at Michael Cohen but today in court co and emotionally declared he'll fight to make sure history doesn't remember him. As the villain whose voice cracking he described the shame he brought on his wife children and elderly parents. All of whom were in court but the judge was unmoved sentencing Cohen took three years in prison for what he calls. A veritable smorgasbord of fraud saying Cohen had lost his moral compass. Pierre Thomas joins us live tonight from federal court in lower Manhattan and here prosecutors from the southern district of New York saying today that Cohen was motivated by. Of greed and ambition we know he's also been cooperative with special counsel Robert Moeller that's a separate case. And molesting did give him some credit today in court force help in their case. It's David Cohen is spent more than seventy hours would Robert dollars investigators and today the special counsel's prosecutors told the court. He offered them substantial assistance including credible and valuable information. And they said they expect him to continue to do so David Pierre Thomas leading us off tonight pierce thank you.

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