Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, "directed his attorney" to explore a potential presidential pardon last year with Trump's legal team. That's according to a statement Thursday by Lanny Davis, Cohen's current attorney.

Davis' statement appears to contradict Cohen's public testimony before the House Oversight Committee last week. Cohen said under oath he never asked for, and would not accept, a pardon from Trump.

Davis said Thursday that his client was "open to the ongoing 'dangling' of a possible pardon" after the FBI raided his home and hotel room in April. He said Cohen "directed his attorney" to explore a pardon.

The development was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Cohen was Trump's longtime personal lawyer and fixer.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)