Federal Investigators Tapped Phones of Trump's Personal Lawyer

[pokerplayer]

A shocking report is breaking now that Federal investigators tapped the phones of President Donald J. Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen.

NBC News broke the story, but didn’t specify how long the phones were under surveillance:

It is not clear how long the wiretap has been authorized, but NBC News has learned it was in place in the weeks leading up to the raids on Cohen’s offices, hotel room, and home in early April, according to one person with direct knowledge.

At least one phone call between a phone line associated with Cohen and the White House was intercepted, the person said.

Sources close to Trump’s new attorney have told reporters that Giuliani told Trump never to contact Cohen again out of fear that the calls were being recorded.

Former U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg, who now works at NBC News, said that there are high standards investigators must meet to get a wiretap approved.

“The affidavits are typically highly detailed and carefully vetted by experienced lawyers. “In all cases, the wiretap must be approved by a federal judge. This is an exacting process where the government must demonstrate to a federal judge that there is an ongoing crime.”

Mr. Cohen has come under public scrutiny for a payment he made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to prevent her from speaking about an alleged sexual encounter with Mr. Trump in the early 2000s. The payment of $130,000 was made just before the 2016 presidential election.

Trump adviser Rudolph W. Giuliani made headlines late Wednesday for saying that Mr. Trump paid Mr. Cohen back for the sum given to Ms. Daniels, plus taxes. Reportedly, it was part of Cohen’s retainer.

If this report is true, it provides more clarity into the investigation into Mr. Cohen, but it is unknown at this time whether any conversations between Cohen and the President were picked up on this wiretap.

[caz1104]

 Sounds like Trump may need to contact HRC to learn how to destroy possible damning evidence & get away with it.

[8th ID]

6 minutes ago, caz1104 said:

 Sounds like Trump may need to contact HRC to learn how to destroy possible damning evidence & get away with it.

You know, I would love for him to use some of the same statements that she used. Now that would be fun to watch!

[coorslite21]

Looking forward to seeing which judge signed off on this one....any bets on the back ground of that judge.....?

[coorslite21]

Ooopps.....another batch of fake news.

 

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POLITICS

05/03/2018 01:19 pm ET Updated 20 minutes ago

NBC, ABC Say Trump Lawyer Michael Cohen Was Not Wiretapped, Issue Corrections

U.S. officials told NBC News that Cohen was actually being monitored via pen register.

By Marina Fang and Carla Herreria

LUCAS JACKSON / REUTERS

Michael Cohen has been embroiled in a legal battle stemming from a $130,000 “hush money” payment he made to silence Stormy Daniels.

NBC News and ABC News are walking back earlier reports that claimed federal investigators had wiretapped President Donald Trump’s longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen. 

NBC first reported on Thursday that feds in New York City had conducted surveillance on Cohen’s phone lines via wiretapping “in the weeks leading up to the search warrant that occurred several weeks ago,” referring to federal authorities raiding his home, hotel room and office in April. 

Hours later, NBC News issued a correction on air, saying Cohen was not wiretapped, citing three senior U.S. officials. ABC News issued a correction as well. 

Federal officials were reportedly actually monitoring Cohen using a device known as a pen register. A pen register is a device that logs phone numbers or Internet addresses that have been contacted. 

 

Cohen has been embroiled in a legal battle stemming from a $130,000 “hush money” payment he made to silence Stormy Daniels, the adult film star who allegedly had an affair with Trump.

NBC had reported that one of the phone calls intercepted was “between the White House and one of the phone lines associated with Michael Cohen.”

Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s new lawyer overseeing matters in the Russia investigation, was reportedly “furious” about the initial report, according to The Washington Post’s Robert Costa.

Giuliani told The Daily Beast on Thursday that he and the other lawyers on Trump’s legal team didn’t believe Cohen was wiretapped.

 

“We think it’s going to turn out to be untrue because it would be totally illegal,” Giuliani said. “You can’t wiretap a lawyer, you certainly can’t wiretap his client who’s not involved in the investigation. No one has suggested that Trump was involved in that investigation. So they’re going to wiretap the lawyer, his client, and his client, the president of the United States? I don’t think so, not if they want to stay out of jail.”

Daniels’ attorney, Michael Avenatti, said the report of wiretapping indicated Trump and his team “have every reason to be concerned at this point.”

“I find it very ironic that now that [Giuliani is] serving as the right-hand lawyer for the president, he doesn’t believe in wiretaps,” Avenatti said on MSNBC. “Of course he got angry on the phone. The reason is because he understands he has an undisciplined client in Mr. Trump and there’s any number of things that may be found on those wiretaps or those recordings between Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen. So they have every reason to be concerned at this point.”

Giuliani said Wednesday that Trump paid back the $130,000 to Cohen, contradicting the president’s prior attempts to distance himself from Cohen and his claim that he didn’t know about the payment.

 

This article has been updated throughout to reflect story developments throughout Wednesday, including NBC’s on-air correction stating Cohen’s phone was not being wiretapped.

RELATED COVERAGE

• National Enquirer Turns On Michael Cohen
• After Cohen Raid, Trump Considers Who To Fire
• The Fallout From Giuliani's Hush Money Bombshell

Hayley Miller contributed reporting. 

 

MORE:

Donald Trump Stormy Daniels Nbc News Michael Cohen

 162 Comments

Email us corrections or feedback.

[caz1104]

SMH....and our lefty loving/MSM mind controlling friends here, wonder why so many on the right are skeptical of almost anything put forth by their heroes

[Shabibilicious]

13 hours ago, caz1104 said:

SMH....and our lefty loving/MSM mind controlling friends here, wonder why so many on the right are skeptical of almost anything put forth by their heroes

 

Good Morning, Caz

 

I've actually never wondered about the Right's skepticism ever.   ....I tend to think of them as glass half empty folk.  

 

GO RV, then BV

Edited May 4, 2018 by Shabibilicious

[caz1104]

Shabs,

LOL I've always considered myself full.....uh watch it, don't go there - lol