The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Murphy: Mueller should ‘show cards’ on Moscow deal
WASHINGTON — Reacting to a report that President Donald Trump directed his former lawyer, Michel Cohen, to lie to Congress about the president’s plans for a Moscow real estate project, Sen. Chris Murphy wants special counsel Robert Mueller to “show his cards to Congress before it’s too late.”
Murphy’s tweeted remark follows confirmation hearings earlier this week where William Barr, Trump’s nominee for U.S. attorney general, would not commit to making public Mueller’s final report on his probe of ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, or give Congress an unredacted copy of that report.
Under questioning by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, DConn., Barr said his “purpose is to get as much information out as I can, consistent with the regulations.” But Barr’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee prompted Democrats to say they fear a coverup. Barr also told senators that anyone who encourages another to lie to Congress is committing obstruction of justice, a federal crime.
Then on Thursday night, BuzzFeed ran a story based on anonymous government sources that said Trump personally directed Cohen to lie to Congress about the president’s push for a Moscow real estate project ahead of the 2016 election.
The BuzzFeed report said that during questioning by Mueller, Cohen said the president directed him to deceive Congress about key facts linking Trump to the proposed deal in Russia. Cohen pleaded guilty in November to lying under oath about those details.
“Any suggestion — from any source — that the president counseled Michael Cohen to lie is categorically false,” Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani said.
“Listen, if Mueller does have multiple sources confirming Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress, then we need to know this ASAP,” Murphy tweeted upon the release of the BuzzFeed story. “Mueller shouldn’t end his inquiry, but it’s about time for him to show Congress his cards before it’s too late for us to act.”
Mueller’s office on Friday issued a rare public statement disputing the accuracy of BuzzFeed News’ report.
BuzzFeed said Friday night that it stands by its reporting but is “working to determine what exactly” Mueller’s office is disputing about its story on President Donald Trump and his former lawyer Michael Cohen.
On Friday, House Democrats, who now hold the gavel in that chamber’s investigative committees, said they plan to investigate the BuzzFeed allegations.