Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen is being used as the prosecution’s "star witness," despite the fact that he has been convicted of making false statements, lawmakers said. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah, File)
"To date, we received no response from the Biden Justice Department regarding this criminal referral," the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland Wednesday. "This is unacceptable."
Turner and Stefanik said the Biden DOJ "eagerly prosecuted two different former Trump senior presidential advisers – Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro – for contesting the lawfulness of a subpoena."
"In fact, the Biden Justice Department brought the first contempt-of-Congress prosecutions seen in nearly 40 years," they said, adding that perjury and false statements before Congress "are crimes that undermine the integrity of the constitutional duty to conduct oversight and inquiries – far more so than contesting the lawfulness of a subpoena."
"Yet, despite an admission from Mr. Cohen that he lied under oath to Congress, the Biden Justice Department did nothing," they wrote. "The double standard is glaring."
Turner and Stefanik accused Garland of having "politicized and weaponized the Biden Justice Department to help your boss and hurt his political enemy."
"You are trying to protect the reputation of an admitted perjurer, one who just so happens to be set to testify against former President Trump in New York," they wrote.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (AP)
They added: "We urge you to stop politicizing and weaponizing the Biden Justice Department – and open a criminal investigation into whether Mr. Cohen committed perjury and knowingly made false statements to the Committee during his testimony in February 2019."
A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed receipt of the letter from Turner and Stefanik, but declined to comment further.
While on the stand during Trump’s non-jury civil trial stemming from James’ lawsuit in October, Cohen was presented with the transcript of his February 2019 testimony.
When asked if he was being "honest" in front of the House Intelligence Committee in February 2019, Cohen testified: "No."
"So you lied under oath in February of 2019? Is that your testimony?" Trump attorney Alina Habba asked him.
"Yes," Cohen replied.
When asked for comment in November after Turner and Stefanik initially referred him to the DOJ, Cohen told Fox News Digital that they "continue to do Donald’s bidding in witness tampering and obstructing justice."
"The two members fail to understand the distinction between explicit and implied; which is how the question was asked and accurately responded to," Cohen. "The topic was further clarified several questions thereafter; which is conveniently and intentionally being ignored. I am not concerned at all with their baseless request."
Michael Cohen, in 2018, pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations, making false statements to Congress and tax evasion. (Getty Images)
Cohen added: "This is the type of harassment everyone, especially critics, should expect if Donald becomes president again!"
Cohen, in 2018, pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations, making false statements to Congress and tax evasion. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
Meanwhile, as for Colangelo, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, called for an investigation into his role at the Justice Department during the Biden administration.
Brooke Singman is a political correspondent and reporter for Fox News Digital, Fox News Channel and FOX Business.
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