Senate Intelligence Committee leaders want Cohen to testify again

The leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee said on Tuesday that they want President TrumpDonald John Trump Trump denies calling Sessions 'mentally retarded,' 'dumb Southerner' Pressley blasts Trump as 'racist, misogynistic, truly empathy-bankrupt' Capuano falls to Democratic challenger Pressley in Mass. primary MORE's former lawyer Michael Cohen to testify before the panel regarding recent media reports indicating he knew about the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting before it took place.

As Cohen surrendered to the FBI ahead of his guilty plea on charges of tax fraud, bank fraud and campaign finance violations in New York, Committee Chairman Richard BurrRichard Mauze Burr Social media execs prepare for showdown Senate Intel invites Alphabet CEO to testify, rejecting company offer of VP instead The White House can — and should — bypass Congress to kill Obama-era spending MORE (R-N.C.) and Vice Chairman Mark WarnerMark Robert Warner Social media execs prepare for showdown Restore our parks Washington's fall agenda: GOP, tech industry clash over bias claims MORE (D-Va.) issued a joint statement.

"[Cohen] appears to be pleading guilty to very serious charges," the senators said. "However, we have no insight into any agreements he and his legal team have allegedly reached with the prosecutors in New York."

"What we can say is we recently re-engaged Mr. Cohen and his team following press reports that suggested he had advanced knowledge of the June 16th meeting between campaign officials and a Russian lawyer at the Trump Tower," the senators added.

Burr said on MSNBC on Tuesday that Cohen previously testified before the committee and said he was not aware of the Trump Tower meeting until reports emerged in the press the following year.

"As such, the committee inquired of Mr. Cohen's legal team as to whether Mr. Cohen stood by his testimony," Burr and Warner said in their statement. "They responded that he did stand by his testimony."

"We hope that the day's developments in Mr. Cohen's plea agreement will not preclude him from an appearance before our committee as needed for ongoing investigation," the senators added.

A recent CNN report indicated that Cohen was willing to tell special counsel Robert Mueller that the president knew that Donald Trump Jr.Donald (Don) John Trump Trump family, foundation seek dismissal of ‘self-dealing’ lawsuit The Hill's Morning Report: Trump shifts campaign focus from Senate to House Hillicon Valley: Trump raises antitrust concerns for tech giants | Google faces new scrutiny from GOP | Twitter updates rules for political ads | Snapchat apologizes after map calls NYC 'Jewtropolis' MORE, Jared KushnerJared Corey Kushner Trump praises Arizona governor's pick of Jon Kyl to succeed McCain Trump biographer certain president is upset by attention for McCain Graham: Ivanka Trump's 'very nice' comments about McCain 'not unnoticed by the family' MORE and others planned to meet with a Russian lawyer who promised damaging information on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham Clinton Graham mocks Democrats over abortion: 'What a bastard Donald Trump is' Social media execs prepare for showdown Hillicon Valley: Twitter, Facebook execs to face grilling | How hackers are targeting reputations on review sites | Agency to create privacy framework | Amazon hits T in market value | Twitter says Trump not exempt from being banned MORE.