AT&T CEO: We made 'big mistake' hiring Cohen
(Reuters) – AT&T Inc (T.N) on Friday ousted its top lobbyist, and the No. 2 wireless carrier’s chief executive officer said in a memo it was “big mistake” to hire Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, for advice on working with the Trump administration.
AT&T paid Essential Consultants LLC, a firm set up by Cohen, a total of $600,000 over 2017 for advice on working with the Trump administration. AT&T said Cohen and others were hired to help navigate “a wide range of issues,” including its proposed $85 billion merger with Time Warner Inc (TWX.N), AT&T said in the memo seen by Reuters.
The disclosure of AT&T’s relationship with Cohen has turned into a major embarrassment for the telecommunications company as it awaits a U.S. judge’s decision, due June 12, on whether it can go through with the purchase of Time Warner, a deal that has been denounced by Trump. AT&T said in the memo it did not hire Cohen to lobby on its behalf. The one-year contract at $50,000 per month, ran from January through December 2017 and was limited to consulting and advisory services. AT&T never asked Cohen to set up meetings with anyone in the Trump administration, and he did not offer to do so, it said in the memo.