Any Individual That Convinces Another to Commit Perjury is Guilty of Obstruction of Justice [Updated
[Updated 1/19/19]
Robert Mueller's office released a statement yesterday which says the BuzzFeed story contained information that is "not accurate." It did not say which parts are not accurate, however. In response, BuzzFeed News issued a statement saying its sources are rock-solid. "We stand by the reporting in this story." Expect more on this over the weekend.
]Second Update 1/19/19] BuzzFeed released another update Saturday afternoon.
BuzzFeed: “As we’ve re-confirmed our reporting, we’ve seen no indication that any specific aspect of our story is inaccurate. We remain confident in what we’ve reported, and will share more as we are able.” --Matt Mittenthal, spokesperson.
[Original story] It seems that Sen. Amy Klobuchar knew something we didn't when she asked Attorney General nominee Bill Barr this question on Tuesday:
Axios Twitter: Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Tuesday: "In your memo...you wrote on page 1 that a president persuading a person to commit perjury would be obstruction, is that right?"
"Attorney General nominee Bill Barr: "Yes" ...
Perhaps Sen. Lindsey Graham did too.
NBC: "Earlier this week, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., asked Trump's attorney general nominee, William Barr, if it would be obstruction of justice if the president asked someone to give false testimony. Barr answered in the affirmative."
“So if there was some reason to believe that the president tried to coach somebody not to testify or testify falsely, that could be obstruction of justice,” Graham asked.
“Yes. Under an obstruction statute, yes,” Barr responded, adding that it would also include if the president tried to conceal evidence."
Not that anyone needed Bill Barr to verify this, but it certainly seems like Senators Klobuchar and Graham wanted to get his opinion on the record. They must have suspected that Robert Mueller has evidence that President Trump did exactly that?
Axios: "The report by BuzzFeed News' Jason Leopold and Anthony Cormier "cites two unnamed federal law enforcement officials who say Cohen acknowledged in interviews with [Mueller's office] that the president directed him to deceive Congress about key facts linking Trump to the proposed deal in Russia."
Mueller would need to have additional evidence of Cohen's account, but if he does, impeachment becomes much more likely.
NBC: Rep. Adam Schiff: “The allegation that the President of the United States may have suborned perjury before our committee in an effort to curtail the investigation and cover up his business dealings with Russia is among the most serious to date,” Schiff said in a tweet. “We will do what’s necessary to find out if it’s true.”
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