Michael Cohen's friend says he was 'relaxed, in a way' before heading to prison

Michael Cohen spent his last weekend of freedom before starting his three-year stint in prison getting a haircut, dining with family and friends, and trying to figure out if he should give a big interview before going away, Vanity Fair reports.

Cohen is President Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, who pleaded guilty last year to tax evasion, lying to a bank, campaign finance violations, and lying to Congress; the campaign finance violations were connected to Cohen arranging hush money payments for women who said they had affairs with Trump, and he lied to Congress about the extent of negotiations regarding a Trump Tower in Moscow.

Vanity Fair's Emily Jane Fox reports that on Sunday, friends visited Cohen at his home, and he spoke with people who have either been to Otisville Federal Correctional Institution, or know inmates there. "He seemed relaxed, in a way," cable news personality Donny Deutsch told Fox, adding that once Cohen arrived at the prison, it would be "the most peaceful day he will have in years. The fight is over. There are no lawyers to talk to. No reporters to field. The work is done."

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Cohen also went through the documents in his case, and spoke with members of the House Judiciary Committee. He was working until the last minute, trying to see if they could ask prosecutors in the Southern District of New York to postpone or shorten his sentence, as long as he kept cooperating with investigators, Fox reports. On Sunday night, Cohen finally planned his media strategy, deciding to make a brief statement before leaving for prison. Standing in front of reporters on Monday morning, Cohen declared that there "still remains much to be told, and I look forward to the day that I can share the truth."