AT&T, Novartis Ties to Cohen Show Push for Trump Insights
- Cohen said to have pitched drugmaker on his access to Trump
- Payments show companies sought unconventional lobbying routes
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Donald Trump’s election as the ultimate outsider in 2016 sent companies scrambling to understand the new president. A handful turned to an unconventional place for help: his longtime fixer and New York lawyer, Michael Cohen.
The payments by AT&T Inc. and Novartis AG to Cohen show how even companies with robust lobbying operations sought knowledgeable insiders to glean insight into Trump’s Washington -- using backdoor channels that may not be illegal, but have now drawn the scrutiny of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Trump’s campaign.