Last updated on July 31st, 2018 at 04:53 pm
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) delivered the message to Michael Cohen that now is the time to cooperate with Robert Mueller.
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Rep. Swalwell said on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House:
We were as thorough as you could be on the democratic side without having subpoena power and without having Republicans across the table from us on these interviews who showed the same interest. And so, you know, we asked all of the questions that the public would expect us to ask, but the problem was that you know, Donald Trump, Jr., when asked about the Trump Tower meeting and conversations with his father, he refused to answer any of them. And when we asked chairman Conaway way who was presiding on the Republican side to subpoena Donald Trump, Jr., and force him to answer, they never forced him to do that. They were able to essentially answer the questions they wanted to answer and just walk away from the ones that got too close. But, you know, frankly, Nicolle, when I hear Michael Cohen through these sources say that Donald Trump knew about the meeting, that’s like telling us that the sun sets in the west.
We always knew that Donald Trump knew about the meeting because all of the evidence suggested that. He was very close with the family that had asked Donald Trump, Jr., to set up the meeting. He was one floor above where the meeting took place. Donald Trump, Jr., and his father talked about Donald Trump, jr.’s work on behalf of the campaign throughout the pendency of the campaign. And of course, there were the actions Donald Trump took after the meeting was exposed in his efforts to try and cover up the meeting by trying to dictate the statement that Donald Trump, Jr., gave to the press. It’s not really a surprise, but now is the time for Michael Cohen to cooperate with Bob Mueller. And if this was a real investigation on the house side, we would be bringing Michael Cohen and Donald Trump, Jr., back in. But unfortunately, the Republicans prematurely and irresponsibly ended our investigation. So this is all on Mueller now.
Tick-tock, Michael Cohen. Rep. Swalwell was correct. The longer that Trump’s former lawyer waits, the worse the consequences are going to be. There is a debate ongoing but Cohen’s motivations, but the easiest and most logical explanation is that Cohen is trying to save his own skin. Like any criminal who flips, Cohen is likely trying to send the signal that he can deliver the big fish (Trump), but time is running out, and if he wants to get the best deal possible, he needs to start talking now.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
