Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) has filed a privileged resolution to force a House floor vote to refer Michael Cohen’s recent testimony to the DOJ for a perjury investigation. Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced a vote on the measure tomorrow.
Cohen served as a personal lawyer for Donald Trump for years. In February, he appeared before the House Oversight Committee to talk at length about his business dealings with Trump. In one particular exchange, Cohen insisted that at no point did he want a job in the White House.
"I was extremely proud to be the personal attorney for the president of the United States of America," Cohen said at the time. "I did not want to go to the White House."
Campaign officials were quick to debunk that claim and recall how often Cohen clamored for a position in the Trump administration.
The lawyer is already in plenty of trouble. Cohen is heading to jail soon for making hush payments to two women during the 2016 presidential election campaign who reportedly had affairs with Trump, violating campaign finance laws. He also previously lied to Congress. He'll be behind bars for three years.
Introducing his resolution on Tuesday, Green came with a sign that informed his colleagues it's been 62 days since Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) pledged to hold Cohen accountable for his lies. Some of Green's Republican colleagues think it's a great idea.
Michael Cohen lied to investigators, lied to the Oversight Committee under oath at least twice, and is now even openly lobbying Democrats to help keep him out of jail.
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) April 30, 2019
We're forcing a House floor vote to hold him accountable. Bravo @RepMarkGreen. https://t.co/rcZMMoynBY
#CohenLied. Time to hold him accountable. https://t.co/d5KpnOJydm
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) April 30, 2019
In his appearance before Congress, Cohen trashed the president's character, calling him, among other things, a "racist," a "con man," and a "cheat." He's entitled to his opinion, but his testimony confused some representatives. If Cohen considered Trump to be such a terrible person, why had he continued to work for him for years?