President Trump asked then-acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker late last year to put the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, a Trump ally, in charge of the investigation into Michael Cohen, after the attorney had already recused himself from the probe, according to a new report.
Whitaker, also a Trump loyalist, told the president he could not put Geoffrey Berman in charge of the investigation into the hush money payments his longtime attorney made to women alleging they had sex with Trump, citing the recusal, the New York Times reported Tuesday.
Berman, who had been appointed by Trump, recused himself because of a conflict of interest. He donated money Trump’s 2016 campaign and has ties to Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.
There’s no evidence Whitaker tried to directly interfere in the New York investigation after Trump made the request, beyond telling some Justice Department associates that the prosecutors in the case needed “adult supervision,” the Times report said.
Trump denied asking Whitaker about the recusal, telling reports at the White House, “No, I don’t know who gave you that.”
Whitaker testified earlier this month to lawmakers that Trump had not pressured him over any investigations.
Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec defended Whitaker’s testimony.
“Under oath to the House Judiciary Committee, then Acting Attorney General Whitaker stated that ‘at no time has the White House asked for nor have I provided any promises or commitments concerning the special counsel’s investigation or any other investigation,’” she said. “Mr. Whitaker stands by his testimony.”
Trump on Tuesday dismissed the whole line of questioning, telling reporters, “That’s more fake news. There is a lot of fake news out there.”
