By Steve Neavling
Ticklethewire.com
The FBI raided the office of President Trump’s longtime personal lawyer and confidant Michael Cohen, seizing emails, tax documents and records involving payments to an adult film actress.
Cohen’s lawyer Stephen Ryan confirmed on Monday that federal prosecutors in Manhattan obtained a search warrant after receiving a referral from special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia to undermine the 2016 presidential election, the New York Times first reported.
Among the documents seized was information related to porn actress Stormy Daniels, whom Cohen paid $130,000 as part of a non-disclosure agreement to keep quiet about an affair she had with Trump in 2006.
The New York Times reports that the payment is just one of “many topics” being scrutinized by the FBI and does not appear to be directly related to Mueller’s investigation. Other documents include business records and communications between Trump and Cohen.
Ryan called the search “completely inappropriate and unnecessary.”
Cohen’s payment to Daniels has raised eyebrows because it came just days before the 2016 election. While Cohen acknowledged paying Daniels, he insisted the payment didn’t violate campaign finance laws.
Last week, Trump said he knew nothing about the payment.
