As the ongoing investigations into former President Donald Trump and his team heat up, a new development has occurred. Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen has been ordered by a federal judge to turn over all documents relating to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, two women who have allegedly had affairs with the president. This order is part of the ongoing criminal investigation into Cohen.
Who Is the Judge?
U.S. District Court Judge Kimba Wood is overseeing the case.
Wood was appointed to the bench by former President Bill Clinton in 1997, and she previously served as the first female director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). She also has some experience with the Trump family — Donald Trump’s first wife, Ivana, hired Wood to represent her in her very public divorce from Donald in 1990.
Who Is Trump’s Lawyer?
One of the President’s personal lawyers is now caught up in the ongoing investigation.
On Monday, a federal judge ordered Cohen, to turn over documents related to the ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. This is a major development in the ongoing probe and could mean bad news for the President and his team.
Cohen has been under scrutiny for his role in paying off adult film star Stormy Daniels shortly before the election. The payment may have been an attempt to keep her quiet about her alleged affair with the president. Daniels has since filed a lawsuit against Cohen, claiming that the agreement she signed is invalid because Trump never signed it.
What Is the Investigation About?
Mueller’s probe is seeking potential coordination between Trump’s campaign and Russia during the 2016 election. The investigation has thus far led to charges against several of Trump’s former campaign aides, including guilty pleas from former national security advisor Michael Flynn and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
In addition, the special counsel’s office is investigating Russian interference in the election more broadly, including potential obstruction of justice by President Trump.
What Documents Does Trump’s Lawyer Have to Turn Over?
The order demands that Cohen turn over all communications between him and Trump, as well as any other associates, related to the following topics:
- The payment to Stormy Daniels.
- Any negotiations about a potential tower in Moscow.
- Cohen’s taxi business.
The order also demands that Cohen turn over any documents that might be related to the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
What Does This Mean for Trump?
This is a major development in the ongoing investigations into Trump and his campaign team. Some of what Cohen turned over included documents that were seized during the FBI’s raid of the attorney’s office, home, and hotel room last week.
This could be a major blow to Trump, as Cohen is one of his closest confidants. It is still unclear what exactly the documents contain or what they could reveal, but it is sure to be damaging for the president.
What Is Trump’s Response?
Trump’s response to the order has been relatively quiet, with the exception of a single tweet. In the tweet, he attacked the judge and his ruling, calling it a “disgrace” and saying that the decision was politically motivated.
Trump’s lawyer has also spoken out about the order, saying that they will be appealing the decision.
This is a major development in the ongoing investigation into the Trump campaign. The judge’s order is a sign that the investigation is moving forward, and that his lawyer is likely to be implicated in it.
Written by Janet Grace Ortigas
Edited by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
The Hill: Judge orders Trump attorney to turn over documents to Jan. 6 panel; by Rebecca Beitsch and Harper Neidig
LA Times: Judge tells Trump lawyer to give Jan. 6 committee more emails, including one indicating likely crime
NBC News: Judge orders John Eastman to send more emails to Jan. 6 committee
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Gage Skidmore’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of weinstock’s Pixabay Page – Creative Commons License
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