Even more Cohen news: Trump directed him to lie to Congress

[fskimospy]

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...ssia-cohen-moscow-tower-mueller-investigation

Now the two sources have told BuzzFeed News that Cohen also told the special counsel that after the election, the president personally instructed him to lie — by claiming that negotiations ended months earlier than they actually did — in order to obscure Trump’s involvement.

The special counsel’s office learned about Trump’s directive for Cohen to lie to Congress through interviews with multiple witnesses from the Trump Organization and internal company emails, text messages, and a cache of other documents. Cohen then acknowledged those instructions during his interviews with that office.

Yeah so that’s another big felony right there. Makes you wonder why Trump thinks covering up his involvement with Russia is worth this much criminal exposure.

 

[sandorski]

When will the Republicans come to their senses and at least stop defending him? Shouldn't Law Makers be concerned with the Law? One might think so, but apparently The President is above the Law.

 

[UNCjigga]

So....is this alone grounds for impeachment?

 

[SteveGrabowski]

So....is this alone grounds for impeachment?

Still the only way they'd get the twenty necessary Republican votes to convict in the senate is if our Dear Leader became a Democrat.

 

[esquared]

Watching this on CNN right now.
Don Lemons guests are saying, if this true, its huge.
Congress will have a hard time ignoring this. ,(trump telling Cohen to lie to congress).

 

[BoomerD]

I don’t know what the big deal about this is...I’m pretty sure EVERY president has lied to Congress at one time or another...

Otherwise, Fuck Trump...I hope Mueller finds enough to lock his ass up in FPMITA prison forever.

 

[DrDoug]

I just posted the same thing as I didn't see this. Mods just delete it please!

Regarding this, the Republicans won't do a damned thing about it. They're too in fear of losing their jobs to an angry base. They don't love their country, they love their jobs and the power that comes with it.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Watching this on CNN right now.
Don Lemons guests are saying, if this true, its huge.
Congress will have a hard time ignoring this. ,(trump telling Cohen to lie to congress).

You think a group led by Mitch McConnell is going to have a hard time ignoring Trump's crimes? Wish I could have your optimism.

 

[esquared]

I don’t know what the big deal about this is...I’m pretty sure EVERY president has lied to Congress at one time or another...

Otherwise, Fuck Trump...I hope Mueller finds enough to lock his ass up in FPMITA prison forever.

This is different. He supposedly instructed cohen, to lie to congress. That's the big rub here.

 

[Greenman]

How much culpability does that legally place on Trump? Couldn't Cohen have said no?
I get the overall ramification's of the accusation, but I'm not clear on how much of it ends up on Trump, unless he somehow compelled Cohen to lie.
I guess I'm asking what this crime would be called if Cohen was an unwilling participant?

 

[ivwshane]

How much culpability does that legally place on Trump? Couldn't Cohen have said no?
I get the overall ramification's of the accusation, but I'm not clear on how much of it ends up on Trump, unless he somehow compelled Cohen to lie.

Why don't you ask barr who was specifically asked about that at his hearing. Hint: its obstruction of justice and an abuse of power.

 

[DrDoug]

Why don't you ask barr who was specifically asked about that at his hearing. Hint: its obstruction of justice and an abuse of power.

I'll help the poor guy out with a quote:

"If a President…suborns perjury, or induces a witness to change testimony, or commits any act deliberately impairing the integrity of available evidence, then he, like anyone else, commits the crime of obstruction." — William Barr

Crime of obstruction, an impeachable offense.

 

[K1052]

Think about the fact the Senate would not convict Trump even if the hard evidence has him fucking cold. The country is broken and the Republicans like it that way because it suits them.

 

[DrDoug]

Think about the fact the Senate would not convict Trump even if the hard evidence has him fucking cold. The country is broken and the Republicans like it that way because it suits them.

The reason Republicans won't impeach Err Furor is because the craven cowards know that the base that they have built would kick their asses out of Washington D.C. and replace them with crazier and even more craven cowards.

They love their jobs, not their country.

 

[cytg111]

Can you sprinkle some anti-sanction on that please? Mmmmmmm

Wait... This was testified to Congress BEFORE they voted on sanctions in senate???? ????????? ? ?????????

 

[cytg111]

I'll help the poor guy out with a quote:



Crime of obstruction, an impeachable offense.

Its Friday? Get the show on the road? Maybe?

 

[ch33zw1z]

Thanks Obama.

 

[mikeymikec]

Reality is biased. Damn you reality!

 

[dawp]

apparently they thought it would never come out like the idiots they are.

next to impossible to keep stuff like this quite, especially in government

 

[TheVrolok]

The reason Republicans won't impeach Err Furor is because the craven cowards know that the base that they have built would kick their asses out of Washington D.C. and replace them with crazier and even more craven cowards.

They love their jobs, not their country.

While I absolutely agree, couldn't they accomplish the same with President Pence?

 

[fskimospy]

How much culpability does that legally place on Trump? Couldn't Cohen have said no?
I get the overall ramification's of the accusation, but I'm not clear on how much of it ends up on Trump, unless he somehow compelled Cohen to lie.
I guess I'm asking what this crime would be called if Cohen was an unwilling participant?

It places a very large amount of legal cuplability on Trump. This would be subornation of perjury, which was part of the articles of impeachment for both Clinton and (tentatively) Nixon. It is a felony.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1622

Whoever procures another to commit any perjury is guilty of subornation of perjury, and shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

 

[interchange]

So....is this alone grounds for impeachment?

If I compare to Clinton who was impeached for perjury/obstruction, then absolutely what Trump has done here is worse. One lied during a deposition in his second term (no chance of reelection) attempting to protect a personal indiscretion not otherwise under investigation or linked to another investigation and having no direct national security implication. The other directed a lie during public testimony to Congress where there were many ongoing active investigations into an extremely serious national security matter. Cohen's false testimony was critical to the house intelligence committee findings.

 

[LTC8K6]

It will be big if Cohen has some evidence that Trump gave him such instructions.

Frankly, it seems unlikely that Trump would specifically give such an illegal instruction.

Cohen could have recorded Trump, though.

I doubt it would have been sent in an email.

But I guess we will see.

I think it's more likely that Cohen did this on his own, under the general idea that he was working for Trump and was protecting Trump.

 

[ch33zw1z]

It will be big if Cohen has some evidence that Trump gave him such instructions.

Frankly, it seems unlikely that Trump would specifically give such an illegal instruction.

Cohen could have recorded Trump, though.

I doubt it would have been sent in an email.

But I guess we will see.

I think it's more likely that Cohen did this on his own, under the general idea that he was working for Trump and was protecting Trump.

Oh? You thinks that's unlikely? Lol....

 

[LTC8K6]

Oh? You thinks that's unlikely? Lol....

Yes, Trump would know not to openly and specifically suborn perjury. He would know not to leave traces and to word things vaguely.
He has a lot of experience with trials and lawyers and contracts, etc.

If Cohen has evidence of this, it's probably because he was secretly recording Trump.
On the other hand, such a recording would Shirley have been leaked by now.
Then again, Mueller likely has any such evidence since the raids of Cohen's offices.

I think if Cohen had such evidence, Mueller got it back when those raids were conducted.