Washington has a pressing question for Michael Cohen: Did he lie to Congress, again? President Trump was among those on Friday claiming that Cohen had…
Washington has a pressing question for Michael Cohen: Did he lie to Congress, again?
President Trump was among those on Friday claiming that Cohen had lied, stating in a tweet that his former « fixer » directly asked him for a pardon.
“I said NO. He lied again!” Trump added.
That allegation came after Cohen’s attorney Lanny Davis acknowledged this week that Cohen had told his former legal team to explore a potential presidential pardon after the possibility was “dangled” by Trump’s lawyers.
Davis’s remarks stood in contrast with Cohen’s public testimony before Congress late last month that he never sought a pardon from Trump — a point Republicans have seized on.
Cohen on Friday almost immediately refuted his former employer’s accusation, tweeting that it was “another set of lies” by Trump.
If he lied, Cohen might also be in trouble with Democrats, who have promised to hold him accountable.
For the moment, key Democrats are urging caution before rushing to take any action.
When asked if he wanted to learn more about Trump’s accusation, House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) replied that he’d “love to hear about it.”
“If the president wants to, he can pick up the phone and call me,” he said. “I’d welcome a call.”
A representative for Cohen said Friday that Cohen stands by his testimony, and directed The Hill to prior statements from Davis defending the testimony as being truthful.
A source close to Cohen also pushed back against the suggestion that Cohen lied, saying he never personally sought a pardon but rather gave his attorneys the all-clear to explore the option when it was presented to them.
“If he wanted to ask the president for a pardon, he would have done so directly,” the source said, citing the past close relationship between Trump and Cohen.
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.
