He is a racist. He is a conman. He is a cheat
President Trump’s “ex-fixer” Michael Cohen has no reason to sing Trump’s praises.
Trump frequently calls him a “rat.”
So, when Cohen appeared before the House Oversight Committee for eight hours last Wednesday, he fired a barrage of carefully worded attacks aimed directly at the ego of his former boss.
“The last time I appeared before Congress, I came to protect Mr. Trump. Today, I’m here to tell the truth about Mr. Trump,” Cohen told the committee.
By the time he reached the end of that statement, everybody in that hearing room knew exactly how he feels about the man he once bragged that he’d take a bullet for.
“I am ashamed because I knew what Mr. Trump is. He is a racist. He is a conman. He is a cheat,” Cohen said in his slow, deliberate cadence.
He accused Trump of a variety of personal and political sins, that would humble the average person.
Fortunately for Trump, he has lots of sycophantic Republicans who exhibit blindness – regardless of him being a racist, a conman and a cheater.
Those Republicans took turns accusing Cohen of being a liar, felon and future federal prisoner — while Cohen, himself, admitted to all of that, while mostly maintaining his calm.
They have some nerve.
Cohen’s composure, to me, went a long way toward giving him the advantage over those Republicans who flailed away at somebody who was openly showing his contrition.
I wish I had a dollar for the number of times a Republican on that committee called Cohen a liar.
The man they were trying to defend (Trump) has told more than 8,000 falsehoods since he’s taken office. Republicans ignored those but predictably honed-in on Cohen’s.
“Liar, liar, pants on fire. No one should ever listen to you, and give you credibility,” said Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ).
But Cohen had eventually tired of admitting that he’s a liar and that he is heading to federal prison for being one.
“I find it interesting… that between you and your colleagues, not one question has been asked about President Trump,” he shot back.
If Republicans really had anything resembling an interest in the pursuit for truth, they might have stopped and realized that Michael Cohen might be a liar, but he told truth with that statement.
They didn’t seem to care.
It soon became apparent that Cohen was under siege, but he wasn’t taking their bait.
Instead, he laid out numerous times he became aware of Trump’s malfeasance, including check copies that point to his attempts to hide his illicit affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Yet, buried below the committee’s bluster, was the tidbit that there are even more investigations being conducted of which the public may not have been aware.
Cohen was asked the last time he had any contact with Trump.
Cohen said that since the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York was still investigating it, he couldn’t answer that question.
And, when he was asked if he knew of any other illegal activity the president is/was engaged in, he once again answered by saying that matter is in the hands of the Southern District of New York.
Meanwhile, it was obvious the president was keenly aware of what was going on in Washington while he was in Vietnam with his “friend” Kim Jong-un.
That trip didn’t produce a thing.
The North Koreans still have nukes.
And Trump’s hopes that he and Kim could appear in a picture that matches the steaminess of that Oscar night duet of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper ended, when Trump called off their summit.
When asked if he had seen any of the committee hearing, he complained that it took place while he was in Vietnam. (Read: Cohen stole my headlines)
But then he talked about how untruthful Cohen had been. Although Trump said he did mention how truthful he was when he said there was no collusion.
Altogether now. COHEN NEVER SAID THERE WAS NO COLLUSION!
Edward A. Owens is a multi-Emmy Award winner, former reporter, and anchor for Entertainment Tonight and 20-year TV news veteran. E-mail him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net.