(CNN) Michael Cohen's attorney Tuesday clarified his client's public testimony that he didn't ask for a pardon from President Donald Trump, arguing that Cohen's statement was true even if it could have been clearer.
Cohen has been under fire from Republicans and Trump for testifying that he had "never asked for, nor would I accept" a pardon from the President, amid reports that Cohen's attorneys discussed the prospect of a pardon with Trump's legal team while Cohen was still a part of the Trump joint defense agreement.
"In retrospect, while the sentence could have been clearer regarding the time frames, the sentence is true, and Mr. Cohen stands by his statement," wrote Michael Monico, Cohen's attorney, in a letter to House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings that was obtained by CNN.
Monico argued in the letter that Cohen's statement was written "in the context of Mr. Cohen's decision in June 2018" to leave the joint defense agreement, and not the discussions that occurred about pardons beforehand.
"At no time did Mr. Cohen personally ask President Trump for a pardon or did the President offer Mr. Cohen the same," Monico wrote.
But the new letter from Monico is unlikely to satisfy Republicans, who have charged Cohen may have committed perjury in his testimony.