Two top House Republicans want the DOJ to start a criminal investigation into Michael Cohen for allegedly lying to Congress during his testimony.
On Wednesday, the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees' chairmen, who are members of the GOP, sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging federal law enforcement to look into Cohen's 2019 testimony for possible perjury. This criminal referral was initially made on Feb. 28, 2019. letter James Comer, R-Ky, and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, wrote a joint letter expressing concerns about the reliance on Cohen's testimony, which they claim is the basis for a politically motivated prosecution of a former president and current presidential candidate. They want to know what the Justice Department has done to hold Cohen accountable for his false statements to Congress.
Comer and Jordan outlined six specific instances in which they believe Cohen lied to federal lawmakers, including claims that he never committed fraud. They note that Cohen pleaded guilty to fraud charges in 2018 and was subsequently sentenced to prison for tax evasion, making false statements to banks, and campaign finance law violations. The lawmakers also mentioned that Cohen admitted last year to lying to Congress in 2019.
The Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee have made a criminal referral to the Department of Justice based on these concerns. pled Cohen admitted to lying about never seeking a job in the Trump administration despite evidence from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York showing otherwise. Additionally, Cohen was involved in the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an affair with Donald Trump. Now, Cohen is expected to testify in Trump's trial, where the former president is facing felony charges of falsifying business records. three years The Republicans also highlighted that Manhattan's District Attorney Alvin Bragg is relying on Cohen's testimony and credibility in his criminal prosecution of Trump.
James Comer and Jim Jordan listed six occasions they allege Cohen lied to members of Congress, including Cohen's assertion that he never engaged in fraud.
“At a hearing in the politicized lawsuit brought by the New York Attorney General against President Trump, Cohen admitted to lying under oath during a 2019 deposition before [House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI)],” wrote Chairmen Comer and Jordan. “President Trump’s attorney asked Cohen if he lied during the deposition when testifying about whether he was directed to inflate certain financial numbers, to which Cohen responded, ‘Yes.’”
Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee responded by making another criminal referral to the Department of Justice.
On Wednesday, Comer and Jordan also said Cohen repeatedly denied ever seeking a job in the Trump administration. The claims contradict “evidence from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York demonstrating that ‘Cohen privately told friends … that he expected to be given a prominent role and title in the new administration.’”
Cohen is now at the center of former President Donald Trump’s New York prosecution wherein Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is trying to jail the Republican presidential candidate over 2016 payments to sex seller Stormy Daniels. Cohen was President Trump’s lawyer who reportedly orchestrated a $130,000 election-year payment to Daniels to keep her quiet about an affair with the billionaire presidential nominee. The long-time attorney for the former president is expected to testify in the ongoing trial with Trump facing 34 felony charges of falsifying business records.
“Currently, Manhattan’s popularly elected District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, is using Cohen as his star witness in an ongoing criminal prosecution of President Donald Trump,” lawmakers wrote Wednesday. “Bragg’s case heavily relies on Cohen’s testimony and credibility.”
