Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh says the Michael Cohen hearing is the "official unveiling of the Democrats' impeachment process of President Donald Trump."

Cohen early Wednesday appeared before the House Oversight Committee and presented a copy of a check for $35,000, telling members Trump wrote a "personal check for the payment of hush money as part of a criminal scheme to violate campaign finance laws."

Trump's former personal attorney also declared under oath Trump knew ahead of time and embraced the news when told that WikiLeaks had emails damaging to Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Cohen, who begins his three-year prison sentence in May after pleading guilty to lying to Congress in 2017 and committing campaign finance violations while working for the president, was called before the committee by Democrats over the objections of Republicans.

Limbaugh said Cohen's statements were all "about ongoing retribution for Donald Trump, getting even with Donald Trump for having dared to beat Hillary Clinton."

"But never forget this, folks," he added. "If anybody, including Cohen, had evidence that would send Donald Trump away, I guarantee you he would get a plea deal that does not include jail time. The fact that Michael Cohen is going to jail is proof positive to me that he doesn't have diddly-squat in terms of legality or illegality on Trump."