President Trump’s longtime attorney Michael Cohen will invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in Stormy Daniels’ defamation lawsuit, according to the adult-film star’s lawyer.
In an interview Thursday afternoon on MSNBC, Michael Avenatti said his legal team had just found this out within the last hour or two.
JUST IN: Stormy Daniels’ attorney @MichaelAvenatti says Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen will “plead the 5th amendment against self incrimination” and he “will seek an emergency stay” against the defamation lawsuit. pic.twitter.com/a0qmLEldZV
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 12, 2018
Just a few days after the FBI raids on Mr. Cohen’s offices, Mr. Avenatti said that “today we find out that it is his intention to plead the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination in response to any questions that I may pose to him in connection with our case.”
Mr. Avenatti added that Mr. Cohen’s attorneys “are going to ask for an emergency stay … we are going to oppose that.”
Mr. Avenatti called the information astounding and unbelievable, given how close Mr. Cohen, who’s been Mr. Trump’s lawyer for decades, is to the center of political power.
“Make no mistake about it. We’re talking about the attorney to the president of the United States of America — the man who knows where a lot of bodies are buried,” he said.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller sent agents to numerous offices associated with Mr. Cohen earlier this week, reportedly looking for, among other things, information on the $130,000 payoff Mr. Cohen gave Mr. Avenatti’s client, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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