U.S. special counsel disputes report Trump told lawyer to lie

[rooster59]

U.S. special counsel disputes report Trump told lawyer to lie

By Karen Freifeld and David Morgan

 

FILE PHOTO: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump listens as his personal attorney Michael Cohen delivers remarks on his behalf during a campaign stop at the New Spirit Revival Center church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, U.S. September 21, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office on Friday disputed a report in BuzzFeed News that President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen said Trump directed him to lie to Congress.

 

BuzzFeed, citing two unnamed law enforcement sources, said Cohen, who is going to prison for lying to Congress, told investigators working for Mueller that Trump had directed him to lie about efforts to build a skyscraper in Moscow while he was running for president.

 

"BuzzFeed’s description of specific statements to the Special Counsel’s Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen’s Congressional testimony are not accurate," Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller's office, said in a rare statement from the special counsel.

 

While Mueller’s spokesman stopped short of declaring the article false in its entirety, he disputed portions of the story that appear to go to the heart of the allegations made against Trump.

 

It was the first time Mueller has commented about a news article concerning his probe of Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

 

BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith said in a statement: "We stand by the reporting and the sources who informed it, and we urge the Special Counsel to make clear what he's disputing."

 

After the BuzzFeed report was published on Thursday night, investigators in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives said they plan to examine the allegations in the report.

 

Leading Democrats in the House said they would seek to verify the story, saying that if true it would be evidence of criminal activity by the president.

 

Earlier on Friday, the White House said the story was false. "Look, that's absolutely ridiculous," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters.

 

David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor, said it was "exceedingly rare" for Mueller to comment on a news report, highlighting the significance of the allegations made in the BuzzFeed article and the attention it was getting in the media and among lawmakers.

 

"They are making a public comment to tell everyone to calm down," Weinstein said. "He doesn’t want people to think his silence is confirming the truthfulness of the report."

 

BuzzFeed said Mueller's office learned of Trump's instructions to Cohen through internal Trump Organization emails, witness interviews, text messages and other documents, and that Cohen told prosecutors about the directive in an interview.

 

Trump said on Twitter that Cohen was lying in order to get less prison time. Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said in a statement that any suggestion that Trump told Cohen to lie is "categorically false."

 

Representatives for the Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment on the BuzzFeed report.

 

Cohen, who once said he was so loyal to Trump that he would "take a bullet" for him, is scheduled to begin a three-year prison sentence in March after pleading guilty to charges including campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress.

 

If Trump did tell Cohen to lie, that would constitute criminal activity, said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat, who said he would look into the matter.

 

"Directing a subordinate to lie to Congress is a federal crime," Nadler said on Twitter.

 

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said the allegation that Trump may have directed Cohen to lie under oath "is among the most serious to date."

 

"We will do what's necessary to find out if it's true," Schiff, also a Democrat, said on Twitter.

 

Some Senate Intelligence Committee investigators hope to ask Cohen about the BuzzFeed report when he testifies behind closed doors in February, a committee source told Reuters.

 

He also will face questions about it in testimony before the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 7.

 

"SEISMIC EVENT"

 

Legal experts say the allegation exposed Trump to a new level of risk in an investigation that has already resulted in convictions of or guilty pleas from four former campaign aides, including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

 

"It's a seismic event," Andy Wright, an associate White House counsel under former Democratic President Barack Obama, told Reuters.

 

Cohen, his left arm in a sling, did not comment as he entered his apartment building in New York on Friday. His adviser, Lanny Davis, also declined to comment to Reuters, and his lawyer, Guy Petrillo, did not respond to a request for comment.

 

Trump denounced Cohen as a "rat" after he began cooperating with investigators while Cohen, whose duties included making payoffs to two women who said they had affairs with Trump, said on Thursday he regretted giving "my blind loyalty to a man who doesn't deserve it."

 

Directing or encouraging someone to lie under oath is a crime known as subornation of perjury. The report also raises questions about obstruction of justice and conspiracy.

 

William Barr, Trump's nominee to be attorney general, said at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday that a president would be committing obstruction if he directed a subordinate to lie under oath. A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment.

 

While the Justice Department has previously concluded that a sitting president cannot be charged while in office, such an allegation, if found true, could fuel impeachment proceedings in Congress.

 

Trump repeatedly has denied collusion with Russia and slammed Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt." Russia also has rejected U.S. intelligence findings that Moscow interfered in U.S. politics in the 2016 election in an effort to boost Trump.

 

Trump said during the presidential campaign that he had no ties or business dealings with Russia.

