Sources say Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress

[ThatRobGuy]

Donald Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about Moscow project, Buzzfeed's sources say - CNNPolitics

(CNN)President Donald Trump personally directed his longtime former attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about the Moscow Trump Tower project, two federal law enforcement officials involved in an investigation of the matter told BuzzFeed.

The law enforcement officials told BuzzFeed that Trump directed Cohen to claim negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow ended months earlier than they actually did. The law enforcement sources told BuzzFeed that Cohen confirmed to special counsel Robert Mueller's team that Trump issued the order to lie to Congress.
CNN has not corroborated the BuzzFeed report.
Mueller's office learned Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress through interviews with multiple witnesses from the Trump Organization, internal company emails, text messages and other documents, Buzzfeed reports.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

additional link here:
Trump reportedly directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about Moscow project – live

 

[dgiharris]

I absolutely believe that Trump did direct Cohen to lie...

even with that being said, he is the President, if he denies it, and there is no video recording or proof, then we have to side with the President

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I absolutely believe that Trump did direct Cohen to lie...

even with that being said, he is the President, if he denies it, and there is no video recording or proof, then we have to side with the President

Sounds like there may be something a little more concrete than just Cohen's word...
"the special counsel's office learned about Trump's directive for Cohen to lie to Congress through interviews with multiple witnesses from the Trump Organization and internal company emails, text messages, and a cache of other documents."

Multiple witnesses + email/text/documents is a pretty powerful stack of evidence if what the BuzzFeed story is reporting is accurate.

Of course, I wouldn't expect any of this to change the minds & hearts of his die-hard supporters, who would undoubtedly write off any and all evidence as fabricated or the result of audio & video editing. I don't think there's an upper limit on what his fans are willing to believe is "the result of a highly sophisticated deep state plot against him".

 

[super animator]

Of course, I wouldn't expect any of this to change the minds & hearts of his die-hard supporters, who would undoubtedly write off any and all evidence as fabricated or the result of audio & video editing. I don't think there's an upper limit on what his fans are willing to believe is "the result of a highly sophisticated deep state plot against him".

The upper limit is just as much as the conspiracy theorist, which is none.

 

[Paulos23]

There is plenty that this President has done that would have gotten past presidents kicked out of office, but Congress lacked the political will. This may be the first misstep that will wake up Congress.

 

[LiberalChristian1980]

I absolutely believe that Trump did direct Cohen to lie...

even with that being said, he is the President, if he denies it, and there is no video recording or proof, then we have to side with the President

Why would you have "side with the President" if there was no concrete evidence of this, but credible testimony that it occurred?

 

[ThatRobGuy]

It would appear the BuzzFeed report was wrong...Robert Mueller's office disputed their claim.

If this was a case of a left leaning reporter trying to "stack the deck", I hope they realize they did the cause "more harm than good" as any future legitimate criticisms or reports about Trump can now be suspect because of it

 

[Ringo84]

I wouldn't go that far. Except for possibly this (there's still some question about what the SCO was denying: Ken Dilanian on Twitter) and the Cohen wiretapping story, little of what the press has reported has been incorrect.

But of course, the "president", who never misspeaks, lies or misleads, will jump on the slightest mistake to "prove" that the media is out to get him because they're.....reporting what he says.

For what it's worth, the statement can be taken in a couple of ways and Buzzfeed is continuing to stand by their reporting. I'm going to reserve judgment until more information comes out.
Ringo

 

[MyOwnSockPuppet]

BuzzFeed

As much as I think Trump is an orange skinned idiot with a dead woodchuck on his head it'd be roughly two days after my brain was removed and placed in a jar of formaldehyde before I give credence to an unsubstantiated Buzzfeed article.

They're basically Gawker-lite

 

[super animator]

It would appear the BuzzFeed report was wrong...Robert Mueller's office disputed their claim.

If this was a case of a left leaning reporter trying to "stack the deck", I hope they realize they did the cause "more harm than good" as any future legitimate criticisms or reports about Trump can now be suspect because of it

No, this is a case of "I want to believe" mentality being displayed on the left. They let their hatred of trump blind their skepticism and reasoning.
They need to stop relying on impeachment and wait until 2020 elections and vote him out of office.

 

[Ringo84]

Not exactly. As someone else pointed out, we already know that Cohen lied. He pleaded guilty to it.

The question here is less "did Buzzfeed completely make something up" than "what, exactly, did they get wrong?".
Ringo

 

[iluvatar5150]

No, this is a case of "I want to believe" mentality being displayed on the left. They let their hatred of trump blind their skepticism and reasoning.
They need to stop relying on impeachment and wait until 2020 elections and vote him out of office.

I generally try to take a wait-and-see approach on most things, but IMO there was nothing about this allegation that warranted any special level of skepticism or reasoning. Everything about it was entirely plausible. The pee pee tape story is crazy enough that it warrants extra skepticism. Trump telling a subordinate to perjur himself? I'd almost be more surprised if it weren't true.

 

[Ringo84]

Most of the content of the supposedly "fake" dossier has been proven true, so saying that Buzzfeed is a "liar" because they got something wrong about a story we already know was true is dishonest.

I'm not saying that super animator is making that particular argument. I'm speaking more generally about the types who wait for the slightest pin prick of a chink in the media's armor to scream "nake fews".
Ringo

 

[redleghunter]

It would appear the BuzzFeed report was wrong...Robert Mueller's office disputed their claim.

Then ask for the thread to be removed.

 

[redleghunter]

Most of the content of the supposedly "fake" dossier has been proven true, so saying that Buzzfeed is a "liar" because they got something wrong about a story we already know was true is dishonest.

I'm not saying that super animator is making that particular argument. I'm speaking more generally about the types who wait for the slightest pin prick of a chink in the media's armor to scream "nake fews".
Ringo

But this was a false report based on a false narrative.

 

[Ringo84]

But this was a false report based on a false narrative.

No it wasn't, because we know that Cohen lied to Congress, and that it was at the direction of someone working for Donny. He already plead guilty to that effect:
Susan Simpson on Twitter

What we don't know is exactly what's going on with this story - what the SCO found objectionable in the coverage to warrant a rare breach of silence. There's been lots of speculation, though:
Sasha Samberg-Champion on Twitter
emptywheel on Twitter

We may not learn the full story for months, if ever. But to say that Buzzfeed is generating a "false narrative" is not supported by the facts.
Ringo

 

[redleghunter]

No it wasn't, because we know that Cohen lied to Congress, and that it was at the direction of someone working for Donny. He already plead guilty to that effect:
Susan Simpson on Twitter

What we don't know is exactly what's going on with this story - what the SCO found objectionable in the coverage to warrant a rare breach of silence. There's been lots of speculation, though:
Sasha Samberg-Champion on Twitter
emptywheel on Twitter

We may not learn the full story for months, if ever. But to say that Buzzfeed is generating a "false narrative" is not supported by the facts.
Ringo

Mueller’s office categorically denied the report was false.

I can’t help the MSM is backtracking now and doing damage control.

“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.

 

[SummerMadness]

Mueller’s office categorically denied the report was false.

I can’t help the MSM is backtracking now and doing damage control.

“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.

That statement is far from a categorical denial. A categorical denial would be "this report is false." This statement is "specific statements" are not correct, which is far from a categorical denial. Time will only tell how truthful the reporting is, we'll find out what specifically is incorrect in the reporting because the statement clearly means that it is not entirely, or categorically false. I chuckle though, it shows you how desperate Trump supporters are to spike the football at any news that even has a whiff of a positive spin for the president. Enjoy the bubble this weekend, I am sure there will be a lot of backpatting talking about categorical denials and fake news from "teh liberal media!!!1"

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Then ask for the thread to be removed.

It can open up new angles of discussion...I vote 'leave it open'.