Cohen’s sentencing clears a path for Congress to uncover the truth
Document Type
Opinion
Publication Title
The Washington Post
Publication Date
12-12-2018
Abstract
(Excerpt)
Wednesday’s sentencing of Michael Cohen to three years in prison appears to mark the end of the Justice Department’s interest in investigating and prosecuting the president’s former lawyer and “fixer.” But Cohen’s time in the public eye is not over.
In connection with his guilty pleas, Cohen provided some information to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York about his tax evasion and campaign finance crimes. He also gave information to the office of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III — somewhat more expansively and usefully — about his lies to Congress, President Trump, his possible crimes, Trump business activities, contacts with Russians during the Trump presidential campaign, and other topics.
What Cohen told those Justice Department offices is known, fully, only to them. But Congress, and especially the incoming Democratic House majority, can seek and obtain that information from Cohen.
And now that the criminal justice system is done with him, Congress can gather that information — plus the testimony of others whom Justice is done with — without impairing criminal law enforcement.
Comments
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