JORDAN AND MEADOWS ASK CUMMINGS TO ADD DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL ROSENSTEIN TO COHEN HEARING
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC) sent a letter to Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) requesting that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein publicly testify before the Committee alongside Michael Cohen at Wednesday’s scheduled hearing. Cummings has refused to request Justice Department documents elaborating on Cohen’s criminal conduct. As the Deputy Attorney General, Rosenstein can speak to Cohen’s criminal conduct across Justice Department components.
Excerpts from the letter:
“In Cohen’s sentencing proceeding, two Justice Department components-the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Special Counsel’s Office-provided information about the Department’s views of Cohen’s crimes and conduct. As the Deputy Attorney General, with direct supervision of these entities, only Rosenstein can speak to the views of both Department components.”
“If you intend to proceed with Michael Cohen as the star witness of the Committee’s first big hearing, Members should have an opportunity to assess his credibility. We have asked several times that you request information and documents from the Justice Department about Cohen and his crimes. You have refused to do so. The next best alternative, if the Committee is to have a fair and thorough hearing, is to have a Justice Department witness to speak to these matters.”
Full text of the letter can be viewed here.