Criminal investigation

FBI Raids Offices of Trump’s Personal Lawyer Michael Cohen

The New York Times reported that the FBI searched the home and offices of Donald Trump’s long-standing personal attorney, Michael Cohen, on Monday, sparking fury from the president.

Federal agents carried out search warrants, seizing records including some relating to a $130,000 payment to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, who claims she had sex with the president over a decade ago.

Trump called the raid “a disgrace” and branded special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation “an attack on our country.”

Mueller is investigating potential links between Russia and Trump’s presidential campaign, and whether the president’s actions constitute an obstruction of justice.

The raid on Cohen’s office originated from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York, and was based at least partly on a referral from Mueller, according to Cohen’s lawyer Stephen Ryan.

“The decision by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York to conduct their investigation using search warrants is completely inappropriate and unnecessary,” Ryan said. “It resulted in the unnecessary seizure of protected attorney client communications between a lawyer and his clients.”