Trump orders Cohen to lie to Congress

CNN wrote:BuzzFeed: Sources say Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about proposed Moscow project

By Kate Sullivan, CNN

Fri January 18, 2019

(CNN)Failing Cheeto-Faced Ferret-Wearing Shit Gibbon personally directed his longtime former attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about the Moscow Trump Tower project, two federal law enforcement officials involved in an investigation of the matter told BuzzFeed.

The law enforcement officials told BuzzFeed that Trump directed Cohen to claim negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow ended months earlier than they actually did. The law enforcement sources told BuzzFeed that Cohen confirmed to special counsel Robert Mueller's team that Trump issued the order to lie to Congress.

CNN has not corroborated the BuzzFeed report.

Mueller's office learned Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress through interviews with multiple witnesses from the Trump Organization, internal company emails, text messages and other documents, Buzzfeed reports.

When asked for comment, Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani told CNN, "If you believe Cohen I can get you a great deal on the Brooklyn Bridge."

Cohen declined to comment to BuzzFeed, as did a spokesperson for the special counsel's office.

Trump supported a plan to personally visit Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign, BuzzFeed reports, to personally meet with President Vladimir Putin to negotiate. According to BuzzFeed, Trump said to Cohen, "Make it happen."

Democrats called for further investigation of the allegations, with Rep. Adam Schiff, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, saying the allegation was "among the most serious to date."

"We will do what's necessary to find out if it's true," he tweeted Thursday.

Eric Holder, former attorney general under President Barack Obama, tweeted early Friday morning on Buzzfeed's report: "If true - and proof must be examined - Congress must begin impeachment proceedings and Barr must refer, at a minimum, the relevant portions of material discovered by Mueller. This is a potential inflection point."

The law enforcement sources familiar with Cohen's testimony to Mueller's office told BuzzFeed that the President, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. received regular, detailed updates from Cohen about the Moscow project.

A spokesperson for Ivanka Trump's attorney told CNN in a statement she was "only minimally involved" in the project.

"Ms. Trump did not know about this proposal until after a non-binding letter of intent had been signed, never talked to anyone outside the Organization about the proposal, never visited the prospective project site and, even internally, was only minimally involved," Peter Mirijanian told CNN in the statement.

In September 2017, Trump Jr. testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee and was asked if he had any involvement in the potential project.

"I was peripherally aware of it, but most of my knowledge has been gained since as it relates to hearing about it over the last few weeks," he said, according to a transcript of the interview.

CNN previously obtained a document showing Donald Trump had signed a letter of intent to move forward with negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Russia, despite Giuliani initially claiming the document was never signed. After the report, Giuliani admitted he was incorrect and told CNN, "I probably meant to say there was never a deal, much less a signed one."

CNN has previously reported the project would've given Trump's company a $4 million upfront fee, no upfront costs, a percentage of the sales and control over marketing and design. The deal also included an opportunity to name the hotel spa after Ivanka Trump.

Cohen pleaded guilty in November to making false statements to Congress about the Russia investigation. While pleading guilty, Cohen said he and Trump had spoken more extensively about the propose Moscow Trump Tower project during the 2016 presidential election than he had admitted to Congress.

Cohen previously said talks about the Moscow project had ended in January 2016. He said he lied out of a sense of obligation to Trump.

Cohen's guilty plea revealed Cohen had been soliciting help from officials in the Russian government at a time when then-candidate Trump was praising Putin and disavowing any suggestion he was seeking to do business in Russia. On plenty of occasions throughout the campaign, Trump declared that he had "nothing to do with Russia."

Cohen is cooperating with Mueller and has spoken with the special counsel's office for more than 70 hours on topics beyond the proposed Moscow project, a source with knowledge of the discussions told CNN.

This story has been updated.

Maddog wrote:Who was POTUS during the 2016 election? 

Who ever it was should have probably been watching those pesky Russians.

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:Who was POTUS during the 2016 election? 

Who ever it was should have probably been watching those pesky Russians.

This happened after the Trump inauguration, January 20, 2017.  So Trump was actually the president when he ordered Cohen to lie to Congress.  

