Did Trump ask Cohen to lie to Congress? House may open inquiry
Reuters | Jan 19, 2019, 07:00 IST
WASHINGTON: Two leading Democrats in the US House of Representatives promised to investigate US President Donald Trump’s dealings with his personal lawyer Michael Cohen after a media report said Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress in violation of US law.
The BuzzFeed news website, citing two law enforcement officials involved in an investigation of the matter, said on Thursday that Trump and Cohen hatched a plan to continue efforts to build a Trump Tower in Russia during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. After Trump won the election, he personally directed Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, to lie to US lawmakers about their endeavours, the report said.
Cohen, who served for years as Trump’s “fixer” and once said he would “take a bullet” for him, received a three-year sentence in December for lying to Congress and campaign law violations and is set to start serving it in March. Trump, in a tweet on Friday, said Cohen was lying in order to get less prison time and Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said, “He is lying to make a motion to reduce”.
White House spokesman Hogan Gidley also blasted the report and Cohen in an interview on Fox News. Pressed on whether Trump had asked Cohen to lie as the report said, Gidley did not answer directly, saying, “The premise is ridiculous”. Cohen adviser Lanny Davis said he and Cohen declined to comment. Cohen’s lawyer, Guy Petrillo, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“The allegation that the president of the US may have suborned perjury before our committee in an effort to curtail the investigation and cover up his business dealings with Russia is among the most serious to date,” US House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff said on Twitter late on Thursday. “We will do what’s necessary to find out if it’s true.” Representative Jerrold Nadler said on Twitter that the House Judiciary Committee, which he heads, also would investigate. “Directing a subordinate to lie to Congress is a federal crime.”
While the US department of justice has previously concluded that a sitting US president cannot be charged while in office, such a claim, if found true, could fuel impeachment proceedings in Congress.
The BuzzFeed news website, citing two law enforcement officials involved in an investigation of the matter, said on Thursday that Trump and Cohen hatched a plan to continue efforts to build a Trump Tower in Russia during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. After Trump won the election, he personally directed Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, to lie to US lawmakers about their endeavours, the report said.
Cohen, who served for years as Trump’s “fixer” and once said he would “take a bullet” for him, received a three-year sentence in December for lying to Congress and campaign law violations and is set to start serving it in March. Trump, in a tweet on Friday, said Cohen was lying in order to get less prison time and Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said, “He is lying to make a motion to reduce”.
White House spokesman Hogan Gidley also blasted the report and Cohen in an interview on Fox News. Pressed on whether Trump had asked Cohen to lie as the report said, Gidley did not answer directly, saying, “The premise is ridiculous”. Cohen adviser Lanny Davis said he and Cohen declined to comment. Cohen’s lawyer, Guy Petrillo, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“The allegation that the president of the US may have suborned perjury before our committee in an effort to curtail the investigation and cover up his business dealings with Russia is among the most serious to date,” US House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff said on Twitter late on Thursday. “We will do what’s necessary to find out if it’s true.” Representative Jerrold Nadler said on Twitter that the House Judiciary Committee, which he heads, also would investigate. “Directing a subordinate to lie to Congress is a federal crime.”
While the US department of justice has previously concluded that a sitting US president cannot be charged while in office, such a claim, if found true, could fuel impeachment proceedings in Congress.
Download The Times of India News App for Latest World News.
FROM AROUND THE WEB
more from times of india News
LATEST VIDEOS
All Comments ()+^ Back to Top
Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.
HIDE