3 Democrats warn Trump on Cohen testimony

Three Democrats who head influential House committees are warning President Donald Trump not to obstruct their efforts to question his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.

Their statement follows Trump's comments in a Fox News Channel interview in which he alleges potential legal problems involving a Cohen relative and takes digs at Cohen's honesty and own legal woes.

In their message to Trump, the chairmen of the Intelligence, Judiciary and Oversight committees say: "Our nation's laws prohibit efforts to discourage, intimidate, or otherwise pressure a witness not to provide testimony to Congress."

Cohen's testimony on Feb. 7 could serve as the opening salvo of a promised Democratic effort to scrutinize Trump, his conflicts of interest and his ties to Russia.

Cohen has gone from being a trusted legal adviser to the president to a public antagonist who has cooperated extensively with prosecutors. That's led Trump to have called Cohen a "rat."