How House Democrats Reacted To Buzzfeed’s Bombshell Report
Donald Trump, Tevfik Arif, Felix Sater attend the Trump Soho Launch Party in New York on September 19, 2007 (Mark Von Holden/WireImage). Michael Cohen Crop (AP).
Updated January 19, 2019: Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office released a rare statement disputing BuzzFeed’s story.
A bombshell report from BuzzFeed News sent shockwaves through the political world late Thursday night. Sources familiar with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation claim that President Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about the timeline of the Trump Tower Moscow Project he worked on with Felix Sater. Cohen also updated Donald Trump on his efforts to set up a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and kept Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. in the loop every step of the Moscow Project. Backing up this claim is the testimony of Michael Cohen himself who has been cooperating with the Special Counsel’s Office as well as agreeing to testify publicly before Congress in early February. In addition files, emails and texts recovered during the raid of Cohen’s office corroborate this claim, according to BuzzFeed’s sources.
For many following the investigation, President Trump suborning perjury of his “fixer’s” Congressional testimony will not come as much of a surprise, but claims of hard proof do help this recent story rise above the previous reporting in this vein. This comes as President Trump is already plagued by numerous investigations, including one that already implicated him in two campaign finance felonies. Perhaps just as notably, a difference in the control of the US House of Representatives and its various committees makes this new development even more of an inflection point.
With Democrats now having the ability to conduct oversight inquiries into President Trump’s apparent and allegedly criminal behavior, Paul Ryan and House Republicans are no longer able to shield Trump from the consequences of his actions. Some argue Democrats don’t need to wait for Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report, and have enough to begin impeachment investigations in the House now. House Democrats are looking to handle this matter with the seriousness and gravity it deserves. Some see this as clear evidence of obstruction of justice.
Given the fact the House Judiciary Committee has the power to start the process of impeachment and the newly Democratically controlled committees have the power to launch investigations, subpoena witnesses, and compel testimony, here’s a look at how House Democrats reacted to Buzzfeed’s reporting.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY-10)
We know that the President has engaged in a long pattern of obstruction. Directing a subordinate to lie to Congress is a federal crime. The @HouseJudiciary Committee’s job is to get to the bottom of it, and we will do that work.
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) January 18, 2019
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA-23)
The allegation that the President of the United States 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. We will do what’s necessary to find out if it’s true. https://t.co/GljBAFqOjh
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 18, 2019
Schiff on Buzzfeed report. If true, allegations would constitute “subornation of perjury as well as obstruction of justice.Our committee is already working to secure additional witness testimony and documents related to the Trump Tower Moscow deal and other investigative matters”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 18, 2019
House Judiciary Committee Member David Cicilline (D-RI-1)
If the President directed Cohen to lie to Congress, that is obstruction of justice. Period. Full stop.
— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) January 18, 2019
House Judiciary Committee Member Ted Lieu (D-CA-33)
Another bombshell story. @realDonaldTrump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.
THIS IS OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE. https://t.co/pdVZ5dsFkc
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) January 18, 2019
House Intelligence Committee Member Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15)
MORE evidence of collusion. If @realDonaldTrump directed his lawyer to lie, it was to conceal the underlying allegation from being exposed as true. #TheyColluded https://t.co/2Uvze6vl4B
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) January 18, 2019
House Intelligence Committee Member Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20)
If the @BuzzFeed story is true, President Trump must resign or be impeached.
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) January 18, 2019
Rantt Media Editor-in-Chief Ahmed Baba contributed to this report.
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