 

Democrats, who took over the U.S. House of Representatives this month, have generally been cautious regarding any talk of impeachment to remove Trump from office although some rank-and-file members have pushed for such a resolution.

 

Impeachment proceedings would face an uphill battle in the Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans have a majority.

 

BuzzFeed also reported that Cohen regularly updated Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. and his daughter Ivanka Trump, who is now a top White House adviser, about the Moscow project.

 

A spokesman for Abbe Lowell, a lawyer for Ivanka Trump, said she was minimally involved in the development. Trump Jr., who has also testified previously before Congress, in a Twitter post called the BuzzFeed report "fake news."

 

REUTERS: 2019-01-19

[Nyezhov]

This whole episode again illustrates the Media Bias involved in this entire so called investigation. 

[bristolboy]

I should have known that if it's too good to be true, it probably isn't.

[Chomper Higgot]

Seems a bit of an ambiguous statement from the SC.

 

’Not accurate’ is not a categorical refuting of the report.

 

The speedometer in my car is not entirely accurate but if it says I’m doing 100kms per hour I’m definitely not parked up.

[Chomper Higgot]

20 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

I should have known that if it's too good to be true, it probably isn't.

That cuts both ways.

[Tug]

Donald telling someone to lie on his behalf absolutely I’m sure it’s part of the job description probably part of the loyalty oath lol

[bendejo]

30 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

are not accurate

 

Can be anything, like getting a date wrong, misspelling a name, etc.  Terms like disproven and false do not appear. 

Funny how Team Mueller broke silence for releasing something so vague.  Maybe he's concerned they're going to steal his thunder. 

 

 

[NanLaew]

46 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

This whole episode again illustrates the Media Bias involved in this entire so called investigation. 

It also shows that the Special Counsel's investigation won't allow itself to be portrayed as the source of disinformation regardless of who is misrepresenting facts or telling lies. This unusual break from their tight-lipped, no comment approach may suggest that the Mueller's office perceived letting this one go as too much of a risk?

 

Anyway, there's no need to worry as Huckasanders has already waved the 'absolutely ridiculous' flag, Rudy G has raised the 'categorically false' banner so all that remains is DJT to stand beside yet another noisy Marine 1 and float the 'big fat hoax' balloon.

 

Tass has just reported that Putin says Trump told him he didn't do it so it's all OK.

Edited January 19, 2019 by NanLaew

[Chippy151]

Mueller showing some integrity. Good for him.

I am pretty sure Trump tells everyone that works for him to lie on his behalf.

Can Mueller prove it?

That's the question.

[Kelsall]

Mueller exonerated Trump with regard to the Cohen story. 

 

This is just a precursor to Mueller exonerating Trump completely.

 

 

[Credo]

Buzzfeed is sticking by the story.   The Editor, Ben Smith, said this on Twitter:

 

"We stand by our reporting and the sources who informed it, and we urge the Special Counsel to make clear what he's disputing."

 

 

 

[keemapoot]

38 minutes ago, Tug said:

Donald telling someone to lie on his behalf absolutely I’m sure it’s part of the job description probably part of the loyalty oath lol

From everything we know about Trump's past bullying and nefarious sleazy pattern behavior, it's kind of like what a good friend of mine who was a noted criminal prosecutor told me about most of the people hauled in and charged with crimes: "He may not be guilty of this particular crime this time, but he is guilty of some similar crime at some time."

 

Before everyone starts screaming about due process, she told me this somewhat tongue in cheek, but also sighed and said it was largely true.

[Chomper Higgot]

22 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

Mueller exonerated Trump with regard to the Cohen story. 

 

This is just a precursor to Mueller exonerating Trump completely.

 

 

More deluded nonsense.

 

There is nothing in the statement from the Office of the SC that even suggests Mueller has exonerated anyone.

 

 

[Thakkar]

22 minutes ago, Credo said:

Buzzfeed is sticking by the story.   The Editor, Ben Smith, said this on Twitter:

 

"We stand by our reporting and the sources who informed it, and we urge the Special Counsel to make clear what he's disputing."

 

He just went on Maddaw to emphatically stand by the story. They could still be wrong, but their confidence level is very high. Chances are the story is accurate in its essential parts.

[farcanell]

So... buzzfeed yesterday was incorrect, and mueller stopped the story... so by extension, all the other stories about trump, which mueller has not stopped, must therefore be true.... right? ????

[neeray]

But "no collusion" !

 

 

[keemapoot]

Trump is getting so hammered in the polls and by Dems now, that he just announced a big announcement he is going to make today, that is expected he will announce a national emergency. 

