Trump ally Corey Lewandowski clashes with Democrats in testy hearing

Donald Trump’s former campaign manager accused lawmakers of “focusing on petty and personal politics” in a testy hearing, as he confirmed to members of Congress that the president asked him to intervene in the Russia investigation.

As the hearing came to a close on Tuesday, the House judiciary chair, Jerrold Nadler, told Corey Lewandowski, a close Trump ally, that his behavior had been “completely unacceptable”.

“It is a part of a pattern by a White House desperate not to reveal the truth,” Nadler said. “The president’s lawyers are sitting behind you right now to make sure that you do not answer us.”

As House Democrats began what they promised would be an “aggressive series” of impeachment hearings, Lewandowski followed White House orders not to discuss conversations with the president beyond what was already public in the former special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, which described possible obstructions of justice.

Lewandowski, who declared that his questioners were “focusing on petty and personal politics” during the five-hour session, was defiant amid questioning. He demanded that Democrats provide him a copy of the Mueller report, sending Democratic staff scrambling to find one. He read directly from the report and asked Democrats to read passages to him.

During a bathroom break, Lewandowski, who is considering running for the US Senate in New Hampshire, took an opportunity to tweet a link to his new Super Pac.

Trump cheered Lewandowski along as he testified, tweeting that his opening statement was “beautiful”. Meanwhile, Republicans on the panel forced a series of procedural votes, sending the hearing into disarray.