Bob Mueller Raids the Office of Donald Trump's Personal Attorney, Michael Cohen

By Dustin Rowles | Politics | April 9, 2018 |

By Dustin Rowles | Politics | April 9, 2018 |

The NYTimes is reporting that the FBI has raided the office of Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal attorney.

The F.B.I. on Monday raided the office of President Trump’s longtime personal lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, seizing records related to several topics including payments to a pornographic-film actress.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan obtained the search warrant after receiving a referral from the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, according to Mr. Cohen’s lawyer, who called the search “completely inappropriate and unnecessary.” The search does not appear to be directly related to Mr. Mueller’s investigation, but likely resulted from information he had uncovered and gave to prosecutors in New York.

Look: We don’t really know what this means, but I can tell you this much: It’s not good for Michael Cohen, and it’s probably not great for Donald Trump himself. Cohen, recall, is Trump’s legal goon: The guy who pays off porn stars and tries to silence his critics via lawsuits. Last week, Donald Trump also told reporters that he didn’t know about the NDA that he made Stormy Daniels sign, which might for the basis for fraud.

Trump on Thursday: Ask Michael Cohen!

Mueller on Monday: FBI Raids Michael Cohen's office.

— Ari Melber (@AriMelber) April 9, 2018

Anyway, recall that the most high-profile raid of someone in Trump’s inner circle, Paul Manafort, who is now facing criminal charges that could put him away from the rest of his life. This is not nothing. Cohen’s office, by the way, is in Trump Tower, and they apparently raided his office, hotel room, and home.

This is a big deal. Law enforcement usually needs a very good reason to raid the office of a lawyer and potentially seize documents that may be covered by the attorney/client privilege.

— Doug Mataconis (@dmataconis) April 9, 2018

So given this Cohen raid is an SDNY investigation referred by Mueller, and not a Mueller action, it would appear there is a SECOND criminal investigation into the president's inner circle.

— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) April 9, 2018

BREAKING NEWS UPDATE from CNN: FBI agents seized tax documents, business records, and possibly items related to Stormy Daniels case from Michael Cohen's office (our first indication that Mueller may be looking at campaign-finance violations/crimes by Trump, Cohen and/or others).

— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) April 9, 2018

Look, let's get one thing perfectly clear: Michael Cohen was just a low-level campaign volunteer who only used to fetch coffee. Trump never even met the guy, OK?

— Jeff Tiedrich (@jefftiedrich) April 9, 2018

Cohen's lawyer: “The decision by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York to conduct their investigation using search warrants is completely inappropriate and unnecessary" and "it resulted in the unnecessary seizure of protected attorney client communications" - @carolelee

— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) April 9, 2018