 

No surprise, change the conversation away from this story.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/donald-trump-tweets-major-border-000255959.html

[jcsmith]

The special counsel disputed parts of the categorizations of the article. It hasn't clarified what though. Buzzfeed still stands by it.

[pedro01]

10 minutes ago, Thakkar said:

 

He just went on Maddaw to emphatically stand by the story. They could still be wrong, but their confidence level is very high. Chances are the story is accurate in its essential parts.

 

Dude, it's fake news. 

 

Get over it.

 

I know you want it to be true - but when the guy investigating Trump comes out & say's it's nonsense - it's obviously not bull-shinola.

[bristolboy]

2 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

 

Dude, it's fake news. 

 

Get over it.

 

I know you want it to be true - but when the guy investigating Trump comes out & say's it's nonsense - it's obviously not bull-shinola.

Which is odd in light of repeated right-wing claims that Mueller is heading a team of left-wing extremists out to destroy Trump.

[pedro01]

And for some REAL news.

 

Janine Gibsom - Editor at Buzzfeed, quit yesterday... https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/buzzfeed-uk-editor-in-chief-janine-gibson-leaving-news-website-after-three-years-at-helm/

[bristolboy]

1 minute ago, pedro01 said:

And for some REAL news.

 

Janine Gibsom - Editor at Buzzfeed, quit yesterday... https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/buzzfeed-uk-editor-in-chief-janine-gibson-leaving-news-website-after-three-years-at-helm/

Not just real, but entirely irrelevant, too.

[riclag]

Mueller exonerated Trump with regard to the Cohen story. 
 
This is just a precursor to Mueller exonerating Trump completely.
 
 

I’m not trusting BF or the Mueller/NYSD for anything Trump. BFeed started this unverified Steele Dossier.Mueller-Rosenstein news conference announcing 12 Indicted(accusations )of Russians sowing discord while PT is in the air flying over to HELSINKI was a orchestrated stunt to embarrass the POTUS.Finally the Buenos Aris Summit was another attempt by the
NY Southern district to embarrass the POTUS by bringing Cohen ,a known liar to reverse his testimony in court about his Congressional misdeeds

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, riclag said:

I’m not trusting BF or the Mueller/NYSD for anything Trump. BFeed started this unverified Steele Dossier.Mueller-Rosenstein news conference announcing 12 Indicted(accusations )of Russians sowing discord while PT is in the air flying over to HELSINKI was a orchestrated stunt to embarrass the POTUS.Finally the Buenos Aris Summit was another attempt by the
NY Southern district to embarrass the POTUS by bringing Cohen ,a known liar to reverse his testimony in court about his Congressional misdeeds

The list of claims within the Steele Dossier that have since been verified as correct keep stacking up.

 

Keep your denial glasses on, the truth will (the best efforts of Individual-1) out!

[stevenl]

11 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

 

Dude, it's fake news. 

 

Get over it.

 

I know you want it to be true - but when the guy investigating Trump comes out & say's it's nonsense - it's obviously not bull-shinola.

Wich is not what the special counsel said.

[keemapoot]

[ballpoint]

Trump supporters on Mueller:

 

Previously:

"It's a witch hunt! It's political! The outcome will be rigged! I don't trust this at all! I refuse to believe anything that comes out of it!  But, but, but the Democrats paid for it/ordered it/are manipulating it!"

 

After Mueller disputes some aspects of report:

"What a great guy! Totally believable! This exonerates Trump of every thing he's accused of! I'd trust this guy with my life!"

Edited January 19, 2019 by ballpoint

[stevenl]

5 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

Trump supporters on Mueller:

 

Previously:

"It's a witch hunt! It's political! The outcome will be rigged! I don't trust this at all! I refuse to believe anything that comes out of it!  But, but, but the Democrats paid for it/ordered it/are manipulating it!"

 

After Mueller disputes some aspects of report:

"What a great guy! Totally believable! This exonerates Trump of every thing he's accused of! I'd trust this guy with my life!"

"After Mueller disputes some aspects of report:"

All the special counsel has said is that a news report over a witness statement is not completely accurate. Nothing about the report yet.

[Becker]

1 hour ago, dcutman said:

So funny to watch the liberal (so called) news media back peddling and dancing around, after screaming impeachment all day.

Fake news jerk offs!

More funny the Thai visa Trump haters are hanging on.

So funny to watch someone parroting the man-child's inane blather. 

Edited January 19, 2019 by Becker

[attrayant]

1 hour ago, dcutman said:

So funny to watch the liberal (so called) news media back peddling and dancing around, after screaming impeachment all day.

 

What backpedaling?  Buzzfeed is sticking by their story.