Republicans insist on investigating Michael Cohen as key witness
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik are calling for the Justice Department to investigate former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen for allegedly committing perjury and knowingly making false statements while testifying before Congress in 2019.
Turner, R-Ohio, and Stefanik, R-N.Y., initially requested an investigation into Cohen in November after he admitted during a trial related to New York Attorney General Letitia James’ civil fraud lawsuit against former President Trump that his 2019 congressional testimony was intentionally false.
The lawmakers did not receive any response from the DOJ, prompting them to send a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland expressing their dissatisfaction with the lack of action regarding their criminal referral regarding Cohen.
According to Turner and Stefanik, Cohen, despite his conviction for making false statements, is now being used as a key witness for the prosecution. They criticized the Biden DOJ for aggressively pursuing cases against former Trump advisers for contesting subpoenas while seemingly ignoring Cohen’s perjury before Congress.
The lawmakers accused Garland of politicizing the DOJ to benefit President Biden and harm his political rivals. They highlighted the involvement of a former senior DOJ official who was part of the prosecutor’s team in Trump’s trial, emphasizing the apparent bias in Cohen’s treatment compared to other cases.
Turner and Stefanik urged Garland to cease politicizing the DOJ and initiate a criminal investigation into Cohen’s perjury and false statements during his congressional testimony in February 2019.
Moving forward, the Justice Department has confirmed receipt of the lawmakers’ letter but declined to provide further comments on the matter.
During Trump’s civil trial linked to James’ lawsuit, Cohen admitted to lying under oath during his 2019 testimony before the House Intelligence Committee. When questioned about the honesty of his previous statements, Cohen acknowledged that he had not been truthful.
Despite these revelations, Cohen defended his actions by claiming that there was a misunderstanding between the explicit and implied nature of the questions posed during his testimony.
Furthermore, Cohen expressed concerns over what he perceives as unwarranted harassment, especially if Trump were to be re-elected as president in the future.
In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations, making false statements to Congress, and tax evasion, resulting in a three-year prison sentence.
Regarding Matthew Colangelo, a former senior DOJ official involved in Trump’s trial, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, has called for an inquiry into Colangelo’s actions during the Biden administration.
