Why Cohen is about to become an existential threat to Trump’s businesses and “presidency”
ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and James Hill report:
&As attorneys for Michael Cohen rush to meet Judge Kimba Wood’s Friday deadline to complete a privilege review of over 3.7 million documents seized in the April 9 raids of Cohen’s New York properties and law office, a source representing this matter has disclosed to ABC News that the law firm handling the case for Cohen is not expected to represent him going forward. … No replacement counsel has been identified as of this time.
The carefully-worded caveat “not expected” implies two primary possibilities:
- Cohen cannot cover his legal bills; and/or
- Cohen’s lawyers know, believe, or anticipate that Cohen is about to turn state’s evidence against Trump (and in fact may have already cut a deal).
Cohen’s lawyers are likely staying on for a couple of days to tie up one loose end:
Judge Wood subsequently appointed former federal judge Barbara Jones to act as a “special master” to conduct an impartial review of the materials [seized from Cohen’s office, hime, and hotel room] and to referee any disputes between Cohen and the government. … Judge Wood has given Cohen’s attorneys until Friday to complete the review of the remaining documents. Any remaining items to be reviewed would be turned over to a team of federal prosecutors unconnected to the case to complete the examination of the documents.
Stephanopoulos and Hill conjecture:
Cohen, now with no legal representation, is likely to cooperate with federal prosecutors in New York, sources said. This development, which is believed to be imminent, will likely hit the White House, family members, staffers and counsels hard.
You forgot to mention Vladimir Putin, George!
The development follows less than a day after it was reported that
Michael Cohen thinks he might soon have to swap his pinstripes for prison stripes. The longtime attorney and personal fixer to President Trump expects to be put in cuffs any day now, possibly opening up his top client to legal complications, a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday.
Cohen has been telling friends he fears he will soon be indicted and arrested over the federal investigation he’s facing in New York, the source told the [New York] Daily News.
Expect a #MAGA meltdown in 3… 2… 1… while we try to come up with a good metaphor about Trump cooking up a Stormy word salad with Russian dressing…
