House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) closed today’s Michael Cohen testimony with a heated call to get America “back to normal.”

“When we’re dancing with the angels, the question will be asked, in 2019, what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy in tact?” Cummings asked of his fellow lawmakers, who were gathered to question Donald Trump’s ex–lawyer about his claims regarding the president’s criminal activity and unethical behavior. “Did we stand on the sidelines and say nothing?”

“We can do more than one thing,” he said. “And we have got to get back to normal.”

Cummings also slammed Trump for referring to “Cohen” as a rat and warned about the dangers of the snitch label within the prison system.

“When you call somebody a rat, that’s one of the worst things you can call them because when you go to prison, that means a snitch,” he said. “I’m just saying. So the president called you a rat — WE’RE BETTER THAN THAT! We really are!”

Earlier in his closing statement, the committee chair suggested Cohen could find a path to redemption, which caused the witness to break down in tears.

“You made a lot of mistakes, Mr. Cohen, and you’ve admitted that. And you know what is the saddest part of this whole thing is? That some very innocent people are hurting too and you acknowledge that and that’s your family,” the lawmaker said. “And you know if we as a nation did not give people an opportunity after they made mistake to change their lives a whole lot of people would not do very well.”

Cummings continued:

“I want to say thank you. I know that this can be hard. I know that you are facing a lot. I know that you are worried about your family but this is part of destiny and, hopefully, this portion of your destiny will lead to a better Micheal Cohen, a better Donald Trump, a better United States of America and a better world.”

He finished his remarks by calling out his GOP colleague Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) for claiming this was the committee’s first hearing for this cycle’s congressional class, when it was actually the second hearing.

Watch above, via MSNBC.

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