dial 911 for cohen
Trump reportedly phoned Cohen while their lawyers scurried to protect seized documents
President Trump reportedly called his personal attorney, Michael Cohen, while their lawyers attempted to prevent the Justice Department from reading documents that were seized in an FBI raid of Cohen's hotel and office.
Trump and Cohen's attorneys went to court Friday to try and block officials from accessing information that they claimed was protected by attorney-client privilege, The New York Times reports. Trump reportedly phoned Cohen to "check in," the Times reports. It's not clear what the president discussed with Cohen when he phoned him, sources told the Times, but defense lawyers typically advise clients not to talk to one another when an investigation is ongoing.
FBI agents seized documents from Cohen as a part of a "months-long investigation," federal prosecutors said in Friday court filing. His files were seized to "seek evidence of crimes, many of which have nothing to do with his work as an attorney" but are instead related to Cohen's personal business dealings. The raid sought, among other things, information on Cohen's $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with Trump, reports the Times.
Trump told reporters last week that he didn't know about the payment when Cohen arranged it — and prosecutors are reportedly using that against him. The Los Angeles Times reports that Trump's claim of ignorance is being used as evidence that communications between Trump and Cohen about the payment may not be protected under attorney-client privilege.