Rep. Jackie Speier: Michael Cohen Hearing Will Get Closer to the Truth of Trump as Businessman

The highly anticipated testimony that Michael Cohen, President Trump's former attorney, provides before a House committee on Wednesday will give Congress the sharpest portrait yet of Trump in the years before he became president, according to congresswoman Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo.

"This is the closest that any of us will come to understanding Donald Trump, the businessman," said Speier, who sits on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which is set to hear from Cohen.

Cohen's testimony before the oversight committee will be broadcast live nationally. It comes two months before he is scheduled to begin serving a three-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to tax evasion, campaign finance violations and lying to Congress.

Cohen has admitted to facilitating so-called hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal for them to stay quiet before the presidential election about alleged affairs with Trump.

"The hush money paid to both Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal may just be the tip of the iceberg," Speier said. "I think Mr. Trump, the businessman, conducted himself in a manner that was inconsistent with the law."

Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, noted the hearings won't touch on areas that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is looking into.

"We don't want to do anything that makes their work more difficult to get to the truth," DeSaulnier said. "So we're more of a broad look at a number of things: the pavements, the hush money paid to the two women who allegedly had affairs with Mr. Trump; his foundation's use of funds; and things of that nature."

During Wednesday's hearing, Cohen is reportedly prepared to present evidence related to what he says is criminal conduct by Trump before and after he became president.

"If Michael Cohen is bringing documents that can buttress what he is saying, that becomes very compelling," said Speier, who also sits on the House Intelligence Committee.

"This is an opportunity really for the country and for the Congress to find out who's telling the truth and go after the facts," DeSaulnier said. He also pointed out that the House Committee on Oversight and Reform is a "quasi-judicial proceeding" — though he fully expects it to be mired in theatrics on Wednesday.

"I think Mr. Cohen was staring at some very dire consequences and decided to tell the truth. And I think he's going to tell the truth tomorrow," DeSaulnier said.

The White House issued a statement Tuesday dismissing Cohen's allegations.

"Disgraced felon Michael Cohen is going to prison for lying to Congress and making other false statements," said press secretary Sarah Sanders.

"Sadly, he will go before Congress this week and we can expect more of the same," Sanders said. "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 story will be updated.

NPR contributed reporting to this article.