Trump Accuses Former Lawyer of Lying to Reduce Prison Sentence

As a report from BuzzFeed claims that Donald Trump instructed his former lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about his ties to Russia, Trump tweeted on Friday that Cohen is 'lying' to reduce his prison sentence. Trump did not reference the BuzzFeed report in his tweet. Trump's tweet stated: 'Kevin Corke from Fox News wrote: 'Don't forget that Michael Cohen has been convicted in court for lying and fraud, and just this week the Wall Street Journal raised the issue that he may have stolen tens of thousands of dollars.' Lying to reduce his prison sentence.' The BuzzFeed news website reported on Thursday, citing two law enforcement and judicial officials involved in the investigations, that Donald Trump and Michael Cohen continued to plan the construction of Trump Tower in Russia during the 2016 election campaign. However, after Trump won the presidential election, he personally instructed his lawyer to lie in testimony to Congress about these plans. The two unnamed officials told BuzzFeed that the investigations were not based on Cohen's confessions but rather on documents, messages, and emails exchanged that led investigators to this issue, after which Cohen was interrogated. Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, was sentenced to three years in prison for lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws, with his prison term set to begin in March. A White House spokesperson strongly attacked the report and Cohen in an interview with Fox News, refusing to directly answer whether Trump instructed Cohen to lie, calling the hypothesis 'ridiculous.' Cohen's lawyer and advisor also preferred not to comment on the report. Reuters adds that Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, tweeted on Thursday night after the report's release: 'The allegation against the President of the United States regarding coercing individuals to lie before this committee to obstruct investigations and cover up his business activities in Russia is one of the most serious allegations ever made. We will take all necessary actions to determine the truth of this claim.' Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, also stated on Twitter that his committee would investigate as well. He added: 'We know that the President has tried in various ways to obstruct investigations. Coercing employees and individuals under his authority to give false testimony to Congress is a federal crime.' The report published by BuzzFeed also raises the possibility of obstruction of investigations and conspiracy. Reuters notes that although the U.S. Department of Justice has previously stated that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted while in office, if the recent report is confirmed, it may fuel discussions about impeachment in Congress. Donald Trump has previously stated that he never asked Cohen to break the law. Last month, a prosecutor on Robert Mueller's investigative team, the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's role in the U.S. elections and the potential collusion of Trump's campaign with Moscow, stated that Cohen's cooperation in this case has been very valuable. In recent months, Trump has called for heavy punishment for his former lawyer, labeling him a professional liar.