Liar, Liar: President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen is expected to testify in Congress today that Trump is a “con man” and a “cheat” who knew his adviser Roger Stone was communicating with WikiLeaks, and who ordered Cohen to lie about a Trump Tower project in Moscow that was under consideration during the 2016 presidential campaign.

  Cohen has already released a copy of a personal check Trump wrote to him while he was President to reimburse Cohen for the hush money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

  Yesterday,on the day that he lost his New York law license, Cohen spent nine hours testifying behind closed doors to the Senate Intelligence Committee as Republicans and the White House stepped up their attacks on his credibility.

  Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement saying it’s “laughable that anyone would take a convicted liar like Cohen at his word, and pathetic to see him given yet another opportunity to spread his lies.”

 This, from the liar who lies for the liar-in-chief.

  Florida Republican Congressman Matt Goetz went so far as to post a tweet that read as a threat to Cohen. Goetz said,  “Do your wife & father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful when you’re in prison. She’s about to learn a lot…”

  Classy for a Congressman, don’t you think?

  Cohen has a lot of patching up to do. He previously lied to Congress. The once-combative Trump fixer emerged from the Senate chambers and graciously thanked the press for waiting to hear from him. He said, “I really appreciate the opportunity that was given to me to clear the record and to tell the truth.” 

  He’s up for two days of public grilling that could be a turning point for the Trump presidency. The President tweeted from Vietnam, “He did bad things unrelated to Trump. He is lying in order to reduce his prison time. Using Crooked’s lawyer!”

What Emergency?:As expected, the House voted yesterday to block President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the southern border with 13 Republicans joining the Democratic majority.

  The Democrats say Trump’s declaration is an unconstitutional power grab. Appealing to Republicans, Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked in a speech, “Is your oath of office to Donald Trump or is it to the Constitution of the United States?” 

 The resolution of disapproval, which passed 245 to 182, will have to be voted on by the Senate. Three Republicans, just one short of the number for passage, have already said they will vote for what amounts to a rebuke of the President.

Peace Train: President Trump is having dinner tonight in Hanoi with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. Formal talks begin tomorrow. Trump has modified his expectations for the North to give up its nuclear weapons. Now he says he’s happy if they just stop missile testing. Reporters say he might stay up all night watching Michael Cohen’s testimony.

Polar Express:That Amtrak train stuck in the snowy wilds of Oregon for two nights finally arrived in Salem, where the 183 tired and hungry passengers got off. The train served free food during the ordeal. First class passengers got steak and coach got beef stew with mashed potatoes. 

Retail Apocalypse:Major retail chains are closing stores at what Business Insider  calls a “staggering rate.” The collapse of big chains like Sears has been dubbed “the retail apocalypse,” and more are falling.

  Already in 2019, four retailers have filed bankruptcy: Payless ShoeSource, Charlotte Russe, Gymboree, and Full Beauty Brands. “Companies are getting ready for a second, though less virulent round among smaller, weaker names,” analysts for Moody’s Investors Service wrote in a report. 

  Debt and internet shopping are killing retailers. On the danger list for bankruptcy are 17 companies with familiar names including PetSmart, Neiman Marcus, and J. Crew.

Booze Cruise:Dutch customs officials say they intercepted 90,000  bottles of Russian vodka being shipped to North Korea’s ruling elite with the party hosted by dictator Kim Jong-un. A shipping container holding  Stolbovaya vodka was discovered Friday, concealed beneath an aircraft fuselage shipped inside a Chinese freighter. Kim is known to be a luxury shopaholic who spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year. He also smokes.

-30-