Of all the allegations in that 35-page unsubstantiated memo on Donald Trump and Russia, the story on Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s alleged trip to Prague to meet with Russian agents was probably the most disturbing … and easiest to debunk…
Forget all the other stuff in the dossier. Take the key one. If Trump's lawyer met clandestinely w/RIS in Prague to coordinate, it's over.
— John Schindler (@20committee) January 11, 2017
Cohen emphatically denied the allegations:
I have never been to Prague in my life. #fakenews pic.twitter.com/CMil9Rha3D
— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) January 11, 2017
And he told reporter Rosie Gray that the only “EU country” he visited over the summer was Italy:
https://twitter.com/RosieGray/status/818994529328046080
https://twitter.com/RosieGray/status/818994906945519616
Apparently Cohen was with his son visiting U.S.C. in Los Angeles at the time the spy memo had him in Prague playing secret agent man:
https://twitter.com/elainaplott/status/819033416356098048
Gray confirmed that tweet with a source at U.S.C.:
https://twitter.com/RosieGray/status/819037623759097857
https://twitter.com/RosieGray/status/819018929649700865
https://twitter.com/RosieGray/status/819011190533869570
FWIW, an analysis of Cohen’s Twitter feed seems to show he was in L.A. at that time as well:
If Michael Cohen made it to Prague and back in August – it wouldn't have been easy. (All figures are *quick* tallies). He geotags lots. pic.twitter.com/gx6iLnzAvw
— Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) January 11, 2017
tweet counts reflect *his own* tweets, not RTs.
— Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) January 11, 2017
And it's a quick scan/tally prone to error, I'm sure someone who y'know works at this stuff, could do a rigorous analysis.
— Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) January 11, 2017
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Takes about 8 – 12 hours to fly to Prague, depending on connections/direct etc. Delta do direct from JFK = 8 hours
— Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) January 11, 2017
Early September doesn't check out either. Don't have time to check each tweet but many have Manhattan. pic.twitter.com/gqhmicbDSa
— Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) January 11, 2017
Geotags can be spoofed, obvs, but is that likely?
— Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) January 11, 2017
I would say: for any names mentioned in the memos, this would have been the first thing I'd have done if I was working on the story
— Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) January 11, 2017
Cohen's public response so far more or less tallies with the geotags on his tweets for Aug/Sep 2016.
— Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) January 11, 2017
Fact that there are no huge gaps in tweets & many are geotagged would have made me question veracity of Cohen memos, and all other memos.
— Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) January 11, 2017
Narrative busted.
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