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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 10 april 2018

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Trump furious after FBI seizes documents from his lawyer

Continued from Front Rod Rosenstein when his into Russian interference in in investigating the pay- $130,000 she was paid in
investigators uncover new the 2016 presidential elec- ment, though. order to “set the record
The raid creates a new le- evidence that may fall out- tion. One Mueller witness, former straight.”
gal headache for Trump side his original mandate. Cohen has more recently Trump aide Sam Nunberg, Daniels argues the agree-
as he and his attorneys ment is legally invalid be-
weigh whether to agree to cause it was signed by only
an interview with Mueller’s Daniels and Cohen, and
team, which in addition to was not signed by Trump.
investigating potential ties Last month, Daniels’ at-
between Russia and the torney, Michael Avenatti,
Trump campaign is also ex- sent letters to the Trump
amining whether the presi- Organization demanding
dent’s actions constitute the business preserve all of
obstruction of justice. its records relating to the
The law enforcement ac- $130,000 transaction.
tion will almost certainly The letter demanded they
amplify the public scrutiny preserve all emails by Co-
on the payment to Daniels, hen that mention Daniels,
who says she had sex with whose real name is Stepha-
Trump in 2006. nie Clifford, as well as any
The payment was made emails and text messages
just days before the 2016 related to the alleged re-
presidential election, and lationship. He sent simi-
Trump told reporters last lar demand letters to two
week that he did not know banks — City National and
about it. First Republic — asking they
To obtain a warrant, pros- preserve documents con-
ecutors and agents must nected to the transaction.
convince a judge they Avenatti also enclosed an
have probable cause of email showing Cohen had
criminal activity and that used his Trump Organiza-
they believe they’ll find evi- tion email address in cor-
dence of wrongdoing in a respondence with a repre-
search. A warrant requires The building in New York where Michael Cohen, who is President Donald Trump’s personal attor- sentative from First Repub-
ney, has his office, is photographed in New York, Monday, April 9, 2018.
multiple levels of approval Associated Press lic. In the email, the repre-
within the Justice Depart- sentative said funds had
ment, and agency guide- Rosenstein then will de- attracted attention for his recently connected the been deposited in Cohen’s
lines impose additional termine whether to allow acknowledgment that he special counsel with the account.
hurdles when the target of Mueller to proceed or to paid Daniels $130,000 out payment, saying in an inter- Federal agents searched
a search is an attorney. assign the matter to anoth- of his own pocket just days view on MSNBC last month Cohen’s office at 30 Rock-
Authorities working with er U.S. attorney or another before the 2016 presiden- that prosecutors had asked efeller Plaza in New York,
Mueller chose a similar tac- part of the Justice Depart- tial election. him about it. where he had been work-
tic last summer when they ment. Cohen has said neither the Trump answered questions ing as part of a “strategic
raided the Virginia home A spokesman for Mueller’s Trump Organization nor about Daniels for the first partnership” with the law
of former Trump campaign office did not immediately the Trump campaign was time last week, saying he firm Squire Patton Boggs.
chairman Paul Manafort, return a call seeking com- a party to the transaction had no knowledge of the On Monday, the firm said
who was subsequently in- ment. with Daniels and he was payment made by Cohen in a statement that its re-
dicted. White House spokeswoman not reimbursed for the pay- and he didn’t know where lationship with Cohen had
In this case, though, Mueller Sarah Huckabee Sanders ment. Cohen had gotten the “reached its conclusion,
opted to refer the matter to and the U.S. attorney’s of- Several former officials at money. The White House mutually and in accor-
federal prosecutors in Man- fice also had no comment. the Federal Election Com- has consistently said Trump dance with the terms of the
hattan. Besides Cohen’s of- The New York Times first re- mission have said the pay- denies the affair. agreement.”
fice, agents also searched ported Monday’s raid. ment appears to be a vio- Daniels has said she had “We have been in con-
a hotel room where he’s Ryan did not elaborate on lation of campaign finance sex with the president in tact with Federal authori-
been staying while his the documents that were laws, and multiple Wash- 2006. ties regarding their execu-
home is under renovation. taken from Cohen’s office ington-based groups have She has been suing to in- tion of a warrant relating to
Under Justice Department but said he has cooper- filed complaints with the validate the nondisclosure Mr. Cohen,” the firm said.
regulations, ated with investigators, in- FEC, urging it to investigate. agreement she signed “These activities do not re-
Mueller must consult with cluding meeting last sum- There have been few signs before the election and late to the firm and we are
Deputy Attorney General mer with lawmakers looking that Mueller was interested has offered to return the in full cooperation.”q