A bombshell report broke late on Thursday night that Donald Trump directed former lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about the Moscow Trump Tower project.
Buzzfeed News reported: ‘Trump directed his longtime attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, according to two federal law enforcement officials involved in an investigation of the matter. Trump also supported a plan, set up by Cohen, to visit Russia during the presidential campaign, in order to personally meet President Vladimir Putin and jump-start the tower negotiations. “Make it happen,” the sources said Trump told Cohen.’ And even as Trump told the public he had no business deals with Russia, the sources said Trump and his children Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. received regular, detailed updates about the real estate development from Cohen, whom they put in charge of the project.’
Trump also reportedly directed Cohen to lie after the election about when negotiations over the real estate project ended in order to cover his involvement.
House Intelligence Committee Chair Rep Adam Schiff (D-CA) said he will “do what is necessary” to confirm the report, the AP reported.
Former Attorney General Eric Holder tweeted following the news that, if true, impeachment proceedings should begin immediately: ‘If true – and proof must be examined – Congress must begin impeachment proceedings and Barr must refer, at a minimum, the relevant portions of material discovered by Mueller. This is a potential inflection point.’
Rudy Giuliani responded to the report via Twitter late Thursday night, tweeting: ‘Just in, Rudy Giuliani’s response to Buzzfeed story: “If you believe Cohen I can get you a great deal on the Brooklyn Bridge.”
UPDATE: Trump’s first reaction to the report:
