Tag: hearing

MSNBC hosts and analysts examine the key takeaways after 8 hours of testimony from former Special Counsel Robert Mueller. » Subscribe to MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc MSNBC delivers breaking news and in-depth analysis of the headlines, as well as informed perspectives. Find…

Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) delivered impassioned testimonies before lawmakers when recalling their recent visit to the southern border. #CNN #News

Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan says Rep. Jerry Nadler went right into asking Hope Hicks questions he knew she was not allowed to answer. FOX News operates the FOX News Channel (FNC), FOX Business Network (FBN), FOX News Radio, FOX…

Happening Now: Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen testifies before the Homeland Security Committee hearing on "The Way Forward on Border Security." Nielsen will take questions from a Democrat-controlled House Committee for the first time. FOX News Channel (FNC) is a…

WASHINGTON—Repeatedly attacking the credibility of President Trump’s former lawyer and asking why the House Oversight Committee should believe anything he says, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) spent the bulk of his allotted time during Michael Cohen’s hearing Thursday demanding that he accept blame for covering up the alleged sexual abuse of wrestlers at Ohio State University. “I am not sure how you expect us to just sit here and trust that you’re actually going to tell the truth about your involvement with the president when you’ve said absolutely nothing about these scandalous abuse allegations—what are you hiding?” said Jordan, interrupting another congressperson’s questioning to call attention to the fact that paperwork Cohen submitted ahead of the hearing contained nothing about knowing that hundreds of OSU wrestlers were abused by a team doctor, including during the period from 1986 to 1994 when Jordan served as an assistant coach. “Who are you to accuse the president of crimes given your shady past and connections to Ohio State? You’re obviously only doing this to distance yourself from this disgraceful cover-up, and the fact that you won’t admit to your role in it completely invalidates any shred of decency you might have. Frankly, sir, you are a disgrace to the Buckeyes.” An irate Jordan also informed Cohen in front of the committee that it was particularly galling to hear that someone would turn around and betray those who had trusted him.

Rep. Stephen Lynch didn’t hold back during the Michael Cohen hearing Wednesday. However, his ire wasn’t aimed at Cohen, the former personal attorney of President Donald Trump, himself, but toward the Massachusetts congressman’s Republican colleagues on the House oversight committee. “We have brought this committee to its knees in terms of losing its credibility, and it’s a shameful mockery of what our purpose is,” Rep. Jody Hice, a Georgia Republican, said during his allotted time. “Wanna talk about a low point?” the South Boston Democrat asked rhetorically. “Your side ran away from the truth, and we’re trying to bring it to the American people,” Lynch added. Cohen testified that he led negotiations on the proposed Moscow tower up into the 2016 presidential campaign, which he said Trump “never expected to win,” and regularly briefed two of the president’s children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, on the project. “We were interested in building what would have been the largest building in all of Europe.” Cohen — who has been sentenced to three years in prison for a litany of crimes during the 2016 campaign — says he lied when he told Congress in 2017 that Trump’s pursuit of the Moscow tower ended before the 2016 presidential primaries. “The lies that I told to Congress, in fairness, benefited Mr. Trump,” he said Wednesday, addressing the Republican attempts to undermine his credibility. I want you to look at the documents, and I want you to make your own decision.” Before his time for questioning ran out, Lynch offered some support to Cohen, suggesting that Republicans weren’t concerned about the accuracy of his statements, but about their potential political implications. “I don’t think my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are afraid you’re going to lie,” he said.

