In raid on Trump lawyer, feds sought records from deals with women, media and campaign: Sources
Federal agents who raided the home and offices of President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen this week were hunting for records tied to secret deals with alleged mistresses, media organizations and the 2016 presidential campaign, according to two sources who are familiar with the warrant and detailed its contents to ABC News.
Sources told ABC News that, according to the warrant, investigators sought records related to Cohen’s interactions with adult-film star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had a one-night stand with Trump in 2006, and playboy model Karen McDougal, who claims they had a 10-month affair from 2006 to 2007. Both women said they had consensual relationships with Trump long before he was elected president. Trump has denied their accusations.
Investigators also sought records related to Cohen’s interactions with Trump campaign officials during the 2016 election cycle, according to the sources. Cohen never held an official role with the campaign, but he became deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee after the election.
The RNC did not respond to multiple requests to confirm whether Cohen remains in that position.
Sources told ABC News that investigators were also searching for records of any discussions Cohen held about the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape released in October 2016 in which Trump can be heard bragging to host Billy Bush in 2005 that "when you're a star" women let men "do anything," including "grab them by the p----."
The New York Times first reported prosecutors’ interest in records tied to the “Access Hollywood” tape. The tape jolted the campaign and forced the Republican nominee to apologize in a publicly televised message from Trump Tower.
Early Monday morning, FBI agents carried out a raid on the home, offices and hotel room of the president’s longtime personal counsel. Cohen told ABC News the operation was "respectful" and "courteous,” but the agents carted away documents and Cohen’s electronic devices.
On Wednesday, Cohen told ABC News: “I just want my stuff back.”
Warrants served during the raid provide the vague outlines of the investigation, which is being headed by the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Southern District of New York.
“It’s a broad swath of documents and records with those categories and it means that those categories were approved by the Judge as that there is probable cause of a crime in each of those categories,” said Matt Olsen, a former prosecutor and ABC News contributor. “The thrust of it appears to be about potential campaign finance violations...but it’s surprisingly a broad request of documents.”
The records agents sought covered several of the varied roles Cohen played as a lawyer and fixer for Trump over the course of a decade, but also appear to delve into his own personal dealings, according to the sources.
Investigators also sought documents from his New York City taxi cab business, sources told ABC News. Over decades, Cohen and his relatives have amassed more than two dozen taxi medallions in separate entities that carry such names as Golden Child Cab Corp. and Smoochie Cab Corp.
Cohen’s attorney released a terse statement Monday arguing that the documents seized included “the unnecessary seizure of protected attorney client communications between a lawyer and his clients.”
“These government tactics are also wrong because Mr. Cohen has cooperated completely with all government entities,” said Stephen Ryan, Cohen’s Washington-based attorney.
ABC News' Pete Madden contributed to this report.
