Velázquez on Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) issued the following statement regarding Paul Manafort's conviction and the guilty plea by Michael Cohen.

"The conviction of Paul Manafort and guilty plea of Michael Cohen must put to rest any attempts to discredit or impede the work of Special Counsel Robert Mueller and federal prosecutors.

"It should now be abundantly clear that President Trump's claims of ignorance have lost credibility. Not only do these new revelations potentially place the President in legal jeopardy, they underscore the broader toxic culture of corruption that has plagued the Trump Administration from day one.

"It is incumbent on all Members of Congress - Republicans and Democrats alike - to put country over party and affirm that no one is above the law."

In December of 2016, in a letter to outgoing Attorney General Lynch, Velázquez was the first Member of Congress to call for a Special Counsel.