In letters sent to lawyers representing President Trump’s family, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., revealed he is investigating if those attorneys were involved in the false statements made by former attorney Michael Cohen about the Trump Tower Moscow project.
“Among other things, it appears that your clients may have reviewed, shaped and edited the false statement that Cohen submitted to the committee, including causing the omission of material facts,” the New York Times reported. The letters were sent in March asking for documents.
“In addition, certain of your clients may have engaged in discussions about potential pardons in an effort to deter one or more witnesses from cooperating with authorized investigations,” he said.
The attorneys had rejected the request, citing attorney-client privilege, with Schiff saying he is prepared to issue subpoenas.
“Material in the Committee’s possession, as well as Michael Cohen’s Committee testimony and admissions to the Special Counsel’s Office, raise serious, unresolved concerns about the obstruction of our Committee’s investigation that we would be negligent not to pursue,” Schiff said in a statement to CNN.
“If any individual is allowed to lie to our committee or encourage others to do so, hide behind inapplicable privileges, or otherwise fail to provide anything less than full cooperation, other witnesses will be emboldened to similarly obstruct, both now and in the future,” he said.
Cohen went to federal prison in Otisville, N.Y., in early May to start his three-year sentence for bank fraud, lying to Congress, and illegal campaign contributions.
