Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s lawyer, entered a private room on Capitol Hill. Cohen has been associated with Donald Trump for several years, and currently represents him in the ongoing Russian hack scandal. Robert Mueller, the chief investigator on the House Intelligence Committee summoned him to Capitol Hill. According to NBC News, Trump's lawyer was there to answer questions about Russia's meddling in the 2016 election.
Trump's insiders prepping witnesses?
Uncharacteristically, Donald Trump's lawyer was quiet while proceeding to the closed hearing with the House Intelligence Committee.
Earlier, the lawyer gave a lengthy and defiant statement to the press about the congressional probes. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr and Vice Chairman Mark Warner were visibly upset because Cohen issued a statement even before the interview. So, they decided to cancel the meeting and rescheduled it for another day.
Some Democrats on the panel have spoken out against special treatment of GOP campaign aides. They have accused their Republican colleagues of counseling witnesses about the questions they do not have to answer.
Trump's lawyer denies knowledge of meddling
The Los Angeles Times revealed that in 2015 and 2016 there were confidential negotiations about building a Trump Tower in Moscow.
But, while the Trump Organization considered the proposal, they did not go through with the offer presented by the Russians.
The investigative panel asked Cohen about Russia's meddling, where he denied colluding with Russian government officials “to hack anyone or any organization” or “hack and interfere with the election.”
According to Cohen, it was even hard to think then-Republican candidate Donald Trump would involve the Russians in the US election process.
That was quite a forceful defense of President Trump, especially from someone considered to be Trump's confidant for years.
President Trump, of course, has been in the eye of the storm over allegations that he colluded with Russian hackers, who swayed the election in his favor. Meanwhile, the US President claimed that Mueller's investigation is a witch hunt concocted by the Democrats.
The US President has always declared that the probe is a concerted effort to undermine his presidency. Meanwhile, with the controversy, the Trump administration has shied away from any deals involving Russia.