On Tuesday, Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, is slated to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee regarding possible Russian interference in the 2016 election.
In recent weeks, Cohen has come under increased scrutiny for his role in the Trump-Russia matter when it was revealed the he personally reached out to the Russian government about the possibility of building a Trump Tower in Moscow while Trump’s presidential campaign was underway. Cohen admitted that he had three conversations with Trump about the proposal.
On MSNBC Sunday, a panel agreed that Cohen could be one of the keys to proving possible collusion between the president and Russian agents. Intelligence expert Malcolm Nance commented:
“If you compare Donald Trump to a mafia don, this is his consigliere. This is the guy who knows all the secrets.”
Nance added that while the Senate committee may not be able to force Cohen to reveal everything he knows, it could help investigators clarify one important question:
“Was he acting independently or as an agent of the president? This is going to be earth-shattering testimony if it comes out.”
Jonathan Allen of Roll Call noted that while the Senate Intelligence Committee’s probe is important, it remains secondary to that of Special Counsel Robert Mueller:
“We are looking at testimony that could be explosive. The real thing to keep an eye on is the Mueller investigation. The Senate Intelligence Committee has a role in all this, but it is a minor one compared to the Mueller probe.”
While Cohen could claim attorney-client privilege when it comes to some questions he’ll be asked by Senate investigators, that strategy may not work with testimony before a federal grand jury such as the ones already impaneled by Mueller. Whatever Cohen says, it could provide yet another piece of the puzzle as Mueller’s team continues to tighten the screws on the president.
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