A House hearing with Corey Lewandowksi today culminated with angry threats by the Democratic majority to hold him in contempt – and damaging admissions by the former Trump campaign manager that he has been untruthful in national TV interviews.
The fireworks came after a full day of testimony, after House Democrats armed with new rules they pushed through allowed an outside consultant to grill Trump’s combative former campaign head for 30 consecutive minutes.
Lewandowski was for the first time confronted with his past statements on Fox and MSNBC interviews, as well as statements he made in his own book about his interactions with the president.
‘I have no obligation to be candid with the media whatsoever,’ Lewandowski said at one point.
‘I’m a truth teller every time I stand before Congress,’ he said under questioning by majority counsel Barry Berke, saying he was truthful ‘every time I raised my right hand to God.’
Lewandowski was confronted with a clip of himself saying on MSNBC he didn’t ever remember the president ‘ever asking me to get involved with [former attorney general] Jeff Sessions or the Department of Justice in any way shape, or form, ever.’
It was a key moment of alleged obstruction from the Mueller report – where Trump dictated to Lewandowski, a private citizen, a statement he wanted the former attorney general to give while curtailing the special counsel’s investigation.
‘That was not true, was it?’ Berke asked him.
‘I have no obligation to be honest with the media because they are just as dishonest as everybody else,’ Lewandowski responded.
Judiciary Chairman Jerold Nadler, who during the hearing shut down fellow Democrats efforts to bring maximum pressure on the witness, came down on the witness at the end of the hearing.
‘Mr. Lewandowski, your behavior in this hearing room has been completely unacceptable. It is part of a pattern of a White House desperate for the American people not to hear the truth,’ the New York Democrat fumed.
‘I’ve been asked several times today whether the committee will hold you in contempt. It is certainly under consideration,’ he warned.
Republicans howled in protest when the Democrats brought in their ringer to conduct intensive questioning at the end of the hearing.
Previously, individual members tried to get the former New Hampshire police officer to buckle during five-minute increments of questioning.
In another tense moment with Berke, the lawyer asked him: ‘On national television did you lie about your relationship with the special counsel and whether they sought your interview?’
‘I don’t know,’ he replied.
Lewandowski tweeted out a message about the launch of his campaign for senator from New Hampshire during the hearing, irking one Democratic lawmaker who mentioned it.
He got accolades from Trump for his early loyal performance:
Such a beautiful Opening Statement by Corey Lewandowski! Thank you Corey! @CLewandowski_
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 17, 2019
Lewandowski has stonewalled Democrats who were questioning him about possible obstruction of justice charges against Donald Trump as the president praised his former campaign manager’s tough stance.
Lewandowski took a combative and aggressive stance from the start of his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, which he could also use as a launch pad for a Senate bid.
The hearing is part of the Democrats’ strategy to prove there is enough evidence to impeach Trump and they’ve issued a round of subpoena to witnesses from special counsel Robert Mueller’s report to help make their case to the American people.
The former Trump campaign manager also made some head-scratching comments in his testimony, claiming he never read Mueller’s report and arguing the ‘fake Russian collusion narrative’ is the ‘greatest crime committed’ against the American people.
Lewandowski has remained a close adviser to Trump even though he has no formal role in the Trump White House.
He is often seen in the White House and on Air Force One, acting as an informal adviser to Trump and meeting with him.
He is also the first impeachment witness to appear before the committee since Mueller testified in July.