Representative Mark Green (R., Tenn.) labeled President Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen a “fake witness” during Cohen’s appearance before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday and suggested there was no value to hearing the testimony of a proven liar.
“Ladies and gentlemen, how on earth is this witness credible?” Green asked. “With all the lies and deception, the self-serving fraud. It begs the question: What is the majority party doing here? No one can see this guy as credible. He will say whatever he wants to accomplish his own personal goals. He’s a fake witness. His presence here is a travesty.”
Green criticized Representative Elijah Cummings (D., Md.), the chairman of the Oversight Committee, for restricting the topics that lawmakers are permitted to question Cohen about, listing each approved topic and arguing in detail that Cohen’s testimony on those matters lacked credibility.
“Mr. Chairman the first topic in your limited scope that I can ask Mr. Cohen is about the president’s debts. But Mr. Chairman, didn’t Mr. Cohen plead guilty to lying to banks about his personal finances? So we’re asking a guy going to jail for lying about his debts to comment about the president’s debts. He’s the expert,” Green said.
Cohen pled guilty to bank-fraud charges in August after admitting he lied to a number of financial institutions regarding his outstanding debt in order to secure personal loans. He was sentenced to serve three years in prison in December on those charges as well as the additional charge of lying to Congress, which he pled guilty to in November.
Republican lawmakers sought to discredit Cohen throughout his Wednesday testimony, frequently challenging him to explain how the financial crimes he committed to protect his personal assets benefited President Trump, refuting Cohen’s defense that he acted immorally “out of blind loyalty” to the president.