What happened re: Russians and the elections, has already been strongly addressed by the previous administration, and severe sanctions have been imposed on the Russians.  Indeed, your fellow Republican, Trump, has just lifted those sanctions for his Kremlin pals, consistent with his many, many acts of collusion with Russians.

This new fact is domestic lawlessness.  If Trump is suborning perjury, he should be impeached and tried, not just for this cover-up, but for his espionage and traitorous acts against the United States.

This is quite serious.  Remember, the Rosenberg's were executed for their collusion with Russia, then known as the Soviet Union.  Trump has a right to expect equal justice under the law.

Original Quill wrote:Law and justice is time-consuming in the US.  The corollary is: law is expensive--duh, because it is time-consuming.

We have already had 39 indictments, and some 9 convictions.  More importantly, pay attention: When person x is indicted for conspiracy with person y, that means that another indictment is coming down, person y.  If you pay attention, you can come up with your own detailed map of what is happening.

So, don't blame those of us that are paying attention, for your laziness.  When a marker comes down--like Trump telling his lawyer to lie to Congress--we fookin see what is happening.  You sit there and bemoan: I don't get it...I don't get it...boo-hoo, it's your fault that I don't get it!

One of the very things that is taking time, is these guys lie...they lie all the time, that means the authorities have to backtrack and ferret out the lies.  They lie to the press.  They lie to you and me.  They lie to the authorities.  They lie to Congress.  They lie to the Courts.  And when they do, it takes a year or two to establish that a crime has been committed.

But those of us that have been working on the map of the whole thing, can see things coming down.  Quit whining just because you haven't been paying attention.  You haven't been paying attention because you don't like what is happening to your friends and pals.  Well, shit happens...and it happens more to Republicans, because they lie so much more.

Maddog wrote:Who was POTUS during the 2016 election? 

Who ever it was should have probably been watching those pesky Russians.

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

Maddog wrote:Who was POTUS during the 2016 election? 

Who ever it was should have probably been watching those pesky Russians.

Have you not read about how Obama really wanted to do something but didn't want it to be seen as partisan?

So he went to GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and asked if a bi-partisan warning could be issued?

And McConnell said, "Fuck no"?

Maddog wrote:

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

Maddog wrote:Who was POTUS during the 2016 election? 

Who ever it was should have probably been watching those pesky Russians.

Have you not read about how Obama really wanted to do something but didn't want it to be seen as partisan?

So he went to GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and asked if a bi-partisan warning could be issued?

And McConnell said, "Fuck no"?

What I have read is that Obama had to play it cool with Putin, because he needed him to try to behave in the middle east and help him with Iran.

Also, Obama never really thought Trump would win. I sure as hell didn't.

There's a lot more here.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/world/national-security/obama-putin-election-hacking/?utm_term=.70eab85a2791

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

Maddog wrote:

What I have read is that Obama had to play it cool with Putin, because he needed him to try to behave in the middle east and help him with Iran.

Also, Obama never really thought Trump would win. I sure as hell didn't.

There's a lot more here.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/world/national-security/obama-putin-election-hacking/?utm_term=.70eab85a2791

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/01/24/580171396/biden-mcconnell-refused-to-sign-bipartisan-statement-on-russian-interference

Maddog wrote:CNN)Special counsel Robert Mueller's office disputed an explosive story from BuzzFeed News as "not accurate" Friday night, after the news outlet reported the President had directed his personal attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress, for which Cohen was later prosecuted.
"BuzzFeed's description of specific statements to the Special Counsel's Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen's Congressional testimony are not accurate," said Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller's office, in a statement.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/18/politics/mueller-statement-buzzfeed/index.html


Probably shouldn't rely on buzzfeed for news.  

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

Maddog wrote:Who was POTUS during the 2016 election? 

Who ever it was should have probably been watching those pesky Russians.

Have you not read about how Obama really wanted to do something but didn't want it to be seen as partisan?

So he went to GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and asked if a bi-partisan warning could be issued?

And McConnell said, "Fuck no"?

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:CNN)Special counsel Robert Mueller's office disputed an explosive story from BuzzFeed News as "not accurate" Friday night, after the news outlet reported the President had directed his personal attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress, for which Cohen was later prosecuted.
"BuzzFeed's description of specific statements to the Special Counsel's Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen's Congressional testimony are not accurate," said Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller's office, in a statement.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/18/politics/mueller-statement-buzzfeed/index.html


Probably shouldn't rely on buzzfeed for news.  

