The New York Times reported Monday that the FBI raided the offices of Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's longtime friend and lawyer.
FBI seized records relating to a payment of $130,000 made to adult film star Stormy Daniels just before the election. Cohen admits making the payment, but claimed that the president knew nothing about it, and that he made the payment out of his own personal money.
Some had posited that if the payment was made from campaign funds and not reported, that it would run afoul of campaign financing laws.
Stephen Ryan, the lawyer for Michael Cohen, released a statement indicating the role that special counsel Robert Mueller had in the FBI raid.
“Today the U.S. 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,” Ryan said.
“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," he added.
The New York Times reported that the referral made by special counsel Mueller to federal prosecutors in Manhattan was not directly a part of his investigation into Russian election interference and alleged collusion with the Trump camp. However, they said the referral came as a result of information he discovered as a part of his investigation.
No. The New York Times reported that a source briefed on the raid told them that the FBI also seized "emails, tax documents and business records," that could extend beyond the Daniels case.
Cohen has been a vehement and outspoken defender of Trump and his policies. The president has also denied knowing anything about the payment when he broke his silence on Thursday on Air Force One.
MORE: "It is unclear whether this is stemming from the Mueller investigation, whether it has anything to do with the allegation from Stormy Daniels or if it is something that is unrelated," Pat Milton says of FBI raid in Michael Cohen's office, residence https://t.co/i4bV9GKc69 pic.twitter.com/uL9dUNDR6P
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 9, 2018
Carlos Garcia
Staff Writer
