Michael Cohen to testify again behind closed House doors

On the day he was supposed to report to federal prison, President Trump’s former longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen will instead testify behind closed doors at a House committee about crimes he alleges Trump committed while in the White House.

The appearance at the House Intelligence Committee Wednesday will be his fourth appearance in the past eight days before a panel investigating Trump’s campaign, administration and personal finances.

Cohen’s testimony also comes after Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued a list of 81 individuals and entities his panel wants to turn over documents.

Those on the list include Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the head of the House Intelligence Committee, is also asking for information from the Trump administration about the president’s conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The panel is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election and whether Trump or any of his associates colluded.

The questioning is expected to focus on whether Trump was involved in negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow deep into the summer of the 2016 campaign.

The issue of pardons is also expected to come up after a report in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday said Cohen’s lawyer Stephen Ryan approached the Trump legal team about a possible pardon after the FBI raided Cohen’s home and office last April.

Cohen, who will now report to prison on May 6 to serve a three-year prison sentence, told the House Oversight Committee last Wednesday that Trump directed him to make a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an affair she alleged she had with Trump.

The hush-payment was made weeks before the 2016 election.

Cohen pleaded guilty in November to tax evasion, lying to Congress and campaign finance violations.

Trump has continued to dismiss the investigations into him.

“The witch hunt continues. The fact is that – I guess we got 81 letters. There was no collusion. It’s a hoax,” the president told reporters on Tuesday during an event at the White House.

Source: Read Full Article