Transcript for Michael Cohen lied to Congress about seeking a pardon from him: Trump

looming president trump and the first lady visited Lee county today. At Providence Baptist church the president signing bibles. Outside stopping by a memorial with 23 white crosses. President trump weighed in on Paul manafort and on Michael Cohen's claim he didn't want a pardon. Here's ABC's Terry Moran. Reporter: President trump today ripped into his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen for declaring, under oath, that he never sought a pardon. Michael Cohen lied about the pardon. It was a stone cold lie. He has lied about a lot of things. Reporter: Before congress, Cohen was clear. I have never asked for it, nor would I accept a pardon from president trump. Reporter: But later, his team acknowledged Cohen had, in fact, asked his lawyer to reach out to the president's attorney Rudy Giuliani to discuss the possibility. He knew all about pardons. His lawyers said they went to my lawyers and asked for pardons. Reporter: And then on Twitter, trump went further. He directly asked me for a pardon. I said no. He lied again. At stake in this unseemly feud is Michael Cohen's credibility, already shaky, and he fired back at the president tweeting "Just another set of lies." Today ABC's Kyra Phillips asked trump if he'll pardon another former associate facing prison, his former campaign chairman Paul manafort. Kyra, are you ruling out a pardon for manafort? I dont even discuss it. The only one discussing it is you. I haven't discussed it. Reporter: Manafort faced the prospect of decades in prison. Federal guidelines called for a sentence of 20 to 24 years for his crimes, but judge ts Ellis gave him just 47 months, less than four years. A stunning act of leniency based, the judge said, on what he called Paul manafort's "Otherwise blameless life." Democrats were outraged, but not president trump. I feel very badly for Paul manafort. I think it has been a very tough time for him. Terry Moran joins us live from the white house. Terry, word tonight of another senior staffer leaving the west wing. Communication director bill shine abruptly resigning today. That's right. Bill shine the former co-president of Fox News who built the coverage that Donald Trump loves so much. We're told the president didn't like the news coverage he's getting these days. So shine is out. We hear he may be heading to the president's re-election campaign. Terry Moran, thank you. Former army intelligence analyst Chelsea manning sent to

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