WASHINGTON - A report released by a group of Senate Democrats says U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer was in frequent contact with top officials of the pharmaceutical giant Novartis as part of the lawyer's $1.2 million consulting deal with the Swiss-based company.
The report also says the company expected lawyer Michael Cohen to provide access to Trump administration policymakers, though the report doesn't show any evidence that Cohen approached Trump or others in the administration.
Novartis is disputing the report's conclusion that the company tried to play down its dealings with Cohen.
The report offers new details about Cohen's interactions with top Novartis officials. And it hints of his efforts to persuade clients that he had intimate knowledge of the policies and personnel that Trump's White House would promote.