“Mr Chairman, here we go,” the congressman from Ohio spat out in front of a packed committee chamber, having stripped down to his white shirt and yellow tie to signal he meant business. “Your first big hearing, your first announced witness, Michael Cohen … a guy who is going to prison in two months for lying to Congress.” Jordan adopted a strategy in Wednesday’s high-profile grilling of Cohen that closely echoed Trump’s own stance towards the multiple investigations that now besiege him: bully your assailant into submission. You didn’t get brought to the dance.” Jordan proved himself not just to be Trump’s bully-in-chief for the purposes of congressional hearings, he also matched the US president’s affection for conspiracy theories. He accused the Democratic leadership of the oversight committee of taking orders from Lanny Davis, Cohen’s current attorney who is a figure of hatred among rightwing Republicans, having been Bill Clinton’s special counsel in the 1990s. “Lanny Davis choreographed the whole darn thing, the Clintons’ best friend,” he said. Republican congressman denies he ignored Ohio State sexual abuse claims Read more Jordan’s pugnacious performance lit up social media, though not for reasons he would have liked. The representative for Ohio’s fourth congressional district trended on Twitter as users posted articles reporting allegations that he had failed to take action against the sexual molestation of students while working as assistant wrestling coach at Ohio state university from 1986 to 1994. Several former wrestlers have come forward to allege that Jordan knew about what was being done to them but did nothing to stop it. Michael Cohen: key takeaways from the former Trump lawyer's testimony Read more “That’s either a failure of the Republicans on the Hill or of the White House: they knew what was coming with Michael Cohen,” Christie said. “Shame on you, Mr Jordan,” he said, after the ranking member had told the hearing that Cohen displayed “non-existent” remorse.

House Republicans on Tuesday claimed a small victory over the Democrats' climate change agenda by holding a rare successful vote as the minority to end an oversight hearing, saying that the subject of global warming was outside the committee's jurisdiction. The Republicans in the Natural Resources Committee's oversight panel won in a 4-2 vote to end the hearing, simply because there weren't more than two Democrats present. Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas, the top Republican on the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee, called for the vote after laying out the case that climate change was not within the jurisdiction of the committee, based on its charter and bylaws. Gohmert called for a vote to adjourn following his opening remarks, and a roll call vote was held. Witnesses at the hearing were not introduced before the Republicans left the hearing room. With the Republicans in adjournment, the Democrats were forced to change the proceedings from a hearing to a "forum," which Rep. T.J. Cox of California, the chairman of the oversight panel, opened by introducing the speakers. The full committee's top Republican, Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah, had raised the jurisdiction issues at the beginning of the month when the Democratic leadership launched its sweeping series of hearings on climate change. Bishop also said the Democrats were not properly giving notice to Republican members on the topics of the hearing. Click for more from the Washington Examiner.

It was evident long before Thursday’s senate judiciary committee hearings addressing Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation of sexual assault – which he denies – and indeed before Dr Ford first accused him. Donald Trump put him forward having promised to appoint judges who would reverse the Roe v Wade abortion ruling, pleasing those who do not believe that women can be trusted to control their own bodies. Before the testimony, more voters – especially female voters – believed Dr Ford than Mr Kavanaugh. But it is evident that they still regard this as a matter of optics. Despite these circumstances, no prosecutor could have hoped for a more credible, compelling or sympathetic witness than Dr Ford. Mr Kavanaugh faces no charges, let alone a risk of conviction. The question is whether he has earned the privilege of a lifetime seat on the highest court, ruling on voting rights, presidential power – and the rights of women to control their own bodies. Women who speak out and are smeared and attacked – as Dr Ford has been. Thursday’s hearings failed to treat the allegations adequately. But in these elections, and the years to come, they should know that women, and the men who respect them, will certainly remember.

Good Friday morning. Here are some of the stories making news in Washington and politics today. [Read the story] • The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing was part trial, part theater, part therapy. [Read an analysis of their testimonies] • “I’ve had to relive this trauma in front of the world.” Surrounded by her lawyers, publicists and a sisterhood of friends, Dr. Blasey said her piece. [Read the story] • “What you want to do is destroy this guy’s life, hold this seat open and hope you win in 2020.” Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina let loose on the Democrats. [Read the story] • “He does not to me sound like he’s lying, and neither did she.” In Maine, whose senator Susan Collins will cast a crucial vote, women watched the testimony and came away torn. [Read the story] • A GoFundMe campaign set up on behalf of Dr. Blasey drew hundreds of thousands in donations after she mentioned it during her testimony. [Read the story] • Echoes of the Anita Hill hearings in 1991, which ended with Clarence Thomas on the high court, were unmistakable. [Read the comparison] • Mr. Trump’s meeting with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, whose future at the Justice Department is in doubt, was pushed back to next week because of the Kavanaugh hearing. Check back later for On Politics With Lisa Lerer, a nightly newsletter exploring the people, issues and ideas reshaping the political world.