*(Via CBS News) – House Freedom Caucus chair Rep. Mark Meadows attempted to postpone the hearing saying it was an “intentional effort” by Michael Cohen to “show his disdain” for the congressional body by not providing his testimony more than 24 hours in advance.
“The American people have a right to hear him so we’re going to proceed, the American people can judge his credibility for themselves,” House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings said after a roll call is held to resume the hearing.
Earlier, Cohen’s attorney Michael Monico told CBS News that his client is “feeling good” this morning ahead of his congressional testimony. Monico added that the hearing is “stressful, but he’ll do good.”
Asked what Cohen thinks about this hearing coinciding with the Trump-Kim summit: “It’s ironic isn’t it? He find that ironic. He is going to talk about that,” a nod to Cohen’s prepared remarks talking about Trump’s history with the Vietnam War. Reporting by Bo Erickson
Previous report:
When President Trump’s former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen appears before Congress Wednesday, he plans to offer explosive testimony. He is expected to say Mr. Trump knew his ally Roger Stone was talking with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange about publishing hacked Democratic National Committee emails.
Cohen is also expected to say of his former boss, “He is a racist. He is a conman. He is a cheat.”
Cohen may not be talking about the special counsel’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign, but he will have much to say to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, according to his prepared remarks provided to CBS News by a congressional source.
The testimony will be public, not behind closed doors like his two other appearance before congressional panels this week.
The president took time Wednesday to weigh in on Cohen from Vietnam, where he was to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un:
Michael Cohen was one of many lawyers who represented me (unfortunately). He had other clients also. He was just disbarred by the State Supreme Court for lying & fraud. He did bad things unrelated to Trump. He is lying in order to reduce his prison time. Using Crooked’s lawyer!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 27, 2019
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