Yesterday we wrote about Buzzfeedâs story that Michael Cohen lied to Congress about Trumpâs efforts to get a Moscow hotel, and that Trump asked him to do it. After Saturdayâs Wrongologist was published, Muellerâs spokesperson, Peter Carr issued a statement denying the Buzzfeed story:
Buzzfeedâs description of specific statements to the special counselâs office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohenâs congressional testimony are not accurate.
Some are lamenting it as another case of fake news directed at Trump. Raul Ilargi, at The Automatic Earth, whom Wrongo admires, said:
Is this the worst day for fake news to date? Itâs hard to keep track. Itâs just that this one was taken up by so many hoping for, finally! Impeachment. Please Lord make it stop.
But maybe what we saw really isnât fake news. Marcy Wheeler reports that Buzzfeedâs story differs from the sworn testimony. She points out that a discrepancy between the Special Counsel’s Cohen sentencing memo and the Buzzfeed story is that the memo merely indicated that Cohen committed perjury to benefit the Trump messaging, not that he’d been ordered to do it. If Cohen was encouraged or directed to do it by Trump personally, it isn’t as obvious as Buzzfeed said it was.
So, there are differences in what Buzzfeed reported, and what is in Cohenâs testimony. That doesnât mean that the Buzzfeed story is fake news. Mueller is probably defending the Special Councilâs reputation against accusations of leaking. It also seems possible that Peter Carr may have been trying to tamp down the Buzzfeed allegation that Trump âdirectedâ Cohen to lie, because that may be difficult to prove.
Cohen is a cooperating witness for Mueller. If and when Mueller makes a case that the Trump Tower deal was part of a larger election year conspiracy, they will need Cohen to testify, and have him describe how he kept Trump and Don Jr. in the loop for the possible deal.
The lesson is not to take much, if any news at face value. And not to get out too far over our skis when it comes to breaking news about Trump.
On to cartoons. Since we didnât publish them last Sunday, today thereâs a bumper crop.
Junk food for furloughed workers, good stuff for the plutocrats, paid by your tax dollars:
Choose your national emergencies carefully:
Pence helps Trump with the Wall narrative:
Two-faced Mitch:
Racism is mainstream in the Trump/GOP party, itâs not just Steve King:
The GOP will take some token actions. No vote to expel, or to run a non-racist in the 2020 Iowa primary:
We both lost our minds in 2016:
Demand for retail space is suddenly spiking:
Sometimes getting your story straight is tough, and has consequences. Ask Buzzfeed:
