Michael Cohen Says New York Prosecutors 'Pressured and Coerced' His Trump Testimony; MeidasTouch Cuts Ties After Claims
Michael Cohen said New York prosecutors "pressured and coerced" him into giving anti‑Trump testimony, asserting he was forced to fit prosecutors' desired narrative and addressing accusations that he is seeking a pardon—saying he would welcome one but that his request to the White House is "far larger than me." In response to his coercion claims, left‑leaning media company MeidasTouch announced it will no longer produce or carry his shows "Political Beatdown" and "Mea Culpa," a decision Cohen called "like losing family" and vowed his podcasts will continue off the network.
📌 Key Facts
- MeidasTouch, described as a left-leaning media company, announced on Jan. 18, 2026 that it will no longer produce or carry Michael Cohen’s shows "Political Beatdown" and "Mea Culpa."
- The network cut ties with Cohen after he publicly alleged New York prosecutors "pressured and coerced" him to give testimony that fit their desired narrative in Trump-related cases.
- Cohen said being dropped by MeidasTouch "feels like losing family."
- He vowed his podcasts will continue independently off the MeidasTouch network.
- Cohen addressed accusations that he is seeking a presidential pardon, saying he would welcome one but that his request to the White House is "far larger than me."
📊 Relevant Data
In New York State, Black people are imprisoned at a rate 5.7 times higher than White people as of 2022, while comprising approximately 17.5% of the state's population compared to 55.3% for non-Hispanic White people.
One in Five: Racial Disparity in Imprisonment — The Sentencing Project
In New York, half of exonerations handled by Conviction Integrity Units involve prosecutorial misconduct, with district attorneys rarely acknowledging responsibility for such errors.
CIUs Exonerate Innocent New Yorkers but Prosecutors Escape Blame — New York Focus
Racial disparities in New York State's parole release decisions have worsened, with the parole board 33% less likely to release a person of color than a White person based on data from the last three years.
Report finds worsening racial disparities in New York parole process — WXXI News
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Left‑leaning media company MeidasTouch announced it will no longer produce or carry Michael Cohen’s shows 'Political Beatdown' or 'Mea Culpa' following his coercion allegations.
- Cohen publicly responded to being dropped, saying the move 'feels like losing family' and vowing his podcasts will continue off the MeidasTouch network.
- He reiterated that he felt 'pressured and coerced' to offer testimony that fit prosecutors’ desired narrative and addressed accusations that he is seeking a pardon, saying he would welcome one but that his request to the White House is 'far larger than me.'