Miller expresses disappointment over Cohen hearing

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va., did not waste time expressing her displeasure of having President Donald Trump’s former attorney before the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform.

“Quite frankly, this isn’t the reason the people of West Virginia sent me to Congress. I find this hearing not in the best interest of the American people,” she said Wednesday. “This is another political game with the sole purpose of discrediting the president.”

Michael Cohen, who will report to prison in May for a three-year sentence, told lawmakers Trump reimbursed him for a payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels, knew of the 2016 WikiLeaks dump damaging Hillary Clinton and told Cohen to lie about a business deal involving Russia.

“It is painful to admit that I was motivated by ambition at times. It is even more painful to admit that many times I ignored my conscience and acted loyal to a man when I should not have,” Cohen said in his testimony. “Sitting here today, it seems unbelievable that I was so mesmerized by Donald Trump that I was willing to do things for him that I knew were absolutely wrong.”

Cohen, who served as Trump’s personal lawyer between 2006 to May 2018, presented evidence such as a copy of a check signed by Trump regarding the Daniels payment dated March 17, 2017, and letters threatening educational institutions with legal action if they publicly released Trump’s grades or test scores. He also described Trump as a “racist,” “conman” and “cheat.”

Miller, who is in her first term in the House, said Democratic committee members are more interested in impeaching Trump than addressing issues impacting the country.

“To achieve this goal, they will waste not only precious taxpayer dollars, but also time in this committee and Congress as a whole,” she said. “In fact, they will go so far as to bring a convicted felon in front of our committee. We are supposed to take what you say, Mr. Cohen, at this time about President Trump as the truth, but you’re about to go to prison for lying? How can we believe anything you say? The answer is we can’t.”

U.S. Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va.

Miller added Cohen’s actions were influenced by “personal greed and ambition.”

The legislator pressed Cohen on his $750,000 deal on a book covering his time with the president, which was canceled after federal investigators began looking into Cohen.

“I did turn it down,” Cohen added.

Miller asked Cohen if he planned to write another book, to which Cohen said he would.

“I would presume this book would be a little different than your latest pitch, but your new angle might please some new fans. Anything to sell books,” she said.

“What a waste of time and money for a man who has gladly exploited the name of the president to promote his own name and fill his own pockets,” Miller added. “It pains me that we are adding another chapter to his book.”

Republican committee members spent much of the hearing asking questions denouncing Cohen and defending the president, who is in Vietnam for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“Michael Cohen is a felon, a disbarred lawyer, and a convicted perjurer, who lied to both Congress and the Special Counsel in a ‘deliberate and premeditated’ fashion according to the Special Counsel’s Office. Now he offers what he says is evidence, but the only support for that is his own testimony, which has proven before to be worthless,” said Kayleigh McEnany, national press secretary for the Trump presidential campaign.

Trump tweeted Cohen is lying to reduce his prison sentence.

Cohen testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday behind closed doors and will speak to the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday.





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