Lawyer seeks to protect files seized by FBI agents
Federal prosecutors revealed Friday that their probe of President Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, involved suspected fraud and the attorney’s personal business dealings, and was going on long enough that investigators had already covertly obtained his emails.
The details in court papers came as lawyers for Cohen and Trump sought to block the Justice Department from examining records and electronic devices seized by the FBI on Monday from Cohen’s residences, office and safety deposit box.
The raids enraged Trump, who called them an “attack on the country.” He sent his own lawyer to a hearing before a federal judge in Manhattan to argue that some of the records seized were confidential attorney-client communications and off-limits to investigators.
Lawyers for Cohen appeared before U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood to ask that they — not Justice Department lawyers — be given the first crack at reviewing the seized evidence to see whether it was relevant to the investigation or could be forwarded to criminal investigators without jeopardizing attorney-client privilege.
Cohen wasn’t present for the hearing. Wood, who didn’t immediately rule, ordered Cohen to appear in person at another court hearing Monday on the issue to answer questions about his law practice.
People familiar with the investigation have said the searches carried out Monday sought, among other things, information on payments made in 2016 to a former Playboy model, Karen McDougal, and a porn actress, Stephanie Clifford, who performs under the name Stormy Daniels. Both women say they had affairs with Trump.