Fordham University confirms Cohen testimony: Trump campaign threatened legal action if school released his records

Fordham University confirms Michael Cohen’s testimony that he threatened legal action if President Donald Trump’s academic records were released.

The former Trump Organization lawyer told congressional investigators that Trump directed him to threaten his high school, colleges and the College Board not to release his grades or SAT scores.

A spokesperson for Fordham, which Trump attended for two years, confirmed to NPR that a representative from the Trump campaign contacted the school toward the beginning of the race asking about the release of school records.

“We told the caller that Fordham is bound by federal law,” the spokesperson told NPR, “and that we could not/would not reveal/share any records.”

The spokesperson said that was the school’s policy regardless of whether the former student was running for office.

After that call, the spokesman said, “Fordham received a follow-up letter from one of Mr. Trump’s attorneys summarizing the call and reminding us that they would take action against the University if we did, in fact, release Mr. Trump’s records.”

Cohen shared with the House Oversight Committee copies of a letter he sent at Trump’s direction threatening civil and criminal actions against those schools if his grades or SAT scores were ever disclosed without permission.