FBI carries out raid on offices of Trump’s lawyer
Agents seize documents relating to an alleged payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels
FBI agents last night seized documents and other “privileged communications” from the offices of Michael Cohen, the lawyer for US President Donald Trump. The seizure was said to relate to an alleged payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, rather than possible Russian tampering in the US election.
DONALD Trump last night said he was the victim of a “witch hunt” after the FBI raided the office of his personal lawyer and seized documents relating to a payment made to a porn star.
Michael Cohen, the US president’s long-serving personal lawyer, has previously admitted paying $130,000 (£95,000) to actress Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an affair with Mr Trump. The president said the FBI “broke into” Mr Cohen’s New York offices and described it repeatedly as “a disgrace”. He added: “I have this witch hunt constantly going on.”
Federal prosecutors obtained the search warrant to search Mr Cohen’s office after receiving a referral from the special counsel Robert Mueller, who is tasked with heading up the Russia investigation. The search is not thought to be connected to the Russia probe, but to have resulted from information Mr Mueller uncovered.
Mr Trump added: “It’s a disgrace. It’s frankly a real disgrace. It’s an attack on our country and what we all stand for.” He also described Mr Mueller’s team as “the most conflicted group of people I have ever seen,” wrongly stating that they were “almost all Democrats” and lashing out once again at his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for recusing himself from the Russia investigation.
Asked why he did not simply fire Mr Mueller, he said: “I think it’s really a sad situation. Many people have said you should fire him. They found nothing.”
Mr Cohen’s lawyers called Monday’s search “completely inappropriate and unnecessary”. The payment to Stormy Daniels – real name Stephanie Clifford – has come under scrutiny after it emerged it was made just weeks before the 2016 election. An election watchdog group complained about the payment, arguing it could be classed as an undisclosed campaign contribution, something Mr Cohen denies.
The lawyer has refused to say what the money was for, but the White House has repeatedly said Mr Trump “vehemently denies” having sex with Daniels. Last week Mr Trump said he was unaware of the payment to the actress.
The payment to Daniels forms just a part of the investigation by FBI officers on Monday, a source told The New York Times. Federal agents are also believed to have seized emails, tax documents and business records – including communications between Mr Trump and Mr Cohen. “Today the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York executed a series of search warrants and seized the privileged communications between my client, Michael Cohen, and his clients,” said Stephen Ryan, his lawyer.
“I have been advised by federal prosecutors that the New York action is, in part, a referral by the Office of Special Counsel, Robert Mueller.”
Mr Ryan told The New York Times his client has cooperated with authorities and turned over thousands of documents to congressional investigators looking into Russian election meddling.