Daniels lawyer won’t get role in Cohen case
NEW YORK — Lawyers for President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, failed to win more time Wednesday to analyze millions of files seized by the FBI, but they did get one thing they wanted: Their TV tormentor, Stormy Daniels’ attorney, withdrew a request to get a formal role in the case.
U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood, who is refereeing an ongoing tussle about which documents should be withheld from investigators because of attorney-client privilege, gave lawyers for Trump and Cohen until June 15 to finish reviewing 3.7 million paper and electronic files seized from Cohen in the April raids.
The deadline for them to identify documents they believe are confidential was set over the objection of Cohen’s lawyer, Todd Harrison.
Wood was unmoved, but she made comments in court that may have prompted Daniels’ lawyer, Michael Avenatti, to withdraw a request to get a formal role in the negotiations. Avenatti had applied to intervene in the case so he could ensure anything related to Daniels that was in Cohen’s possession wasn’t improperly disclosed.
Much of Wednesday’s hearing was consumed by spirited arguments about Avenatti’s numerous public attacks on Cohen, mostly through live cable TV appearances.
Cohen lawyer Stephen Ryan complained that Avenatti had improperly acquired and released certain bank records related to Cohen’s business dealings.
“I have never seen an attorney conduct himself in the manner that Mr. Avenatti has,” Ryan said.
Wood told Avenatti that while he is free to speak his mind now, he would have to end his “publicity tour” and attacks on Cohen if he became part of the case.