House Oversight Jumps On Postponed Prison Date, Calls In Cohen For Next Week

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, is taking advantage of Michael Cohen’s postponed prison date and will haul him in for questioning next Wednesday.

“I am pleased to announce that Michael Cohen’s public testimony before the Oversight Committee is back on, despite efforts by some to intimidate his family members and prevent him from appearing,” Cummings wrote in a letter. “Congress has an obligation under the Constitution to conduct independent and robust oversight of the Executive Branch, and this hearing is one step in that process.”

The hearing was initially postponed because of President Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani making “threats against [Cohen’s] family.”

The letter includes a summary of issues the committee will ask Cohen about, including Trump’s payments to affect the 2016 election, Trump’s business practices and his compliance with financial disclosure laws.

Washington, D.C. (Feb. 20, 2019)—Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, announced that the Committee has rescheduled its public hearing with President Donald Trump’s longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen, for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, February 27, 2019, in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building: “I am pleased to announce that Michael Cohen’s public testimony before the Oversight Committee is back on, despite efforts by some to intimidate his family members and prevent him from appearing.  Congress has an obligation under the Constitution to conduct independent and robust oversight of the Executive Branch, and this hearing is one step in that process.” In making today’s announcement, Cummings also released an official briefing memo outlining the scope of the hearing.  The memo explains that after consulting with the Department of Justice and with Chairman Adam Schiff of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Cummings set the scope for the hearing to address the President’s payoffs, financial disclosures, compliance with campaign finance laws, business practices, and other matters. The next day, on February 28, Cohen will appear in closed session before the Intelligence Committee.  The scope of the Oversight Committee’s open public hearing will not include questions relating to the Intelligence Committee’s investigation of efforts by Russia to influence the 2016 election and other matters.

Cohen will also give private testimony to the House Intelligence Committee.