Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows

Opinion contributors

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee will hold their first big hearing this week. For their first big witness, they will roll out the red carpet for Michael Cohen to share his thoughts and feelings on President Donald Trump’s life. Many of them no doubt hope Cohen will sling enough mud to justify beginning the process of impeaching the president.

Here’s the problem: Cohen is going to jail in two months for several crimes, including lying to Congress.

Giving Cohen a congressional platform is a disservice to the public, an affront to our democratic values and flat-out offensive to anyone who seeks the truth.

Democratic colleagues on the Oversight Committee do not appear to care about the truth.

They don’t care that Cohen has lied to Congress before.

They don’t care that Cohen made millions of dollars by providing fraudulent services to numerous private businesses and foreign entities.

They don’t care that Cohen leveraged his association with President Trump to attract book deals and television appearances.

Read more commentary:

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Many Democrats care about one thing and one thing only: impeaching President Trump. And pressure from rich liberals could swell the impeachment ranks as 2020 approaches. Billionaire donor Tom Steyer used impeachment as a litmus test for congressional candidates last year and is already applying it to 2020 Democratic presidential candidates.

Don’t take our word for it. Look at thenearly five dozen Democrats who have already voted to move forward with impeachment, including six on the Oversight Committee. And remember, some of our newest freshmen Democrats have already vocally supported impeaching President Trump.

Cohen has lied before, and he'll do it again

Even Cohen’s personal lawyer, Lanny Davis, said a year ago that “the time for a Trump impeachment investigation has come.” This same Lanny Davis previously worked as President Bill Clinton’s spokesperson and is now described as “the ultimate Clinton loyalist.” Davis also was required to walk back inaccurate statements he made about what Donald Trump Jr. told his father before a Trump Tower meeting with the Russians.

This is a rigged deal.

The facts are this: When Cohen testifies, he will surely lie. He has done it before. He will do it again. No one should be afraid of the truth, but everyone should be concerned when the deck is stacked in favor of falsehood.

The Oversight Committee shouldn’t feed Cohen’s insatiable desire for celebrity while playing patsy for political aims of the far left. If the Democrats are going to give a felon a platform, they should be honest about their motivations. At least Lanny Davis is. During a recent podcast, Davis acknowledged that Democrats "could overreach." That would turn Cohen’s testimony into a partisan hit job designed to help their party.

We'll ask Cohen about his shady activities

Cohen and the Democrats may benefit from a chaotic committee hearing. The American people will not. Our committee is designed to ensure the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of the federal government. It provides a check and balance on the role and power of Washington — and a voice to the people it serves. We should not give up the committee’s voice to an admitted liar like Michael Cohen. It is disheartening that Chairman Elijah Cummings’ first major hearing will do just that.

When Cohen comes to testify, Republican members plan to ask about the crimes he pleaded guilty to, other criminal activity he participated in but refused to disclose, his international financial dealings and a long list of other shady activities. We will call out the Democrats’ charade for what it is — a partisan circus meant to destroy President Trump.

We’ll ask our Democratic colleagues if they really believe that providing a congressional forum for Cohen to avenge his grudge with the president will help promote America’s democratic values.

We’ll ask them what they care more about: stopping the president or helping the country.

We’ll ask them how we can trust a single word from an admitted liar.

Republican Jim Jordan, a co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, represents Ohio's 4th Congressional District. Republican Mark Meadows, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, represents North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District. Follow them on Twitter: @Jim_Jordan and @RepMarkMeadows