Curiously, the Special Counsel's office declines to state clearly what is disavowed.  The statement is from Mr. Carr, spokesman for Mr. Mueller.  In a highly cryptic, and curt statement, Mr. Carr says generally that the Buzz Feed story is "not accurate".

In general governmentese, that means something different from "inaccurate".  'Inaccurate' is language meaning fully 'wrong'.  'Not accurate' generally means some detail is wrong, and it's up to you to nit-pick and figure out what it is.

We clearly know from independent sources that Trump has denied that he has anything to do with the Russians.  We know that is a lie.  Trump was aware that the Trump Tower - Moscow project went on beyond the date that Cohen said.  In other words, that Cohen was lying about the dates.  We also know that "nothing occurs in the Trump organization without orders from Trump," from Cohen's statements.

What exactly is Mr. Carr denying?  Which connection, or causation is he denying?  I believe it's a tiny detail, of no importance, seized upon to vaguely misdirect the story.  Most likely, because it involves them most, the Mueller team is denying that they have the corroborating evidence ("and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office") to the extent that Buzz Feed says.  That is far short of a full denial.

Maddog wrote:Not accurate.

Maybe next time eh?

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:Not accurate.  

Maybe next time eh?

Incorrect.  It has been made clear on this morning's news that all the Mueller people were worried about is the Buzz Feed comment about corroborating evidence.
Apparently, Carr was worried that they might be prematurely questioned about such evidence.

They may yet have such evidence, but particulars have not been verified.  Nevertheless, it remains clear that Trump did order his lawyer to lie to Congress.  And, of course, the underlying truth of the matter is, Cohen did lie to Congress about the Trump – Moscow project.

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Incorrect.  It has been made clear on this morning's news that all the Mueller people were worried about is the Buzz Feed comment about corroborating evidence.
Apparently, Carr was worried that they might be prematurely questioned about such evidence.

They may yet have such evidence, but particulars have not been verified.  Nevertheless, it remains clear that Trump did order his lawyer to lie to Congress.  And, of course, the underlying truth of the matter is, Cohen did lie to Congress about the Trump – Moscow project.

Nothing is clear.  

Nice try though.  

Be patient Grasshopper.

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Nothing is clear.  

Nice try though.  

Be patient Grasshopper.

Sorry.  You haven't been following.  Get off Fox News and get to a valid information source.     You'll get there.

Tommy Monk wrote:

It's all a load of bollocks!

Maddog wrote:

Tommy Monk wrote:

It's all a load of bollocks!

It's not all bollocks. Cohen is a proven liar who is facing prison.  Men like that will throw everything  and anyone under the bus on the way there.  He's desperate. However, Trump is likely in some trouble, but the only thing known for sure is that none if us really know and reading Buzzfeed  articles won't change that.

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:
It's not all bollocks. Cohen is a proven liar who is facing prison.  Men like that will throw everything  and anyone under the bus on the way there.  He's desperate. However, Trump is likely in some trouble, but the only thing known for sure is that none if us really know and reading Buzzfeed  articles won't change that.

You think all 'turned' crooks are Mormon Bishops?  Of course, who but another crook knows the truth about the other crooks.

We already know Trump is a Russian agent.  It's so commonly realized, that it's reached the joke stage.  Pull out of NATO?  Stand up for Russia in Helsinki?  Kiss Putin's ass?  Remove sanctions on Putin's friends.  Private meetings in Hamburg, Helsinki?  Pull troops outta Syria?  Shut down the US government.  Anything else he can do for his Lord, Vlad?

This is just another truth: Trump's lawyer admits that Trump ordered him to lie to Congress.  That's at the lower end of the pile.  Whattyer trying to convince his shit don't smell?

Maddog wrote:Here is what "we" know. Your predictions of his demise have been woefully incorrect.

That and you are real adept at typing lots of words.

Original Quill wrote:When Cohen gives testimony to Congress on February 7th, we'll ask him.

Thor wrote:

Original Quill wrote:When Cohen gives testimony to Congress on February 7th, we'll ask him.

Its been confirmed as fake news

Seems you failed to be yet again skeptical of what turn out to be false story