Disbarred Michael Cohen’s Testimony Did Little to Help Bragg’s Case, Credibility Still a Problem

Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen’s opening day of testimony—much like other witnesses—appeared to do little to bolster Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against former President Donald Trump, which at least one legal expert assesses is weak.

Michael Cohen, a disbarred lawyer, convicted perjurer and critic of Donald Trump, took the stand on Monday to deliver his long-awaited testimony in the so-called “hush money” trial of his former boss but while questions about his own credibility continue to swirl.

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House Democrats Are Planning to Sue Former White House Counsel Don McGahn, Force Him to Testify

by Shelby Talcott   House Democrats say Hope Hicks’ testimony Wednesday will help them win a lawsuit they plan to bring against former White House counsel Don McGahn to force him to testify. Hicks, a former White House communications director, refused to answer questions such as where she sat in the West Wing or if she lied to special counsel Robert Mueller. Hicks’ testimony is an example that shows how much the White House has begun to block witnesses from testifying and is exactly what Democrats need to win the lawsuit, according to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, Politico reported. White House lawyers blocked Hicks from answering hundreds of questions during her testimony Wednesday, according to transcripts. Many House Democrats expressed frustration after the private meeting, but Nadler said he knew it would happen and that it played into Democrats’ hands, Politico reported. “It very much played into our hands,” Nadler, a New York Democrat, said in an interview with Politico. “It’s one thing to tell a judge blanket immunity is not a right thing. It’s another thing when a judge can see what that means in actuality, and how absurd it is.” The White House has said Hicks…

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The White House Just Escalated Its Subpoena Standoff with House Democrats

by Kevin Daley   The White House has directed former administration aides, Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson, not to cooperate with subpoenas from the House Judiciary Committee as part of its far-reaching probe of President Donald Trump. The panel issued subpoenas to Hicks and Donaldson on May 21 for documents and testimony. Those orders asked Hicks to appear for testimony on June 19, while Donaldson is to appear on June 24. Both women were directed to submit records to the committee by Tuesday. “As part of President Trump’s continued obstruction of Congress, the White House has instructed both Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson not to turn over records in response to subpoenas issued by our committee last month,” Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler said in a Tuesday statement. “I note that Ms. Hicks has agreed to turn over some documents to the Committee relating to her time working for the Trump campaign, and I thank her for that show of good faith.” “The president has no lawful basis for preventing these witnesses from complying with our request. We will continue to seek reasonable accommodation on these and all our discovery requests and intend to press these issues when we obtain…

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House Democrats Move to Subpoena Mueller Report

The majority Democrats on a House of Representatives committee are moving this week to subpoena the full report from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and five former White House officials. The House Judiciary Committee had called for full disclosure by Tuesday of the nearly 400-page report and its underlying evidence. Attorney General William Barr said last week that he would release the report by mid-April, “if not sooner,” after confidential material had been redacted. With its Tuesday deadline unlikely to be met, the House panel plans to vote to authorize the subpoenas on Wednesday, allowing the committee’s chairman, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, to actually issue them as he sees fit. The House committee also plans to subpoena some of President Donald Trump’s closest one-time advisers — White House strategist Steve Bannon, communications director Hope Hicks, his first chief of staff Reince Priebus, White House counsel Donald McGahn and McGahn’s chief of staff, Ann Donaldson. The five officials were likely key witnesses during Mueller’s investigation of whether Trump obstructed justice by trying to thwart the prosecutor’s 22-month probe. A week ago, Barr released a four-page summary of the Mueller report, telling top lawmakers…

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Former Senior Trump Aide Hope Hicks Named Chief Communications Officer for ‘New’ FOX

by Evie Fordham   Former White House communications director Hope Hicks has accepted a position as chief communications officer for a spin off of 21st Century Fox, the company announced Monday. The organization that 29-year-old Hicks will work for, FOX, is “the company to be spun-off in connection with 21st Century Fox’s merger with The Walt Disney Company,” according to a Monday press release. Hicks will also be an executive vice president of FOX when the merger goes through. She is the former press secretary of President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, and her ties to the Trump family go back to her work for the Trump Organization and even Ivanka Trump’s fashion label, reported NBC News. Speculation has abounded about Hicks’s next step after she left the White House in March. The East Coast native will be stationed in Los Angeles, according to the press release. “FOX won’t find anyone smarter or more talented than Hope Hicks,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted Monday. “So happy for my friend. They are beyond lucky to have you and the East Coast misses you already.” FOX won’t find anyone smarter or more talented than Hope Hicks. So happy for my friend. They are beyond lucky to have…

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